Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Nichols Announces 2014 Early Decision Commitments
2/24/2014 1:56:00 PM | Football
Recruiting Coach's Show
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Head coach Paul Nichols announced Monday the 30 members of the Davidson football Class of 2018 that were accepted via early decision.
Entering their second season as a staff, Nichols, recruiting coordinator Chad Creamer and the rest of the coaching staff received 13 more early decision commitments than their first class in 2013.
The future Wildcats hail from 12 different states, with North Carolina (7), Georgia (4), Florida (4) and Virginia (3) garnering the most representation. Seven earned all-state honors.
The group is split between 15 who are expected to play defense, 11 who are projected to play offense and four specialists.
The complete early decision class is listed below. Regular decision commitments will be announced in May.
Brian Bamberger | 6-2/207 | Linebacker | Reading, Pa. | Hill School
Video Highlights
- All-section and all-county all-star game
- All-county all-academic team
- Pennsylvania AA State Champion
- Game-high 10 tackles in state championship game
- Pa. Football News 2013 All-State Academic Team (Gold level)
Joe Benzing | 6-3/185 | Defensive End | Virginia Beach, Va. | Bishop Sullivan
Video Highlights
- 2013 Virginia State Champion
- 2013 conference champion
- 2013 VISAA Division II Second Team All-State Linebacker
- All-conference team
- Virginia Preps Defensive Player of the Week
Colin Brown | 6-2/210 | Linebacker | Batesville, Ind. | Batesville
Video Highlights
- 2013 All-EIAC (Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference) 3A Defensive MVP
- 2013 Postseason All-TriStateFootball.com Linebacker Finalist
- First team all-state linebacker
- Maxpreps.com Pre-Season All-State
- All-Tristate (Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky) Pre-Season Honorable Mention
- Led team to second undefeated regular season in school history
Cam Cheuvront | 5-9/153 | Wide Receiver | Somerset, Ky. | Somerset
Video Highlights
- 2013 WYMT All-Mountain First-Team Wide Receiver
- 2013 WYMT 2A Player of the Year
- 2013 Clear Channel/Commonwealth Journal All-County Football Team
- 2013 First Team Associated Press Kentucky All-State
- 2012 The Commonwealth Journal's Male Athlete of the Year
Hub Cirame | 6-0/187 | Running Back | Lake Forest, Ill. | Lake Forest
Video Highlights
- Two-time all-conference running back
- All-Lake County Team
- First-Team All-North Shore
- All-area team
- All-state academic team
- Two-time all-conference academic team
Connor Fagan | 6-3/277 | Offensive Lineman | Oak Hill, Va. | Oakton
Video Highlights
- 2013 all-district honors
- Virginia state semifinalist
- Northern Region (Va.) Championship
Ben Hart | 5-10/229 | Linebacker | Hudson, Ohio | Hudson
Video Highlights
- Three-time OHSAA Division 1 Playoffs Round of 16 appearances
- Two-time Northeast Ohio Conference Division Champion
- 2013 AP Second Team All-Ohio Division 1
- 2013 AP First Team All-Northeast Inland District Division 1
- 2013 AP First Team All-Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division
- 2013 Akron Beacon Journal Football All-Star
- 2013 Touchdown Club of Akron Football All-Star
Nathan Higdon | 5-10/160 | Kicker | Canton, N.C. | Pisgah
Video Highlights
- Wendy's High School Heisman State Finalist
- MedWest Player of the Week
- Waynesville Automotive Group Player of the Week
- School Record for Field Goals in a Season (10)
- School Record for Longest Field Goal (42 yards)
- All-State in Track
Lucas Kane | 6-6/241 | Offensive Line | Silver Spring, Md. | Northwood
Video Highlights
