Ball State signs 16 on National Signing Day

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State has announced the addition of 16 future Cardinals in the class of 2022 on National Signing Day.

“I’m excited about this group and the 16 young men that we were able to add to our program and welcome to our family,” head coach Mike Neu said. “I feel like we were able to address a lot of positions. To be able to bring a class of young men here – obviously the skill set is the skill set, you love that part of it – but I’m fired up about the number of these young men who are state champions, captains, and the number of guys who when speaking to administrators and coaches about them, they can’t say enough good things about these young men. I’m proud of our staff for identifying this group.”

In total, Ball State signed prospects from seven different states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio and Virginia. The Cardinals added five linebackers, three offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, two defensive backs, one quarterback, one tight end and one wide receiver.

“I give credit to our staff for all the hard work that’s gone in to identify these young men and players we wanted to offer way back when we offered them,” Neu added. “They spent countless hours researching them, their background, their character and what their work ethic looks like.”

Ball State is slated to take part in a bowl game for the second consecutive season when it travels to Montgomery, Ala. for the TaxAct Camellia Bowl, Dec. 25. The Cardinals are set to square off with Georgia State at 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and the Ball State Gainbridge Radio Network.

Sam Buras, OL, 6-7, 315, Fr., Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove HS)

Ashton Carroll, ILB, 6-3, 215, Fr., Roanoke, Va. (Hidden Valley HS)

Kaden Cobb, QB, 6-3, 180, Fr., Naperville, Ill. (Fenwick HS)

Jordan Coleman, CB, 6-0, 180, Fr., Saint Peters, Mo. (DeSmet Jesuit HS)

DeJuan Echoles Jr., OLB, 6-2, 220, Fr., Indianapolis, Ind. (Warren Central HS)

Dakari Frazier, DL, 6-4, 245, Fr., Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington Central HS)

Dylan Graber, DL, 6-3, 275, Fr., Powell, Ohio (Olentangy Liberty HS)

Chris Hood, OL, 6-9, 330, Fr., Kendallville, Ind. (East Noble HS)

Caden Johnson, LB, 6-2, 230, Fr., Lexington, Ky. (Frederick Douglass HS)

Karl Odrick Jr., DL, 6-3, 220, Fr., New Orleans, La. (Edna Karr HS) – DL

Cam Pickett, WR, 6-0, 180, Fr., Chicago, Ill. (Brooks College Prep)

Danny Royster, OLB, 6-4, 215, Fr., Indianapolis, Ind. (Lawrence North HS)

Blair Schonhorst, DB, 6-0, 180, Fr., St. Louis, Mo. (Christian Brothers College HS)

Max Sullivan, TE, 6-5, 245, Fr., Greenwood, Ind. (Whiteland Community HS)

Taran Tyo, OL, 6-4, 300, Fr., Greenville, Ohio (Versailles HS)

Maximus Webster, ILB, 6-2, 200, Fr., Sheridan, Ind. (Westfield HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Two-year starter at Center Grove as an offensive tackle … played for head coach Eric Moore … rated as a three-star recruit and fourth-best offensive tackle prospect in Indiana by Rivals … tabbed as sixth-best offensive tackle prospect in the state by 247Sports … guided the Trojans to back-to-back state championships and a 28-0 record during junior and senior seasons … named Top 50 All-State and First Team All-Conference … did not commit a penalty during senior season … PERSONAL: Son of Elton and Jennifer Buras … has two brothers: Jack and Joe … father Elton played football at Millsaps College … plans to major in business.

HIGH SCHOOL: Played four years at Hidden Valley as a linebacker and tight end … played under head coach Scott Weaver … was a two-year team captain … tabbed First Team All-District as an all-purpose player, linebacker and tight end as a senior … named First Team All-District as a linebacker and second team as a tight end as a junior … picked up Second Team All-District honors as a freshman and sophomore … racked up 318 career tackles (268 solo), 70 receptions, 1,080 receiving yards and nine touchdowns during prep career … was a two-time state semifinalist in wrestling … PERSONAL: Plans to major in sports administration.

