Rams sign 17 prospective student-athletes on first day of early signing period

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BUSY MORNING

Colorado State head coach Mike Bobo welcomed the majority of his fourth signing class on Wednesday. The members of the early signing class come from 11 states and two countries, and included two JUCO additions in Jan-Phillip Bombek and Damion Dickens. Bobo’s first announcement came at 5:28 a.m. MT, when he welcomed Bombek. National Letters of Intent continued to roll in all morning, with Devin Phillips being the 17th to sign as of 1:30 p.m. MT. #B18Horns Live, a CSURams.com live stream, began at 1 p.m. and introduced the early-signees with highlights and exclusive insight from Coach Bobo, Director of Athletics Joe Parker and several other guests.

SPANNING THE GLOBE

The 2017 signing class hails from 11 different states and two countries, with Colorado and Florida being the most plentiful (3). Bobo and his staff continue to make the most of their southern connections, landing big-time signees out of Louisiana, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Mississippi. They also went overseas for one of the most intriguing members of #B18Horns, defensive end Jan-Phillip Bombek out of Hamburg, Germany.

 POSITION-BY-POSITION BREAKDOWN

Wide Receiver – 1
Tight End – 2
Offensive Line – 1
Defensive Line – 2
Defensive End – 4
Linebacker – 3
Cornerback – 1
Safety – 2
Long Snapper – 1

Colorado State 2018 Early Signees
Name	POS	HT	WT	HOMETOWN	PREVIOUS SCHOOL
Rashad Ajayi	CB	5-11	175	Fairburn, Ga.	Langston Hughes H.S.
Jan-Phillip Bombek	DE	6-4	255	Hamburg, Germany	Feather River College
Quinn Brinnon	S	6-0	180	Pleasanton, Calif.	Bishop O’Dowd H.S.
Damion Daley	DL	6-4	260	Columbia, S.C.	Ridge View H.S.
Brandon Derrow	DE	6-4	243	Columbus, Ohio	St. Francis De Sales H.S.
Damion Dickens	DE	6-2	250	Lexington, Miss.	Copiah-Lincoln C.C.
Tywan Francis	S	5-11	180	New Orleans, La.	Landry-Walker H.S.
Troy Golden	DE	6-3	207	Orlando, Fla.	Olympia H.S.
Dequan Jackson	LB	6-2	205	Jacksonville, Fla.	Robert E. Lee H.S.
Trey McBride	TE	6-4	240	Fort Morgan, Colo.	Fort Morgan H.S.
Florian McCann	OL	6-5	270	Denver, Colo.	Mullen H.S.
Devin Phillips	DL	6-2	305	Monroe, La.	Neville H.S.
Ross Reiter	LS	6-0	235	Phoenix, Ariz.	Brophy College Prep.
Rushton Roberts	LB	6-5	220	Jacksonville, Fla.	The Bolles School
Zach Schlager	LB	6-1	215	McCook, Neb.	McCook H.S.
A’Jon Vivens	WR	6-0	180	Denver, Colo.	Mullen H.S.
Gary Williams	TE	6-3	230	Charlotte, N.C.	Zebulon B. Vance H.S.

EARLY START

Two members of #B18Horns are expecting to enroll in January for the 2018 spring semester. The student-athletes will take part in the winter workouts with the Rams, and participate in spring football practices and the Green and Gold Scrimmage.

Bombek (DE) – Moved 18 months ago from Germany to play American football at Feather River College in Quincy, Calif… Recorded 27 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one fumble recovery in his freshman season at Feather River… Selected CSU over reported offers from Hawai’i, Tulsa and Texas State.

Dickens (DE) – A 2016 graduate of Holmes County High School in Lexington, Miss… Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals… Played two seasons at Copiah-Lincoln C.C. and logged 30 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks as a sophomore… Ranked as the No. 79 junior college prospect in the country by ESPN… Selected CSU over six reported offeres including Louisville, Kansas and Florida Atlantic.

WINNING TRADITION

CSU has posted five consecutive winning seasons, and the Rams’ incoming class looks to continue that trend. Based off of their prep careers, there’s reason to believe they will. The combined 2017 winning percentage of the Rams’ high school signees is .624 (106-64). Eleven of those 15 players finished their senior campaigns with winning records.

KEEPING IT IN THE FAMILY

#B18Horns includes three players that are brothers of current or former Colorado State Rams: Trey McBride (sophomore DL Toby McBride), Devin Phillips (freshman OL Joctavis Phillips) and Zach Schlager (2017 graduate Jake Schlager).

In his freshman season in Fort Collins, Toby McBride set Colorado State’s all-time record for sacks by a true freshman with 4.0. Joctavis Phillips redshirted in his first season at CSU, but looks to play a big role next season on an offensive line that graduated three starters. Jake Schlager, Colorado State’s all-time leader in games played with 56, graduated in December of 2017 and finished his career with 172 tackles.