- Two-time all-league honors
- Two-time all-county 3A honors
- Two-time All-Gazette honorable mention
- Two-time scholar-athlete award recipient
Austin Kistner | 6-1/260 | Defensive Line | St. Louis, Mo. | Lutheran
Video Highlights
- Two-Time First-Team All-Conference Defensive End
- 2013 First-Team All-State
- 2013 First-Team All-District
- Missouri All-Star Game Selection
- National Blue Grey Combine Selection
Alex Kolencik | 6-1/245 | Defensive Line | Great Falls, Va. | Langley
Video Highlights
- 2013 Conference 6 Champion/AAA Region North
- AAA Region 6 North Quarterfinalist
- All-conference and all-region Honors
- Also lettered in track and lacrosse
William Lange | 5-10/163 | Running Back | Somerset, Ky. | Somerset
Video Highlights
- Four-Time 2A Kentucky Semifinalist
- Four-Time 2A Regional Champ
- Three-Time 2A District Champ
- Correll Bowl Offensive MVP
- KHSAA District Most Outstanding Running Back
- All-County and All-Region Running Back
Garrett Larson | 5-8/200 | Fullback | Lakeworth, Fla. | The Kings Academy
Video Highlights
Taylor Mitchell | 6-1/193 | Quarterback | Buford, Ga. | Buford
Video Highlights
- Two-Time Georgia AAA State Champion
- Gwinnett Touchdown Club Player of the Month
- Scholar athlete of the year
- 64 percent completion percentage
- 1,700 passing yards and 18 touchdowns
Conrad Mueller | 5-11/180 | Long Snapper | Waxhaw, N.C. | Parkwood
Video Highlights
- 2013 North Carolina 2AA state semifinalist
- 2012 Prokicker.com All-American Honorable Mention Long Snapper
Zack Popovec | 6-2/180 | Linebacker | Galloway, Ohio | Hilliard Bradley
Video Highlights
- Three-time Defensive Player of the Week
- Two-time Honorable Mention All-OCC
Ben Rowell | 5-11/190 | Safety | Woodstock, Ga. | Etowah
Video Highlights
- 2013 All-Cherokee County Academic Team
- 2013 All-Region 5-AAAAAA Honorable Mention
- 2012 Cherokee County Defensive Back of the Year
- 2012 All-Region 5-AAAAAA
- 2011, 2012 All-Cherokee County Defensive Back
Ryan Samuels | 5-11/225 | Linebacker | Miramar, Fla. | Miramar
Video Highlights
- 2013 Florida 8A First Team All-State Defense
- Sun-Sentinel 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, Broward County, FL
- Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel 2013 First Team All-Broward County
- 2013 Florida First Team All-State and Regional Elite Teams
- Florida Coaches Athletics Association and Nike All-Star Teams
- Greatest American Rivalry Scholar Athlete Award
- Auto Nation and South Florida High School Sports Scholar Athlete Award
- 2013 #1 Defense in Florida
- 2013 Nationally Ranked (Top 25) and Undefeated Regular Season
- 2011 Florida 8A State Runner-Up and Undefeated Regular Season
- Two-Time Florida 8A-District 12 Champion
Jonathan Schultz | 6-2/289 | Offensive Lineman | Miami, Fla. | Belen Jesuit
Video Highlights
- All-County Selection
- Florida Academic State Champion
Jonathan Sheperd-Smith | 5-11/214 | Defensive End | Lithonia, Ga. | Arabia Mountain
Video Highlights
- 2013 Academic all-county
- 2013 offense-defense All-American team
- Uncommon Man of the Week Award
- Three-Time Defensive Player of the Week
Brendan Simpkins | 6-4/223 | Defensive End | Crofton, Md. | Archbishop Spalding
Video Highlights
- Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association All-Conference
- All-Anne Arundel County Second Team
Brayden Sims | 6-2/189 | Wide Receiver | Garner, N.C. | Garner
Video Highlights
- 2013 GNRC All-Conference
- 2011 and 2012 all-conference honorable mention
- Holds Record for most playoff games played at Garner with 12
- 2012 North Carolina 4AA Eastern Final Runner-Up
- 2011 North Carolina 4AA State Championship Runner-Up
Trevor Smith | 6-3/170 | Kicker | Tampa, Fla. | Cambridge Christian
