OBU signs 27 in 2021 recruiting class
Ouachita Baptist football is excited to announce its 2021 signing class. The incoming freshman class of 27 includes 17 players from Arkansas, seven from Texas, two from Louisiana and one from Tennessee.
"This whole year is really about adversity," head coach Todd Knight said. "These guys that are coming in this year have been through a ton. These guys have been up and down. There's just a mental toughness about the group coming in after what they've been through. The other thing I like about the class, even if it wasn't a Covid year, is that we've spread it out. We've got offensive linemen, defensive linemen quarterbacks, defensive backs. We've run the whole gamut. And we didn't just sell out with a normal class. We had to hold back a little bit, because we're carrying six classes with current players carrying extra eligibility after not playing in the fall."
The Tigers bring in 14 players on the offensive side of the ball and 13 defensive players. By position, the class features two quarterbacks, one running back, three wide receivers, two tight ends, six offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, four linebackers, and six defensive backs.
The signing class brings a combined 17 All-State honors, 14 All-District/Region honors, and 21 All-Conference honors. Of the 27 Tiger signees, 26 played multiple sports in high school and 10 played three or more sports.
"I feel strongly about the way our coaches recruit," Knight said. "Starting with [recruiting coordinator] Brett Shockley's leadership and the mentality he has when it comes to recruiting and the way we start in Arkansas and go to east Texas and north Louisiana. The guys have done a great job. It takes a year and a half to recruit a class. A lot of hard work goes into those guys, and I feel like we've got the right guys for Ouachita. And it means a lot to have great recruiters on campus in your own players. I'm thankful for the staff and thankful for the team."
Nathan Adams – OL6'4" | 340 | Jonesboro, Ark. | Westside | Highlight Reel
Adams joins the Tigers out of Jonesboro's Westside High School. During his career, Adams helped the Warriors to the state playoffs all four years of his career, including first-round home games in 2017 and 2019 and a quarterfinal run in 2019.
Joel Allen – QB6'2" | 190 | San Antonio, Texas | San Antonio Christian | Highlight Reel
Allen comes to Arkadelphia after earning 6A All-District honors for San Antonio Christian. Also a member of the Lion tennis team, Allen passed for an average of 180 yards per game while battling injuries throughout his career.
Bruin Barnes - DB6'1" | 190 | Hamburg, Ark. | Hamburg | Highlight Reel
Barnes is a two-time First Team All-Conference honoree out of Hamburg, Arkansas. As a safety and linebacker for the Lions, he recorded 170 tackles, eight interceptions, four forced fumbles and three defensive touchdowns. Hamburg reached the playoffs each year of Barnes' career.
Braylen Butler – DL6'0" | 265 | Pine Bluff, Ark. | Braswell (Aubrey, Texas) | Highlight Reel
A native of Pine Bluff, Butler comes to Ouachita out of Ray Braswell High School in Aubrey, Texas. A two-time All-District and All-Area honoree, Butler led the Bengals to the first playoff appearance in school history in 2019.
Jaxson Carter - LB6'1" | 195 | Conway, Ark. | Poyen | Highlight Reel
Carter is an All-State and two-time All-Conference selection out of Poyen High School. A two-way threat, he recorded 2,627 yards of total offense and accounted for 40 touchdowns while helping the Indians to three playoff appearances and the 2020 state quarterfinals.
Dalton Curtis – WR6'0" | 195 | Charleston, Ark. | Charleston | Highlight Reel
Curtis was named All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-State as a senior at Charleston High School. He caught 26 passes for 420 yards and scored eight total touchdowns while also making 30 tackles. Curtis helped Charleston extend Arkansas' longest-running streak of playoff appearances.
Canaan Davis – OL6'2" | 290 | Sherwood, Ark. | Little Rock Central | Highlight Reel
Davis joins the Tigers as a three-time All-Conference lineman from Little Rock Central. While also competing in track and field, wrestling and cheer, he helped the Tigers to two playoff appearances and one playoff win.
Drew Dudley – WR6'2" | 185 | Springdale, Ark. | Shiloh Christian Academy | Highlight Reel
Dudley comes to Ouachita as a two-time All-Conference honoree at Shiloh Christian Academy. He caught 26 passes for 452 yards and three touchdowns. Dudley helped the Saints to a second-place state finish in 2019 and the state title in 2020.
Nathan Frater – TE6'6" | 200 | | Frisco, Texas | Legacy Christian Academy
Frater is an All-State and two-time All-District honoree out of Legacy Christian Academy. A two-way weapon for the Eagles, he recorded 158 yards of total offense and a touchdown while also picking up 32 tackles and two sacks.
Dawson Guidry – DB6'0" | 199 | Marrero, La. | Archbishop Shaw | Highlight Reel
Guidry joins the Tigers having recorded 128 tackles, six interceptions, 11 pass breakups, six forced fumbles and seven tackles for loss at Archbishop Shaw. He helped the Eagles to the playoffs each year of his career.
Cauy House – LB6'0" | 210 | Mena, Ark. | Mena | Highlight Reel
House, an All-State and two-time All-Conference honoree, joins Ouachita's linebacker room from Mena, Arkansas. He recorded 287 tackles in his career, along with 10 sacks, three interceptions, four fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles while also rushing for seven touchdowns as a fullback.