COUNTING STARS

Twelve of CSU’s 17 signees are rated as three-star prospects by ESPN, Rivals or 247Sports. Devin Phillips, a defensive tackle out of Neville High School, is rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN and is a member of their prestigious ESPN300 list.

COLORADO CONNECTION

The Rams continue to focus on players inside the state, signing three Colorado prep stars. The trio includes Mullen teammates WR A’Jon Vivens and OL Florian McCann, plus Fort Morgan High School standout TE Trey McBride. Vivens and McCann earned first-team all-state honors as seniors, and are both rated as three-star prospects by ESPN.

McBride, the younger brother of CSU defensive lineman Toby, starred on both sides of the ball at Fort Morgan, scoring 26 total touchdowns while also logging 60.0 tackles for loss, 14.0 sacks and seven interceptions. He committed to CSU over reported offers from Colorado, California, Nebraska and others, and hails from the same high school as CSU legend and former NFL tight end Joel Dreessen.

#RAMPAGE17 IMPACT

CSU signed plenty of talent in this year’s class, but what should fans expect from the group? Perhaps the best place to start is to dive into the impact last year’s class made in just its first season.

#RAMPAGE17 included:

• 17 players who saw action
• 13 true freshmen who played
• Honorable Mention All-Mountain West punter (Ryan Stonehouse)
• CSU’s second-leading tackler in 2017 (Jordan Fogal).

The 2017 class combined for:

• 161 games played
• 31 games started
• 27 receptions
• 436 receiving yards
• 5 receiving touchdowns
• 174 tackles
• 11 tackles for loss
• 5 sacks
• 2 interceptions

Rashad Ajayi | CB | Langston Hughes H.S. | Fairburn, Ga. | 5-11, 175

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Langston Hughes High School in Fairburn, Ga.
• Rated as a two-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals.
• Recorded 88 tackles, three interceptions, 17 pass defenses and 1.0 tackle for loss as a varsity player.
• Selected CSU over 15 reported offers, including Pittsburgh, Maryland and Troy.

Jan-Phillip Bombek | DE | Feather River College | Hambrug, Germany | 6-4, 255

• Moved 18 months ago from Germany to play American football at Feather River College in Quincy, Calif.
• Recorded 27 tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and one fumble recovery in his freshman season at Feather River.
• Plans to enroll at CSU in January and join the Rams for winter workouts and spring ball.
• Selected CSU over reported offers from Hawai’i, Tulsa and Texas State. 

Quinn Brinnon | S | Bishop O’Dowd H.S. | Pleasanton, Calif. | 6-0, 180

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Bishop O’Dowd High School in Pleasanton, Calif.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports.
• Played defense as a sophomore and junior, logging 106 tackles, 7.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, three interceptions and 13 pass defenses.
• As quarterback his senior season, passed for 1,736 yards and scored 33 total touchdowns.
• Won California’s Division 5-AA state championship as a junior.
• Selected CSU over 11 reported offers including Boise State, Wyoming, Fresno State and Army. 

Damion Daley | DL | Ridge View H.S. | Columbia, S.C. | 6-4, 260

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C.
• Rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports and Rivals.
• Recorded 164 tackles, 42.0 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his varsity career.
• Named Region 3-AAAA Defensive Player of the Year following his senior season.
• Selected to represent South Carolina in the Shrine Bowl.
• High school teammate of current CSU tight end Cameron Butler.
• Selected CSU over 18 reported offers, including Cincinnati, Air Force, Navy, East Carolina and Connecticut. 

Brandon Derrow | DE | Saint Francis De Sales H.S. | Columbus, Ohio | 6-4, 240

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Saint Francis De Sales High School in Columbus, Ohio.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports.
• Recorded 60 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble in his varsity career.
• A second-team Division III All-State Selection as a senior.
• Selected CSU over reported 1 reported offers including Rutgers, Marshall and Western Kentucky.

Damion Dickens | DE | Copiah-Lincoln C.C. | Lexington, Miss. | 6-2, 250

• A 2016 graduate of Holmes County High School in Lexington, Miss.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.
• Held offers from Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi State and others out of high school.
• Played two seasons at Copiah-Lincoln C.C. and logged 30 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks as a sophomore.
• Ranked as the No. 79 junior college prospect in the country by ESPN.
• Selected CSU over six reported offers including Louisville, Kansas and Florida Atlantic.

Tywan Francis | CB | Landry-Walker H.S. | New Orleans, La. | 5-11, 180

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Landry-Walker High School in New Orleans, La.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and a two-star prospect by Rivals.
• Led his team in tackles as a senior while also recording five forced fumbles, 18 pass breakups and one pick-six.
• Named the Most Valuable Player of his district.
• Selected CSU over 10 reported offers including Troy, Arkansas State and Louisiana Tech, while receiving interest from LSU, Arkansas and Mississippi State.