Video Highlights
- First team all-state
- All-county
- All-conference
- Kicked 44-yd field goal in Hillsborough County All-Star Game
- Holds school kicking records for points, field goals, and touchbacks
Steven Spears | 6-1/174 | Safety | Woodstock, Ga. | River Ridge
Video Highlights
- 2013 all-county second team
- 2011, 2012, 2013 all-county defensive back
- 2013 all-county academic team
Seth Stancil | 5-10/165 | Punter | Greenville, N.C. | South Central
Video Highlights
- Kicked a 41-yard field goal
- 34-of-38 on PAT attempts
- Averaged 50 yards per kickoff
Tristan Strong | 6-2/289 | Offensive Lineman | Laurinburg, N.C. | Scotland County
Video Highlights
- 2011 North Carolina State Champion
- 2012 North Carolina State Semifinalist
- 2013 North Carolina State Finalist
- 2013 all-conference
- 2013 all-state nominee
Thomas Sykes | 6-0/219 | Defensive End | Mebane, N.C. | Eastern Alamance
Video Highlights
- Two-time all-conference honors
- All-region honors
Will Thomas | 6-1/267 | Defensive Line | Monteagle, Tenn. | Baylor School
Video Highlights
- 2013 Pre-Season all-state and academic all-state teams
- 2013 East-West Toyota All-Star Game selection
- 2012 all-region and state first team
- Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Prep Defensive Team
- 2012 and 2013 state quarterfinalist
- 2011 state runner-up
Austin Wells | 5-10/162 | Fullback | Brentwood, Tenn. | Brentwood
Video Highlights
- District 11-AAA All-District Team
- Brentwood Homepage Player of the Week
- Williamson Herald Athlete of the Month
- Three-time TSSAA Student-Athlete Award of Merit Winner
- Two-time state quarterfinalist
Ryan Woods | 5-10/167 | Cornerback | Mebane, N.C. | Eastern Alamance
Video Highlights
- First team all-conference
- Two-time first team all-region
- Led region in interceptions senior year
- Holds school records for pass break ups and longest interception return for a touchdown
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Head coach Paul Nichols announced Monday the 30 members of the Davidson football Class of 2018 that were accepted via early decision.
Entering their second season as a staff, Nichols, recruiting coordinator Chad Creamer and the rest of the coaching staff received 13 more early decision commitments than their first class in 2013.
The future Wildcats hail from 12 different states, with North Carolina (7), Georgia (4), Florida (4) and Virginia (3) garnering the most representation. Seven earned all-state honors.
The group is split between 15 who are expected to play defense, 11 who are projected to play offense and four specialists.
The complete early decision class is listed below. Regular decision commitments will be announced in May.
Brian Bamberger | 6-2/207 | Linebacker | Reading, Pa. | Hill School
Video Highlights
- All-section and all-county all-star game
- All-county all-academic team
- Pennsylvania AA State Champion
- Game-high 10 tackles in state championship game
- Pa. Football News 2013 All-State Academic Team (Gold level)
Joe Benzing | 6-3/185 | Defensive End | Virginia Beach, Va. | Bishop Sullivan
Video Highlights
- 2013 Virginia State Champion
- 2013 conference champion
- 2013 VISAA Division II Second Team All-State Linebacker
- All-conference team
- Virginia Preps Defensive Player of the Week
Colin Brown | 6-2/210 | Linebacker | Batesville, Ind. | Batesville
Video Highlights
- 2013 All-EIAC (Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference) 3A Defensive MVP
- 2013 Postseason All-TriStateFootball.com Linebacker Finalist
- First team all-state linebacker
- Maxpreps.com Pre-Season All-State
- All-Tristate (Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky) Pre-Season Honorable Mention