Josiah Johnson – LB5'11" | 195 | Little Rock, Ark. | Pulaski Academy | Highlight Reel
A two-time All-State honoree, Johnson joins the Tigers out of Pulaski Academy in Little Rock. He helped the Bruins to two state titles and three state championship games. Johnson recorded 163 tackles and an interception at Pulaski Academy.
Eli Livingston – QB6'2" | 205 | Batesville, Ark. | Batesville | Highlight Reel
Livingston is an All-State and two-time All-Conference selection out of Batesville, Arkansas. He completed 56 percent of his passes for 3,768 yards and 46 touchdowns and led Batesville to a pair of playoff appearances.
Wes McCord – TE6'1" | 230 | Sachse, Texas | JJ Pearce
McCord comes to Ouachita as a two-time Academic All-District honoree out of JJ Pearce High School. Also a member of the Mustang baseball team, he helped Pearce to four straight playoff appearances.
Boston Morris – DL6'2" | 210 | Mount Vernon, Texas | Mount Vernon | Highlight Reel
Morris is a three-time All-District – and two-time First Team All-District – honoree out of Mount Vernon, Texas. He recorded 119 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 27 pressures, five sacks and three fumble recoveries as a senior. Mount Vernon made the playoffs each year of Morris' career, culminating in a state semifinal appearance in 2020.
Jacobi Nolen – LB6'0" | 200 | Prescott, Ark. | Prescott | Highlight Reel
Nolen earned All-State, All-Conference and All-District recognition in his career at Prescott High School. He recorded 350 total tackles while helping the Curley Wolves to a pair of state semifinal appearances.
Jacob Norman – OL6'6" | 260 | Katy, Texas | Katy | Highlight Reel
Norman, an All-District and Academic All-State offensive tackle, joins Ouachita out of Katy, Texas. He recorded 25 pancake blocks on his way to helping Katy to the 6A Division 2 state title.
Malique Reliford – DB6'0" | 195 | Malvern, Ark. | Malvern | High School
Reliford is a two-time All-Conference cornerback out of Malvern High School, where he also competes in track and field. He finished his high school career with 83 tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. A four-year letterman, he led the Leopards to the state playoffs his junior and senior seasons.
Dre Smallwood – DB6'0" | 170 | Dallas, Texas | Roosevelt | Highlight Reel
Smallwood comes to Ouachita after a high school career as a two-way standout at Roosevelt High School in Dallas. He recorded 857 receiving yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 32 tackles and a fumble recovery while earning team captain status for the Mustangs.
Whitt Sparks- OL6'7" | 315 | DeKalb, Texas | DeKalb | Highlight Reel
Sparks comes to Arkadelphia as a Second-Team All-District and Academic All-State honoree from DeKalb, Texas. Sparks also played basketball for the Bears.
Jack Stephens – DB6'1" | 175 | Germantown, Tenn. | Evangelical Christian | Highlight Reel
Stephens is an All-Region honoree out of Evangelical Christian in Germantown, Tennessee. Also a member of the lacrosse and soccer teams, he helped ECS to the 2019 state championship and a semifinal appearance in 2020.
Landon Stone – RB5'10" | 180 | Magnet Cove, Ark. | Magnet Cove | Highlight Reel
Stone is a two-time All-State and All-Conference selection, as well as the 2019 Little Rock Touchdown Club Class AA Player of the Year. He joins the Tigers after rushing for 5,241 yards on 550 carries, scoring 56 total touchdowns, and recording 221 tackles and 29 tackles for loss. Stone led the Panthers to the playoffs three straight years, including a 2019 quarterfinal run.
Braeden Thomas – WR5'11" | 180 | Arkadelphia, Ark. | Arkadelphia | Highlight Reel
A local product, Thomas is a two-time All-State honoree out of Arkadelphia High School. He racked up 2,500 all-purpose yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior. Thomas helped the Badgers to two state titles and two other quarterfinal appearances.
Nick Washington – DL6'1" | 240 | LaPlace, La. | Riverside Academy | Highlight Reel
Washington has earned All-State and All-Metro honors in his career, along with two First Team All-District accolades at Rverside Academy. He has recorded 57 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, five forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. A four-year letterman, Washington helped his team to the 2020 state quarterfinals.
Conner Whipple – OL5'10" | 240 | Little Rock, Ark. | Little Rock Christian | Highlight Reel
Whipple is a 2020 All-State selection and earned All-Conference honors as a junior in 2019. He graded out at 91 percent and recorded 58 knockdowns while blocking for a rushing attack that amassed 6,353 yards and 94 touchdowns in two seasons. During Whipple's career, the Warriors made three state title game appearances and won the 2018 State Championship.
Gaylon Williams – OL6'0" | 295 | Texarkana, Ark. | Arkansas | Highlight Reel
Gaylon Williams is a two-time All-State center from Arkansas High School in Texarkana. He has been part of four playoff teams and helped the Razorbacks to a conference title in 2018.
Jacolby Williams – DB6'0" | 180 | Ashdown, Ark. | Ashdown | Highlight Reel
Jacolby Williams is an All-State defensive back out of Ashdown, Arkansas. Also a member of the basketball and track and field teams, Williams helped Ashdown to the state playoffs in 2017 and 2020.
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