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letterwinner at Fenwick as a quarterback … played for head coach Matthew Battaglia … tabbed as a three-star prospect and the top quarterback recruit in the state by 247Sports … named the 2021 Suburban Life Illinois Player of the Year after leading team to a state title and breaking the school record for touchdown passes in a season with 30 as a senior … named First Team All-State as a senior … tabbed First Team All-Conference three times … racked up 6,372 yards and 67 touchdowns in his career … also lettered in basketball … PERSONAL: Son of Devin and Laura Cobb … has one sibling: Cameryn … father, Devin, played football at Wisconsin-Plattville … plans to major in economics.

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letterwinner at DeSmet Jesuit as a cornerback … played for head coach Carl Reed … labeled as a three-star prospect and the second-best cornerback recruit in the state by ESPN … led team to major turnaround after going 1-9 as a freshman to go 28-4 over the next three seasons, which includes a state championship and two conference and district titles … named a First Team All-Conference selection … totaled 60 tackles, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, one interception and one touchdown in his career … also lettered three years in basketball … PERSONAL: Son of Djuan Coleman and Roseanda Jones-Coleman … only child … plans to major in computer information technology and economics.

HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year starter and letterwinner at Warren Central as a linebacker and a defensive end … played for head coach Michael Kirschner … tabbed as the third-best linebacker prospect in the state by 247Sports … earned all-conference and all-county honors … named team MVP during senior season … racked up 100 tackles, 20 sacks, 15 tackles-for-loss and six forced fumbles in his career … also played basketball … PERSONAL: Son of Shawntel Echoles … plans to major in criminal justice.

HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year letterwinner at Pickerington Central as a defensive end … played for head coach Jay Sharrett … tabbed as a three-star recruit and the sixth-best defensive lineman prospect in the state by 247Sports … led team to a state championship in 2019 and a runner-up finish in 2020 … voted as a team captain during senior campaign … selected First Team All-Conference … had 76 tackles as a senior … had 79 tackles, including 12.0 for loss, during junior campaign … PERSONAL: Son of Keith and Tawanna Frazier … has three siblings: Tyler, Kayla and Tena … father, Keith, played football at Central State … plans to major in construction management.

HIGH SCHOOL: Multi-year letterwinner at Olentangy Liberty as a nose guard and defensive tackle … played for head coach Steve Hale … labeled as a three-star prospect and the second-best defensive tackle in the state by ESPN … led team to 23 wins in three seasons … chosen First Team All-Conference as a senior … in final campaign, was selected Second Team All-District … team finished runner-up in the region as a junior … PERSONAL: Son of Eric and Anne Graber … has one brother: Mason … father, Eric, played football at Ashland … plans to major in social studies and teaching.

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letterwinner at East Noble as an offensive lineman … played for head coach Luke Amstutz … tabbed as fifth-best offensive tackle prospect in the state by 247Sports … led team to 38-10 record during four-year span … chosen as a team captain during senior season … selected First Team All-Conference as a junior and season and Second Team All-Conference as a sophomore … team was state runner-up during sophomore year and conference champions freshman and sophomore campaigns … named the team’s lineman of the year during junior and senior seasons … was a three-year letterwinner in both basketball and track … PERSONAL: Son of Caleb and Renee Hood … has two siblings: Tristen and Kylee … mother, Renee, played basketball at Morehead State and Alaska-Anchorage … uncle, Brad Miller, played basketball at Purdue and had a 14-year career in the NBA … great uncle, Jim, played basketball at Oklahoma … great uncle, Mike, played basketball at West Virginia … great uncle, Tom, played basketball at Kentucky … plans to major in sports nutrition.

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year starter at Frederick Douglass as a linebacker … tabbed as a three-star prospect and the top linebacker recruit in the state by ESPN … served as a multi-year team captain … selected First Team All-City, First Team All-District … also was an all-state selection … guided team to city, region and district championships … PERSONAL: Son of Renardo and Alisha Johnson … father, Renardo, played football at Kentucky State … plans to major in sports management with a focus on business.

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letterwinner at Edna Karr as a defensive end … played for head coach Brice Brown … led the defensive line in sacks and tackles en route to being named all-conference … selected to the Louisiana Football Magazine All-South Louisiana Team … PERSONAL: Son of Karl Odrick Sr. and Selina Redmon … cousin, Khi Mathieu, is a wide receiver at Memphis … cousin, Louis Lipps, played at Southern Miss and spent nine years in the NFL as a wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers … plans to major in construction management.

