Bulldogs add five on signing day, but still working on 2021 football recruiting class
Fresno State continued to build its football future on Wednesday, the traditional national letter of intent signing day, with the addition of offensive lineman Rolan Fullwood and defensive end Ja’Quez Harvey.
The Bulldogs also added two FBS transfers and one FCS transfer to a class that includes 15 players signed in December during the early signing period, recruiting through the coronavirus pandemic.
“I think we were able to hone in overall on some of the top prospects that were in the state and combine that with some top prospects locally,” coach Kalen DeBoer said. “There are a lot of special connections that I think we had in the state of California that helped us land some really good football players that are going to be special. Then there are a couple sprinkled in, out-of-state guys, that I think we did a really good job connecting with and taking advantage of ways where we could recruit them through Zoom.
“In the end, it would have been a lot easier to do everything in person, but I feel awesome about our guys. They are more than all in.”
Fullwood is a 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive lineman from Lawndale High in Southern California, regarded as a 3-star prospect and the No. 60 offensive guard in the nation by 247Sports. He had been committed to the Bulldogs before the December signing period, and also had scholarship offers from USC and Kansas as well as Mountain West Conference rivals San Diego State, Nevada and UNLV.
Harvey, 6-4 and 245 pounds out of Locke High in Los Angeles, adds to an already strong defensive line class. He is rated a 3-star prospect, as well, and at No. 93 a Top 100 recruit in the state by 247Sports.
3 transfers; 2 are familiar
The three transfers joining the Bulldogs’ program are linebacker Tyson Maeva (Florida International), cornerback Daron Bland (Sacramento State) and running back Jordan Wilmore (Utah).
Maeva started his career at Boise State and was its second-leading tackler in 2018, the year Fresno State won the Mountain West Conference championship with a 19-16 overtime victory on a snow-covered field at Albertsons Stadium.
Bland, from Central Catholic-Modesto, started 13 games in 2019 and was a first-team All-Big Sky Conference selection. He had three tackles and one pass breakup in the Hornets’ 34-20 loss at Bulldog Stadium.
Wilmore was a 4-star recruit when coming out of Lawndale High and was the CIF-Southern Section Division 5 offensive player of the year in 2018. He played in two games at Utah last season as a sophomore, rushing for 54 yards on 18 plays.
The Bulldogs’ 2021 recruiting class
The Bulldogs through Wednesday have signed …
Quarterback
Running back
- Johnathan Arceneaux (Lawndale)
- Jordan Hornbeak (Fresno, San Joaquin Memorial)
- Jordan Wilmore (Utah)*
Tight end
- Tre Watson (Rio Rancho, N.M., Cleveland)
Offensive line
- Rolan Fullwood (Lawndale)
- Braylen Nelson (Denver, Vista Peak)
Defensive line
- Tito Chikere (Sugarland, Texas, Fort Bend Kempner)
- Frankco Gratton (Seattle, Rainier Beach)
- Ja’Quez Harvey (Los Angeles, Locke)
- Julius Lewis (Modesto, Central Catholic)
Linebacker
- Malik Brooks (Las Vegas, Desert Pines)
- Charlotin Charles (Las Vegas, Bishop Gorman)
- Tyson Maeva (Florida International)*
- Emari Pait (Culver City)
Cornerback
- Daron Bland (Sacramento State)*
- Alzillion Hamilton (Hayward)
- Cale Sanders (New Caney, Texas)
- Jalen Williams (Lancaster, Paraclete)
Safety
- Julian Neal (San Francisco, Mission)
* transfer
Fresno State, with 12 seniors taking advantage of eligibility relief granted by the NCAA and returning for another season, also has commitments from Division I transfers defensive tackle Jordan Berry (Colorado), cornerback Elijah Gates (UCLA) and wideout Ty Jones (Washington).