MOSCOW, Idaho - Idaho football head coach
Paul Petrino announced the signing of 13 student-athletes Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period. The Vandals inked seven student-athletes who will enroll in January, including four junior college transfers.
"We signed a lot of guys who will come in and compete for starting positions right away," Petrino said. "We had some specific needs on defense that we had to address with older guys and I think we did that. We got two great players from the state of Idaho and we were able to get a lot of really talented young play makers to sign early."
Petrino expects junior college transfers Satchel Escalante, Austin Holt, Jalan Jenkins and Vei Tomasi to make an immediate impact on the defensive side of the ball.
The in-state signees are running back Nick Romano (Meridian/Rocky Mountain HS) and offensive lineman Noah Gunn (Coeur d'Alene/Coeur d'Alene HS). Romano was the 2018 Idaho 5A Player of the Year and Gunn was a first-team all-state selection as a senior in 2017 before spending a year at Air Force Preparatory Academy.
"We got two great players from our own state," Petrino said. "Nick is a great running back. He rushed for over 2,000 yards and won the state title while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He's exactly who we want at Idaho. Noah is a great talent who is going to come in and compete for a starting spot. With what we have coming back, he gives us a chance to have the type of offensive line we had during the bowl year."
Coach Petrino Quotes
"Coleman Johnson is a great addition to the team. He will be able to come in early just like his brother (Noah) did, and if he takes advantage of that the same way Noah did I would expect him to play soon."
"Tanner Brooks is long and rangy and reminds you of the Elliss brothers. We're looking at him as a linebacker, but he has some two-way potential."
"It's always good to get a quarterback. We had Nate come to our camp and really liked him. He had a great junior season before some injury issues as a senior, but we're excited he's part of this class."
"The bulk of our class is all about playmakers. Camren Thomas can play both sides of the ball with good size and a lot of talent. Sean McCormick, Marquese Albert and Kiahn Martinez are really good football players. They will absolutely find a way to make an impact for us because they're all really good with the ball in their hands."
Idaho Football Early Signees (Dec. 19)
Marquese Albert
RB | 5-8 | 185
New Orleans, La. | John Curtis Christian HS
Four-year letterwinner at perennial power and nationally-ranked John Curtis Christian High School…rated by 247Sports as a three-star prospect and the No. 29 all-purpose back in the country in the class of 2018…highest-ranked all-purpose back to sign with an FCS school…ran for 887 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior, including five 100-yard games…led John Curtis to Catholic League title and appearance in the state semifinals…returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in his career…missed majority of senior season with injury…will enroll at Idaho in the spring.
Tanner Brooks
LB | 6-4 | 217
Spokane, Wash. | Mt. Spokane HS
First-team All-Greater Spokane League linebacker as a senior…helped Mt. Spokane to an 8-3 mark and the 2018 3A state playoffs…56 tackles, including 13 for loss and 7.5 sacks…caught 31 passes for 541 yards and four touchdowns…All-GSL First Team tight end as a junior…helped Mt. Spokane win 3A GSL title in 2017…also an all-league basketball player…led Wildcats to state quarterfinal appearance as a junior.
Nate Cisco
QB | 6-4 | 180
Franklin, Tenn. | Independence HS
Two-year starter at quarterback for Independence High School…two-time Tennessean Sports Boys' Athlete of the Week…won most recent award after leading Independence to a 42-32 win over Summit in week two of his senior season, throwing for 365 yards and two scores…passed for 2,280 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior.
Satchel Escalante
S | 6-0 | 182
Casa Grande, Ariz. | Scottsdale CC
Second-team All-Western States Football League and second-team all-region as a senior at Scottsdale Community College…led Arizona Community College Athletic Conference with 12.3 tackles per game…registered double-digit tackles in all 10 regular-season games, with a high of 16…hauled in three interceptions…helped Fighting Artichokes to a 7-4 record, including a berth in the Valley of the Sun Bowl…as a freshman recorded 39 tackles and three interceptions…picked off a pass in three consecutive games and added a fumble recovery for four takeaways in a three-game stretch from Sept. 23-Oct. 7…recorded 87 tackles and four interceptions as a senior at Hamilton High School.
Noah Gunn
OL | 6-5 | 290
Coeur d'Alene, Idaho | Coeur d'Alene HS
2017 All-Idaho 5A First Team…All-Inland Empire League as a senior…helped Coeur d'Alene High reach 5A state title game…rated as the No. 6 prospect in Idaho by 247Sports for the class of 2018…will enroll at Idaho in the spring…spent 2018 at Air Force Prep Academy.