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year starter and letterwinner at Brooks College Prep as a wide receiver and defensive back … played for head coach James Daniel … tabbed as a three-star prospect, the ninth-best wide receiver recruit in the state and the seventh-best player overall from Chicago by 247Sports … guided varsity team to 20 wins during prep career … was a two-time captain during junior and season seasons … named First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Chicago Public League three times … selected as team MVP three times … racked up over 4,000 career all-purpose yards … had 24 touchdowns during senior season, including four on special teams and three pick-6s … multi-year letterwinner in basketball and track … PERSONAL: Son of James and Lori Pickett … has three older brothers … relative, Sam Young, played cornerback at Illinois State and in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers … relative, Alan Porter Jr., played cornerback at Valparaiso … plans to major in business.

HIGH SCHOOL: Two-year letterwinner at Lawrence North as an outside linebacker and defensive end … played for head coach Patrick Mallory … tabbed as a three-star prospect and the second-best linebacker recruit in the state by 247Sports … after the team had five wins in two season during his freshman and sophomore campaigns, led the team to 14 wins across his final two seasons … named all-conference twice … racked up 163 tackles and 15 tackles-for-loss during career … had 87 tackles, including 16 tackles-for-loss, 22 quarterback hurries, 12 quarterback hits, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one defensive touchdown during senior season … was a four-time sectional champion – once in football, twice in basketball and once in track … played basketball for four years and ran track for three … was an all-regional hurdler … PERSONAL: Son of Shvann Webster … has five siblings – three sisters and two brothers … plans to major in journalism or marketing.

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-year letterwinner at Christian Brothers as a defensive back and wide receiver … played for head coach Scott Pingel … … led team to 39 wins in four years as a prep and a state title as a senior … named First Team All-Conference three times … racked up eight career interceptions … totaled 56 tackles across his final two campaigns … also lettered in track … PERSONAL: Son of Adam and Ashley Pickett … has one sister: Raegan … plans to major in sports medicine.

HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year letterwinner at Whiteland Community as a tight end … played for head coach Darrin Fisher .. labeled as the third-best tight end in the state by 247Sports … named First Team All-State as a junior and season … chosen as First Team All-Conference and First Team All-County during final two prep seasons … was a team captain as a senior … caught eight career touchdowns … had five sacks defensively … also played basketball … PERSONAL: Plans to major in business.

HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year letterwinner at Versailles as an offensive tackle … played for head coach Ryan Jones … labeled as a three-star recruit and the seventh-best interior offensive lineman in the state by 247Sports … guided program to huge turnaround after going to 2-8 as a freshman, ended 12-1 as a senior … voted First Team All-Conference as a junior and senior … also picked Second Team All-Conference on defense … chosen Second Team All-State as a junior … voted team captain as a senior … named the team’s offensive MVP as a junior … on defense, totaled 72 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, two fumble recoveries and one touchdown … four-year letterwinner in wrestling and three year letterwinner in track and field … was a state alternate for wrestling as a junior with a 36-4 record … member of the National Honor Society …  PERSONAL: Son of Tim and Deborah Tyo … has three siblings: Taylor, Tessa and Tori … father, Tim, played football at Earlham College … cousin, Howard Walters, played football at Bluffton University … plans to major in science.

HIGH SCHOOL: Three-year letterwinner at Westfield as a quarterback … played for head coach Jake Gilbert … tabbed as a three-star prospect and the third-best linebacker recruit in the state by ESPN … chosen as an all-state and all-conference performer … threw for 4,358 yards with 43 touchdowns and six interceptions on 277-of-407 in two seasons as the signal caller … also rushed for 1,326 yards on 235 carries for 25 touchdowns … captained team to 24-4 record in final two seasons … team was state runner-up during junior season … was a four-year letterwinner in baseball where he was also an all-conference player … member of the National Honor Society … PERSONAL: Son of Michael and Charlene Webster … has three brothers: Austin, Justin and Mikeah … uncle, Matthew Webster, played basketball at Evansville and overseas professionally in France … plans to major in finance.