MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State football team is excited to welcome 30 freshman student-athletes to the program.
 
The newcomers include 15 offensive players, 12 defensive additions and three on special teams. The latest Eagle additions represent talent from eight states, including 12 in-state Kentucky athletes. Seven call Tennessee home, while other states represented include New Jersey (3), Indiana (3), Ohio (2), West Virginia (1), Florida (1) and Virginia (1).
 
The class also includes four players who won a state championship in their prep careers as well as one who was named All-American. Nearly 90 percent won all-state, all-region or all-conference awards during their careers. Five served as their high school team's captain.
 
Below is information on all 30 football newcomers, plus highlight links for each.

Offense
Nate Adebayo (RB, 5'10, 211, Knoxville, Tenn., South Doyle HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Clark Duncan at South Doyle High School … Produced 750 yards from scrimmage (650 receiving and 150 rushing) with seven touchdowns as a senior … Earned a total of 23 touchdowns during high school career with 1,600 rushing yards and 850 receiving yards … Was part of a district champion team that ranked third in the state … Named All-Region as a junior and senior.
 
Hunter Ahlfeld (WR, 6'0, 181, Ft. Thomas, Ky., Highlands HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Brian Weinrich at Highlands High School … Caught 42 passes for 400 yards with seven touchdowns as a senior … Had 43 catches for 350 yards with eight touchdowns as a junior … Named pre-season Second Team Tri-State before senior season … Was team Offensive MVP as a senior and freshman.
 
Zach Bone (OL, 6'3, 303, Charlotte, Tenn., Creek Wood HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Houston Thiel at Creek Wood High School … Was First Team All-Region and team captain for junior and senior year ... Recipient of the Red Hawk Award for excellence in character, athletics, and academics … Named to Academic All-Region team as a sophomore … Part of a 9-3 team that made it to the second round of the state playoffs during his senior year.
 
Tavin Davis (WR/Slot, 5'10, 178, Memphis, Tenn., Lausanne Collegiate) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Kevin Locastro … Racked up 800 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns as a senior … Named All-State and team captain for senior season along with being named All-Region as a junior … Member of state champion team for freshman and sophomore year … Registered a total of 1,300 receiving yards during high school career.
 
Griffin Fraley (TE, 6'3, 232, Owingsville, Ky., Bath County HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Johnny Poynter at Bath County High School … Caught 43 passes for 547 yards with seven touchdowns as a senior … Named First Team All-Eastern Kentucky Conference as a sophomore, junior, and senior … Made Academic All-State all four years of high school … Also registered 103 tackles with four sacks, two interceptions, and two fumble recoveries during senior season.
 
James Louis (RB, 5'8, 176, Hillside, N.J., Hillside HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Barris Grant at Hillside High School … Had 103 carries for 1,150 rushing yards and eight touchdowns to go along with 15 receptions for 408 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a senior … Named District Player of the Year, Culver's High School Player of the Year, First Team All-Sky, and team Offensive Player of the Year for senior season … Was part of a team that became district, region, and state champions during sophomore and junior seasons … Also registered two kickoff return touchdowns and 72 tackles with six interceptions and two forced fumbles during senior year.
 
Josh McClurg (QB, 6'1, 200, Lexington, Ky., Frederick Douglass HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Brian Landis at Frederick Douglass High School … Had 1,443 passing yards and 1,005 rushing yards with 18 touchdowns through the air and 10 rushing touchdowns as a senior … Led his team to a 14-1 record and was district and region champion along with being 5A State Runners-Up … Awarded team Offensive MVP.
 
Corey Shaffer (OL, 6'2, 348, Harpers Ferry, W.Va., Jefferson HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Craig Hunter at Jefferson High School … As a senior defensive lineman, had 72 tackles (56 solo) with nine sacks and four blocked field goals … Named All-Conference as a junior and senior … Team won the Dwaine Bell trophy all four years of his high school career.
 
Ben Simmons (OL, 6'3, 340, Somerset, Ky., Somerset HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Robbie Lucas at Somerset High School … Named to Bluegrass Preps 2019 All-Kentucky Class 2A Team, AP 2019 All-Kentucky Team, Commonwealth Journal All-County Team and All-District Team for senior season … Team was Kentucky 2A State Champions as well as regional and district champs.
 
