“I know this class is very high ranked, but I’ll be honest with you, that’s the expectation,” announced Arkansas State head football coach Butch Jones up landing the highest rated recruiting class in the Sun Belt, according to both Rivals and 24/7.

“The biggest thing we needed was competitive character,” said Coach Jones, although he went on to say that the program still required offensive linemen, a linebacker and perhaps a running back. He called today’s recruiting “a great start.”

“We had to get bigger and we had to get longer,” Jones explained.

NAME	POS	HT	WT	HOMETOWN	PREV SCHOOL
Elijah Zollicoffer	OL	6-6	330	Covington, Ga.	Newton HS
Jaxon Dailey	QB	6-3	215	Pleasant Hill, Iowa	Southeast Polk HS
Mike Sharpe II	RB	5-11	190	Pinson, Ala.	Pinson Valley HS
Daverrick Jenkins	WR	6-2	175	Miami, Fla.	Northwestern HS
Eddie Smith	DB	6-0	190	Slidell, La.	Illinois/Alabama
Ashtin Rustemeyer	DL	6-2	270	St. Louis, Mo.	Lutheran HS
Aleric Watson	OL	6-6	265	Murfreesboro, Tenn.	Middle Tennessee Christian School
Websley Etienne	S	6-0	185	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.	Western HS
James Reed III	CB	5-11	180	Nashville, Tenn.	Father Ryan HS
Saidou Ba	OL	6-6	285	Memphis, Tenn.	PURE Academy
Blayne Toll	DE	6-6	245	Hazen, Ark.	Colorado/Arkansas
Miller McCrumby	TE	6-4	205	Mount Pleasant, Texas	Mount Pleasant HS
Ahmad Robinson	CB	5-11	180	East St. Louis, Ill.	East St. Louis HS
Kadan Lewis	DL	6-2	260	Houma, La.	Terrebonne HS
Terion Sugick	DL	6-2	297	Landover, Md.	Vanderbilt
Ja’Quez Cross	ATH	5-11	185	Hampton, Ark.	Purdue
Javante Mackey	LB	6-3	215	Memphis, Tenn.	Whitehaven HS
Keyron Crawford	Edge	6-5	235	Memphis, Tenn.	Briarcrest

Among the 18 recruits committed to Arkansas State are four transfers, include Arkansan Blayne Toll, who arrives to the Red Wolves by way of Colorado and Arkansas. In a moment of good timing, edge defender Keyron Crawford of Memphis, Tennessee committed to Arkansas State in the closing moments of Butch Jones’ press conference.

Nothing but love coach 🤞🏼@CoachButchJones https://t.co/9LQfbfcTpU

— Keyron Crawford (@KeyronCrawford3) December 16, 2021

“Our staff made Memphis a priority,” said Jones.

Overall, the early signing period fills some critical needs, especially on the defensive line.

PHOTO CREDIT: Screen grab from Jones’ post signing day presser