KALAMAZOO, Mich.- The Western Michigan football program and head coach Tim Lester added to the Broncos' historic recruiting class, signing quarterback Wyatt Rector to a National Letter of Intent and announcing preferred walk-ons Bryce Bouwens, Jake Moertl and Gavin Peddie on Feb. 7.

During the early December signing period, WMU signed the highest rated class in Mid-American Conference history, according to the 247Sports composite rating calculator. The addition of Rector brings WMU's total of scholarship players in the 2018 recruiting class to 21 and raises WMU's average player rating from .8264 to .8288.

Rector's .8418 individual player rating would make him the sixth-highest ranked Bronco signee this season. He is the second quarterback in the 2018 class, joining Kaleb Eleby, who is currently enrolled at Western Michigan.

The 2018 class is the first group assembled during a full recruiting period under Lester, who in 2017 had just 17 days to assemble a recruiting class after being hired as head coach at Western Michigan in January.

Wyatt Rector
Leesburg HS (Leesburg, Fla.)
QB | 6-3 | 225
3-STAR | .8418 rating

Dual-threat quarterback … named a Blue-Grey All-American, first team all-state and first team all-country … was Team Offensive MVP in 2014, 2015 and 2016 … competed in central Florida all-star game in 2017 … Florida Region 8 first team offense … totaled 7,097 passing yards, 52 touchdowns, averaged 208.7 yards passing per game … had 443 completions on 849 attempts … was the No. 1 scorer in the state of Florida for two years …was on the honor roll and was an Academic All-American … also set several records as a member of the track team and was part of 4x4 state championship relay … also competed at the state level for weightlifting and was a member of playoff baseball team … father, Clay played football at Carson–Newman and mother, Annie played softball … also related to Kyle Pratt, a decathlete at University of Florida and walk-on on the Florida football team … had Division I offers from USF, Southern Miss, Virginia, FAU, Georgia State, Kent State and South Alabama.

Bryce Bouwens
Grandville HS (Grandville, Mich.)
LS | 5-11 | 215

No. 7 ranked long snapper in the nation … East/West all-star nomination … Addix all-star nomination … two-year varsity starter … also competed in wrestling and rugby … teammates with WMU walk-on kicker Gavin Peddie.

Jake Moertl
Palatine HS (Palatine, Ill.)
SAF | 6-0 | 180

Named Second Team all-state, Daily Herald all-area, Sun Times all-area and MSL all-conference … recorded 72 tackles, one interception and scored nine touchdowns … also played baseball, earning all-area honorable mention … honor roll and National Honors Society member … also had offers from Butler, San Diego and Illinois.

Gavin Peddie
Grandville, Mich. (Grandville, Mich.)
K | 6-0 | 173

Starting varsity kicker all four years of high school … named all-area honorable mention junior and senior seasons … converted 53 of 55 extra points and 6 of 7 field goals … 70 percent of kickoffs were for touchbacks … teammates with WMU walk-on long snapper Bryce Bouwens ... four-year academic letter award winner, AP Scholar with Honor Award and member of National Honor Society … also played varsity soccer and basketball, was captain of the soccer team … uncle, Lee Schopp was an All-American goalkeeper at Hope College.