Jaxsen Spears (OL, 6'2, 289, Plainfield, Ind., Plainfield HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Brian Woodard at Plainfield High School … Named All-State, Academic All-State, All-Conference, All-Region and Indiana All-Star as a senior … Awarded Team MVP as an offensive lineman as well as being team captain … Named All-County and All-Conference Honorable Mention as a junior … Father played basketball at St. Joseph's (Ind.) College and sister played basketball at Earlham (Ind.).
 
Chase Taulbee (OL, 6'3, 275, Winchester, Ky., George Rogers Clark HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Oliver Lucas at George Rogers Clark High School … Named team captain for sophomore, junior, and senior seasons … Named Kentucky 6A All-District First-Team … Part of offensive line that helped block for the Kentucky 6A rushing leader … Member of district champion team for senior season.
 
Blake Watkins (OL, 6'3, 333, Winchester, Ky., George Rogers Clark HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Oliver Lucas at George Rogers Clark High School … Named First Team All-District and Louisville Courier-Journal All-State Honorable Mention … Part of offensive line that helped block for the Kentucky 6A rushing leader … Member of district champion team for senior season.
 
James Wayne (OL, 6'3, 256, Port St. Lucie, Fla., Treasure Coast HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Irvin Jones at Treasure Coast High School … Named First-Team All-Area and TC Palm Super 11 Honorable Mention as a senior … Team advanced to the second round of playoffs during his senior campaign.
 
Jared Webb (OL, 6'5, 330, Lovely, Ky., Tug Valley HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Hady Ford at Tug Valley High School … Named First-Team All-Mountain Team as a senior … Family members, Sonny and Dale Moore played college basketball in the early 1960s.
 
Aaron Williams (OL, 6'3, 263, Blanchester, Ohio, Archbishop Moeller HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Todd Naumann at Archbishop Moeller High School … Named First-Team All-GCL South as a senior … Team was state runners-up during junior season … 43 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 10 sacks on the defensive side of the ball throughout high school.
 
Defense
David Benoit (DB, 5'9, 184, Roselle, N.J., St. Peter's Prep) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Rich Hanson at St. Peter's Prep … Intercepted four passes with 40 tackles, one sack, and six passes broken up as a senior … Recorded 17 tackles and one tackle for loss while breaking up two passes as a junior … Helped team claim New Jersey state title as a senior and a spot as a state finalist as a sophomore.
 
Noah Benza (DL, 6'2, 217, Hebron, Ky., Conner HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach David Trosper at Conner High School … Recorded 38 tackles with three tackles for loss and a forced fumble as a senior … Registered 91 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, and two sacks throughout high school career … Earned numerous awards as a senior including First-Team All-Conference, First-Team All-District, First-Team All-Northern Kentucky, Third-Team All-Tri-State, team Defensive MVP, and was named as a Top 26 player in Northern Kentucky.
 
Javian Browder (DB, 5'10, 194, Springfield, Tenn., Clarksville Northeast HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Brandon Clark at Clarksville Northeast High School … Registered 45 tackles with two forced fumbles as a senior … Recorded 139 total tackles with five forced fumbles and four interceptions throughout high school career … Named All-Conference as a junior and senior … Named All-State as a junior.
 
Davier Fairrow (LB, 6'2, 220, Indianapolis, Ind., Lawrence Central HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach John Rodenburg at Lawrence Central High School … Registered 57 tackles with two interceptions, three pass breakups, and three sacks as a senior … Named to the Blue Grey All-American Game for senior season … Named All-Conference as a junior … Had 150 total tackles with four interceptions, six passes broken up, and four sacks throughout high school.
 
John Hulette (DL, 6'2, 263, Georgetown, Ky., Scott County HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Jim McKee at Scott County High School … Made the switch from offensive to defensive line for his senior season where he recorded 53 tackles on the year, ranking third on the team in the category … Registered 15 tackles in game against Montgomery County … Part of an 11-3 team that was state runners-up during junior season … Father was an offensive lineman at Kentucky from 1986-1990.
 