Troy Golden | DE | Olympia H.S. | Orlando, Fla. | 6-3, 210

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Olympia High School in Orlando, Fla.
• Rated as a two-star prospect by 247Sports.
• Recorded 154 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, 10.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception as a varsity player.
• Selected CSU over reported offers from Central Arkansas and Toledo.

DeQuan Jackson | LB | Robert E. Lee H.S. | Jacksonville, Fla. | 6-2, 205

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School in Jacksonville, Fla.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals.
• Recorded 151 tackles, 14.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks and two interceptions in his varsity career.
• Selected CSU over 14 reported offers including Maryland, Memphis and South Florida.            

Trey McBride | TE | Fort Morgan H.S. | Fort Morgan, Colo. | 6-4, 235

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Fort Morgan High School in Fort Morgan, Colo.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN and 247Sports.
• Excelled on both sides of the ball, recording the following stats during his varsity career:
  – 64 carries, 361 yards and three rushing touchdowns.
  – 89 receptions, 1,737 receiving yards and 23 receiving touchdowns.
  – 310 tackles, 60.0 tackles for loss, 14.0 sacks, seven interceptions and six blocked punts.
• Named First-Team All-Colorado as a junior and senior.
• Younger brother of CSU defensive lineman Toby McBride.
• Hails from same high school as former CSU and NFL tight end Joel Dreessen.
• Selected CSU over eight reported offers including Colorado, California, Nebraska, Kansas State and Wyoming.

Florian McCann | OL | Mullen H.S. | Denver, Colo. | 6-5, 270

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Mullen High School in Denver, Colo.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN.
• Named First-Team All-Colorado as a senior.
• High school teammate of current Rams Marcus McElroy, Christian Cumber and Tanner Clem.
• Teammate of fellow #B18Horns signee A’Jon Vivens
• Selected CSU over six reported offers including Northern Colorado, Montana and Indiana State. 

Devin Phillips | DL | Neville H.S. | Monroe, La. | 6-2, 305

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Neville High School in Monroe, La.
• Rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN and a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
• Ranked as the 245th best prospect in the country by ESPN.
• Named to the 2017 Louisiana High School Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game.
• Brother of current CSU offensive lineman Joctavis Phillips.
• Selected CSU over nine reported offers, including TCU, Miami and Duke. 

Ross Reiter | LS | Brophy College Prep. | Phoenix, Ariz. | 6-0, 225

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Brophy College Prep. in Phoenix, Ariz.
• Rated as a two-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports.
• Ranked as the No. 2 long snapper in the country.
• Recorded 25 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, one forced fumble and one blocked field goal as a senior.
• Coach at Brophy Prep is former CSU QB Scooter Molander.
• Selected CSU over offer from Air Force and interest from Arizona State, Oregon and Oklahoma. 

Rushton Roberts | LB | The Bolles School | Jacksonville, Fla. | 6-4, 220

• Will be a 2018 graduate of The Bolles School in Jacksonville, Fla.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
• Recorded 70 tackles, 8.0 sacks, 10 tackles for loss and nine quarterback hurries in his senior season.
• Advanced to Florida’s Class 4A state title game as a junior, and led Bolles to an 8-4 record as a senior.
• Selected CSU over three reported offers including Army and Coastal Carolina, with interest from Navy, South Florida and more.

Zach Schlager | LB | McCook H.S. | McCook, Neb. | 6-1, 215

• Will be a 2018 graduate of McCook High School in McCook, Neb.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
• Excelled on both sides of the ball, recording the following stats during his varsity career:
  – 163 carries, 1,291 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns.
  – 235 tackles, 26.0 tackles for loss and six forced fumbles.
• Named Honorary Captain of the 2017 All-Nebraska team after leading McCook to a 9-2 record.
• Younger brother of CSU’s all-time leader in games played, safety Jake Schlager.
• Selected CSU over six reported offers including Harvard, Cornell and North Dakota State.

A’Jon Vivens | WR | Mullen H.S. | Denver, Colo. | 6-0, 180

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Mullen High School in Denver, Colo.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by ESPN.
• Excelled as an offensive weapon at Mullen, recording the following stats during his varsity career.
  – 102 carries, 705 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns.
  – 99 receptions, 1,644 receiving yards and 16 receiving touchdowns.
• Named First-Team All-Colorado as a senior.
• High school teammate of current Rams Marcus McElroy, Christian Cumber and Tanner Clem.
• Teammate of fellow #B18Horns signee Florian McCann
• Selected CSU over reported offers from Air Force and Northern Colorado.

Gary Williams | TE | Zebulon B. Vance H.S. | Charlotte, N.C. | 6-3, 220

• Will be a 2018 graduate of Zebulon B. Vance High School in Charlotte, N.C.
• Rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports.
• Led Zebulon B. Vance High School to an impressive 11-4 record as a senior.
• Selected CSU over nine reported offers including Marshall, Air Force and more.