NORFOLK, Va. | Norfolk State University head football coach Dawson Odums announced 39 student-athletes signed national letters of intent on Wednesday to continue their athletic careers at NSU, including 17 mid-year signees.
Odums landed 21 offensive players, including eight wide receivers, seven offensive lineman, four quarterbacks, one athlete and one tight end. On the defensive side of the football, the Spartans signed six defensive linemen, six defensive backs and six linebackers.
Among the states heavily recruited, Odums landed 16 from Virginia, eight North Carolina, four from Maryland, three from Florida, two from Alabama, and one from Connecticut, Georgia, Mississippi, Ohio South Carolina and Texas
Odums said the program focused on the next state over, North Carolina, this season, with (Washington) D.C. the target next season.
“We just wanted to hone in on a few areas with Virginia and North Carolina being the targeted area for us this season,” Odums said. “We feel like from D.C. to North Carolina that we can really hone in on some good football players. Our backyard is Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and then North Carolina. We try to go a little further depending on our needs are and based on our relationships.”
Among the 17 mid-year players signed was the addition of Josh Austin (Alabama), Taevion Clark (Old Dominion), Keshawn Lynch (Old Dominion), Aaron Moore (Old Dominion), Robert Rhem III (Southern), Cameron Sapp(Florida A&M) and Mark Wagner II (Virginia) as mid-year enrollees.
“The biggest thing you need to address is needs,” Odums said. “We were able to address many positions on both sides of the football during that early signing period. We did a good job finding the necessary student-athletes to fill those positions.”
The 17 student-athletes have been enrolled in the university this semester and will participate in spring practice, which begins on March 20 and will conclude with a scrimmage at 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 15 at William “Dick” Price Stadium.
| 2023 NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL SIGNING DAY ROSTER | |||||
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Hometown / Previous School |
| RJ Baker | ATH | 5-9 | 165 | Fr. | Greensboro, N.C. / Dudley HS |
| Jayden Chappell | OL | 6-5 | 310 | Fr. | Chesapeake, Va. / Western Branch HS |
| Isaiah Coley | DL | 6-2 | 300 | Fr. | Virginia Beach, Va. / Tallwood HS |
| Jordin Cooper | WR | 5-9 | 165 | Fr. | Virginia Beach, Va. / Cox HS |
| Samuel Eskridge | OL | 6-3 | 295 | Fr. | Kings Mountain, N.C. / Kings Mountain HS |
| Grant Gaffney | DL | 6-2 | 260 | Fr. | Virginia Beach, Va. / Salem HS |
| Xavier Graham | LB | 6-2 | 206 | Fr. | Lancaster, S.C. / Lancaster HS |
| Stewart Harris | OL | 6-2 | 290 | Fr. | Pearland, Texas / Shadow Creek HS |
| Nolan James | QB | 6-2 | 180 | Fr. | Hampton, Va. / Phoebus HS |
| Malcolm Kennion | OL | 6-3 | 310 | Fr. | Greensboro, N.C. / Dudley HS |
| Richard Martin Jr. | LB | 6-1 | 190 | Fr. | Newport News, Va. / Warwick HS |
| Dantey Menard | DL | 6-0 | 300 | Fr. | Chesapeake, Va. / Oscar Smith HS |
| Ola Olasimbo | OL | 6-4 | 290 | Fr. | Huntersville, N.C. / North Mecklenburg HS |
| Austin Pittman | OL | 6-3 | 312 | Fr. | Winston-Salem, N.C. / Mt. Tabor HS |
| Joshua Rembert | WR | 5-9 | 160 | Fr. | Ocala, Fla. / Vanguard HS |
| AJ Richardson | LB | 6-1 | 235 | Fr. | Kings Mountain, N.C. / Kings Mountain HS |
| Jamare Robinson | LB | 6-1 | 190 | Fr. | Kannapolis, N.C. / A.L. Brown HS |
| Mohammad Saleh | DL | 6-5 | 260 | Fr. | Chesapeake, Va. / Great Bridge HS |
| I’Mire Talley | WR | 5-10 | 175 | Fr. | Chesapeake, Va. / Indian River HS |
| Zion Thomas-Fugate | WR | 6-0 | 177 | Fr. | Portsmouth, Va. / Norcom HS |
| Ryan Thompson | DB | 5-11 | 185 | Fr. | Lawndale N.C. / Burns HS |
| Jahrell Walton | WR | 6-1 | 180 | Fr. | Virginia Beach, Va. / Salem HS |
| NORFOLK STATE UNIVERSITY MID-YEAR SIGNEES | |||||
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown / Previous School | |
| Josh Austin | DB | 6-1 | 190 | R-Fr. | Pinson, Ala. / Alabama |
| Taron Biles-Walker | WR | 5-7 | 145 | Fr. | Columbus, Ohio / Muskingum |
| Taevion Clarke | DL | 6-4 | 227 | R-So. | Baltimore, Md. / Old Dominion |
| Jordan Griffin | TE | 6-7 | 237 | R-So. | Hyattsville, Md. / Bowie State |
| Tiwian Johnson | OL | 6-3 | 315 | So. | Foley, Ala. / Butler CC |
| Ruben Lee II | QB | 6-1 | 200 | R-Fr. | Moss Point, Miss. / Hinds CC |
| Keshawn Lynch | DL | 6-3 | 245 | R-So. | Newport News, Va. / Old Dominion |
| Terron Mallory | DB | 5-11 | 188 | Gr. | New Haven, Conn. / Sacred Heart |
| Elyjah Mitchell | WR | 6-2 | 185 | Fr. | Capital Heights, Md. / Fork Union Military Academy |
| Aaron Moore | WR | 6-0 | 185 | Gr. | Dumfries, Va. / Old Dominion |
| Erik Queen Jr. | DB | 6-0 | 180 | So. | Baltimore, Md. / Emory & Henry |
| Kamari Reynolds | LB | 6-1 | 235 | Fr. | Virginia Beach, Va. / Wagner |
| Robert Rhem III | LB | 5-10 | 185 | Gr. | Ocala, Fla. / Southern |
| Oladapo Salimonu | DB | 5-10 | 180 | R-So. | Norcross, Ga. / Dodge City CC |
| Cameron Sapp | QB | 6-2 | 215 | Gr. | Jacksonville, Fla. / Florida A&M |
| Mark Wagner II | QB | 6-1 | 180 | R-Fr. | Hampton, Va. / Virginia |
| Kamaree Wells | DB | 6-2 | 195 | Fr. | Richmond, Va. / Fork Union Military Academy |