Jihad McCall (DB, 6'1, 189, Jersey City, N.J., Hoboken HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Keeon Walker at Hoboken High School … Registered 40 tackles and three interceptions as a senior and 29.5 tackles, seven pass breakups and an interception as a junior … Named to the National White (division's official title) Honorable Mention Team in the Super Football Conference … Brother, Divine Kelly, played football at Newberry (S.C.).
 
Patrick Peterson (DL, 6'3, 286, Westerville, Ohio, Westerville South HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Matthew Christ at Westerville South High School … Recorded 25 tackles and two sacks as a senior … Named All-State, All-Conference, All-District, Lineman of the Year, and All-Metro Special Mention for senior season … Registered 98.5 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and five sacks throughout high school career … Uncle played football at Otterbein (Ohio).
 
Michael Potter (DL, 6'3, 229, Knoxville, Tenn., South Doyle HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Clark Duncan at South Doyle High School … Had 42 tackles, nine tackles for loss and five sacks as a senior … Named All-Region and All-County for senior season … Part of a team that was district champions for his final high school season.
 
Jah'Dell Lee Quay (DB, 6'0, 189, Brentwood, Tenn., Columbia Academy) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Charlie Lansdell at Columbia Academy … Had 68 tackles, four interceptions and one forced fumble as a senior … Named All-State and All-Region along with being named an East/West Tennessee All-Star for senior campaign … Member of the President's Honor Roll … Recorded 71 tackles with eight pass breakups, one force fumble, and a fumble recovery during junior season.
 
Kenneth Shaffner (LB, 6'0, 212, Louisville, Ky., St. Xavier HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Kevin Wallace at St. Xavier High School … Had 45 tackles, three tackles for loss, three interceptions, and two sacks as a senior … Named team captain for senior year … Was a member of a team that won a district championship for sophomore, junior, and senior seasons … Team was state runners-up during his sophomore year.
 
Riley Thompson (LB, 6'1, 223, Symsonia, Ky., Graves County HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Nick Kemp at Graves County High School … Had 57 tackles, three sacks, three pass breakups, and two interceptions as a senior … Named All-Western Kentucky Conference as a junior … Team was district runners-up during his senior season … Recorded 150 tackles, six pass breakups, four interceptions, and four sacks throughout high school career.
 
Jordun Wilson (DL, 5'11, 305, Knoxville, Tenn., South Doyle HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Clark Duncan at South Doyle High School … Recorded 82 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, two sacks, and one fumble recovery as a senior … Earned Team MVP and Ironman Award for senior season as well as All-Conference for sophomore, junior, and senior campaigns … Part of team that was region champions during his senior season … Finished high school career with 257 tackles, 65 tackles for loss, 15 forced fumbles, 10 sacks, and six fumble recoveries.
 
Special Teams
 
Daniel Cristiani (K, 5'9, 211, Floyds Knobs, Ind., Floyd Central HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach James Bragg at Floyd Central High School … Had 38 punts for 1,425 yards during high school career with a long of 51 yards and an average of 37.5 yards per punt … Rated as a 4.5 star nationally-ranked punter … Crowned champion at several punting camps across the country … Also recorded 80 total tackles with eight tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries, and three sacks as a defensive lineman throughout high school … Part of a team that was conference runners-up for all four years of his time at Floyd Central.
 
Tanner Hamilton (K, 5'9, 174, Pikeville, Ky., Pikeville HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Chris McNamee at Pikeville High School … Had a successful senior year in which he was a part of a state champion team as well as being named Third-Team All-State … Named to the All-Mountain Team and was a member of a state runner-up team as a junior.
 
Brady McKnight (LS, 6'1, 187, Stephens City, Va., Sherando HS) - HIGHLIGHT VIDEO
Played for head coach Bill Hall at Sherando High School … Ranked sixth in the nation for ProKicker Snappers of 2020 … Part of a team that won the Apple Cup and was conference champions for his sophomore, junior, and senior seasons … Team was regional state champions during his sophomore campaign.