Austin Holt
BUCK | 6-3 | 255
Palatka, Fla. | College of the Desert (Calif.)
First-team All-Mountain Conference as a sophomore in 2017…three-star prospect according to 247Sports…played in 19 career games at College of the Desert, recording 84 tackles, 8.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss…forced and recovered two fumbles…registered five sacks and 12 TFLs as a sophomore…two-time Southern California Defensive Player of the Week…helped COD to a 6-5 record as a freshman in 2016, including hosting a postseason bowl game for the first time in 22 years…will enroll at Idaho in the spring with two years to play two.
Jalan Jenkins
LB | 6-1 | 209
Evanston, Ill. | Butte College
2018 All-Nor Cal League…recorded 87 tackles, including five games with double-digit stops…tallied three sacks among 6.5 tackles for loss…led Butte to 9-2 record and berth in the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs...team ranked No. 1 in the region and No. 3 in the state at end of regular season…played freshman season at Indiana State in 2017, appearing in four games and registering seven tackles…two-time All-Central Suburban League selection in high school at Evanston (Ill.) Township…CSL South Defensive MVP as a senior in 2015…second-team all-area…career prep totals of 201 tackles, five sacks, 13 tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries…team captain…intends to enroll at Idaho in the spring and have three years to play two.
Coleman Johnson
BUCK | 6-0 | 240
Fayetteville, Ark. | Fayetteville HS
2018 7A all-state selection…two-star prospect according to 247Sports…119 career tackles, including 47 tackles for loss and 20 sacks…member of Fayetteville's 2016 state title team…helped Bulldogs to consecutive second-round playoff appearances as a junior and senior…younger brother of current Vandal All-America offensive lineman
Noah Johnson.
Kiahn Martinez
RB | 5-8 | 190
Denver, Colo. | Regis Jesuit HS
First-team 5A all-state as a senior…three-star prospect according to 247Sports…ran for 1,110 yards as a senior, including 633 over final four games of regular season to get Regis Jesuit to the playoffs…added 498 receiving yards for 1,608 all-purpose yards on the season and 27 touchdowns (20 rushing, seven receiving)…rushed for 3,384 yards and 49 touchdowns in his career, added 685 receiving yards and nine touchdowns through the air...also competes in track and field.
Sean McCormick
WR | 5-10 | 180
Fallon, Nev. | Churchill County HS
Led Churchill County to 3A state title as a senior…All-Nevada selection…two-time 3A Northern League MVP…two-way standout…two-star prospect according to 247Sports…rushed for 1,800 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior, including a 372-yard performance in the state semifinals…also picked off eight passes on defense…as a junior, threw for 1,015 yards and 12 touchdowns while running for 1,294 yards and 17 scores…recorded eight interceptions on defense…scored 53 career touchdowns…standout in baseball and wrestling…reigning state champion in wrestling in 160-pound class.
Nick Romano
RB | 5-11 | 201
Meridian, Idaho | Rocky Mountain HS
Idaho 5A Player of the Year…rated a two-star prospect by 247 Sports…rushed for 2,211 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior…state's leading rusher at all classifications…led Rocky Mountain to 12-0 season and state title…ran for 309 yards and two touchdowns in state championship game…averaged 9.1 yards per carry as a senior and did not commit a fumble…first-team All-SIC running back as a junior…all-conference baseball player…helped Rocky Mountain to 2017 state title on the diamond…carries 4.0 grade-point average…intends to major in business.
Camren Thomas
WR/S | 6-1 | 185
San Pedro, Calif. | San Pedro HS
Led San Pedro to CIF-Los Angeles City Section Division I championship…team won five straight games to end the season, including upsetting No. 1 seed Dorsey in the title game…hauled in 29 receptions for 629 yards and seven touchdowns…averaged 21.7 yards per reception…also ran the ball 10 times for 82 yards…missed half of junior season after transferring, caught 19 passes for 220 yards and two scores.
Â
Siliveinusi "Vei" Tomasi
DL | 6-1 | 310
Oakland, Calif. | Laney College
Helped Laney claim the 2018 California Community College Athletic Association championship…team finished the season 11-2…recorded 22 tackles from his interior line position, including one sack and 3.5 TFLs…four-year starter at Fremont High…four-time all-city selection…competed for USA Rugby U20, as well as various junior national teams…will enroll at Idaho in the spring.
Â