- Led team to second undefeated regular season in school history
Cam Cheuvront | 5-9/153 | Wide Receiver | Somerset, Ky. | Somerset
Video Highlights
- 2013 WYMT All-Mountain First-Team Wide Receiver
- 2013 WYMT 2A Player of the Year
- 2013 Clear Channel/Commonwealth Journal All-County Football Team
- 2013 First Team Associated Press Kentucky All-State
- 2012 The Commonwealth Journal's Male Athlete of the Year
Hub Cirame | 6-0/187 | Running Back | Lake Forest, Ill. | Lake Forest
Video Highlights
- Two-time all-conference running back
- All-Lake County Team
- First-Team All-North Shore
- All-area team
- All-state academic team
- Two-time all-conference academic team
Connor Fagan | 6-3/277 | Offensive Lineman | Oak Hill, Va. | Oakton
Video Highlights
- 2013 all-district honors
- Virginia state semifinalist
- Northern Region (Va.) Championship
Ben Hart | 5-10/229 | Linebacker | Hudson, Ohio | Hudson
Video Highlights
- Three-time OHSAA Division 1 Playoffs Round of 16 appearances
- Two-time Northeast Ohio Conference Division Champion
- 2013 AP Second Team All-Ohio Division 1
- 2013 AP First Team All-Northeast Inland District Division 1
- 2013 AP First Team All-Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division
- 2013 Akron Beacon Journal Football All-Star
- 2013 Touchdown Club of Akron Football All-Star
Nathan Higdon | 5-10/160 | Kicker | Canton, N.C. | Pisgah
Video Highlights
- Wendy's High School Heisman State Finalist
- MedWest Player of the Week
- Waynesville Automotive Group Player of the Week
- School Record for Field Goals in a Season (10)
- School Record for Longest Field Goal (42 yards)
- All-State in Track
Lucas Kane | 6-6/241 | Offensive Line | Silver Spring, Md. | Northwood
Video Highlights
- Two-time all-league honors
- Two-time all-county 3A honors
- Two-time All-Gazette honorable mention
- Two-time scholar-athlete award recipient
Austin Kistner | 6-1/260 | Defensive Line | St. Louis, Mo. | Lutheran
Video Highlights
- Two-Time First-Team All-Conference Defensive End
- 2013 First-Team All-State
- 2013 First-Team All-District
- Missouri All-Star Game Selection
- National Blue Grey Combine Selection
Alex Kolencik | 6-1/245 | Defensive Line | Great Falls, Va. | Langley
Video Highlights
- 2013 Conference 6 Champion/AAA Region North
- AAA Region 6 North Quarterfinalist
- All-conference and all-region Honors
- Also lettered in track and lacrosse
William Lange | 5-10/163 | Running Back | Somerset, Ky. | Somerset
Video Highlights
- Four-Time 2A Kentucky Semifinalist
- Four-Time 2A Regional Champ
- Three-Time 2A District Champ
- Correll Bowl Offensive MVP
- KHSAA District Most Outstanding Running Back
- All-County and All-Region Running Back
Garrett Larson | 5-8/200 | Fullback | Lakeworth, Fla. | The Kings Academy
Video Highlights
Taylor Mitchell | 6-1/193 | Quarterback | Buford, Ga. | Buford
Video Highlights
- Two-Time Georgia AAA State Champion
- Gwinnett Touchdown Club Player of the Month
- Scholar athlete of the year
- 64 percent completion percentage
- 1,700 passing yards and 18 touchdowns
Conrad Mueller | 5-11/180 | Long Snapper | Waxhaw, N.C. | Parkwood
Video Highlights
- 2013 North Carolina 2AA state semifinalist
- 2012 Prokicker.com All-American Honorable Mention Long Snapper
Zack Popovec | 6-2/180 | Linebacker | Galloway, Ohio | Hilliard Bradley
Video Highlights
- Three-time Defensive Player of the Week
- Two-time Honorable Mention All-OCC
Ben Rowell | 5-11/190 | Safety | Woodstock, Ga. | Etowah
Video Highlights
- 2013 All-Cherokee County Academic Team
- 2013 All-Region 5-AAAAAA Honorable Mention
- 2012 Cherokee County Defensive Back of the Year
- 2012 All-Region 5-AAAAAA
- 2011, 2012 All-Cherokee County Defensive Back
Ryan Samuels | 5-11/225 | Linebacker | Miramar, Fla. | Miramar
Video Highlights
- 2013 Florida 8A First Team All-State Defense
- Sun-Sentinel 2013 Defensive Player of the Year, Broward County, FL
- Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel 2013 First Team All-Broward County
- 2013 Florida First Team All-State and Regional Elite Teams
- Florida Coaches Athletics Association and Nike All-Star Teams
- Greatest American Rivalry Scholar Athlete Award
- Auto Nation and South Florida High School Sports Scholar Athlete Award
- 2013 #1 Defense in Florida
- 2013 Nationally Ranked (Top 25) and Undefeated Regular Season
- 2011 Florida 8A State Runner-Up and Undefeated Regular Season
- Two-Time Florida 8A-District 12 Champion
Jonathan Schultz | 6-2/289 | Offensive Lineman | Miami, Fla. | Belen Jesuit
Video Highlights
- All-County Selection
- Florida Academic State Champion
Jonathan Sheperd-Smith | 5-11/214 | Defensive End | Lithonia, Ga. | Arabia Mountain
Video Highlights
- 2013 Academic all-county
- 2013 offense-defense All-American team
- Uncommon Man of the Week Award
- Three-Time Defensive Player of the Week
Brendan Simpkins | 6-4/223 | Defensive End | Crofton, Md. | Archbishop Spalding
Video Highlights
- Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association All-Conference
- All-Anne Arundel County Second Team
Brayden Sims | 6-2/189 | Wide Receiver | Garner, N.C. | Garner
Video Highlights
- 2013 GNRC All-Conference
- 2011 and 2012 all-conference honorable mention
- Holds Record for most playoff games played at Garner with 12
- 2012 North Carolina 4AA Eastern Final Runner-Up
- 2011 North Carolina 4AA State Championship Runner-Up
Trevor Smith | 6-3/170 | Kicker | Tampa, Fla. | Cambridge Christian
Video Highlights
- First team all-state
- All-county
- All-conference
- Kicked 44-yd field goal in Hillsborough County All-Star Game
- Holds school kicking records for points, field goals, and touchbacks
Steven Spears | 6-1/174 | Safety | Woodstock, Ga. | River Ridge
Video Highlights
- 2013 all-county second team
- 2011, 2012, 2013 all-county defensive back
- 2013 all-county academic team
Seth Stancil | 5-10/165 | Punter | Greenville, N.C. | South Central
Video Highlights
- Kicked a 41-yard field goal
- 34-of-38 on PAT attempts
- Averaged 50 yards per kickoff
Tristan Strong | 6-2/289 | Offensive Lineman | Laurinburg, N.C. | Scotland County
Video Highlights
- 2011 North Carolina State Champion
- 2012 North Carolina State Semifinalist
- 2013 North Carolina State Finalist
- 2013 all-conference
- 2013 all-state nominee
Thomas Sykes | 6-0/219 | Defensive End | Mebane, N.C. | Eastern Alamance
Video Highlights
- Two-time all-conference honors
- All-region honors
Will Thomas | 6-1/267 | Defensive Line | Monteagle, Tenn. | Baylor School
Video Highlights
- 2013 Pre-Season all-state and academic all-state teams
- 2013 East-West Toyota All-Star Game selection
- 2012 all-region and state first team
- Chattanooga Times Free Press Best of Prep Defensive Team
- 2012 and 2013 state quarterfinalist
- 2011 state runner-up
Austin Wells | 5-10/162 | Fullback | Brentwood, Tenn. | Brentwood
Video Highlights
- District 11-AAA All-District Team
- Brentwood Homepage Player of the Week
- Williamson Herald Athlete of the Month
- Three-time TSSAA Student-Athlete Award of Merit Winner
- Two-time state quarterfinalist
Ryan Woods | 5-10/167 | Cornerback | Mebane, N.C. | Eastern Alamance
Video Highlights
- First team all-conference
- Two-time first team all-region
- Led region in interceptions senior year
- Holds school records for pass break ups and longest interception return for a touchdown
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