KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- The Western Michigan football program announced a class of 25 signees on National Signing day, bringing in student-athletes of both elite athletic ability and quality people that are now officially Broncos.
For the second-straight season WMU has brought in the highest ranked class in the Mid-American Conference. This season's class ranks in at 57th in the nation by Scout.com and boasts one four-star prospect and 14 three-star prospects. The Broncos are one of only two MAC teams to bring in a four-star prospect this season in Justin Tranquill, a defensive back from Huntertown, Ind. The overall class is ranked ahead of notable Power Five Conference teams Indiana, Cincinnati, Kansas, Kansas State, Purdue, Oregon State and others.
Nineteen members of the class come from a six-hour recruiting radius that head coach P.J. Fleck and his staff concentrate on. A total of 12 recruits hail from the state of Michigan, three from Illinois, two from Indiana and two from Ohio. Nine of Western Michigan's signees from Michigan appear on the Detroit News Blue Chip Top 60 Recruit List, including two in the top 13. Michigan native's Alex Grace (Saginaw/Swan Valley) and Jon Wassink were both 2014 Michigan High School Player of the Year finalists.
The Broncos also pulled in elite talent from Florida, New Jersey and Texas.
On the defensive side WMU brings in five defensive linemen, four defensive backs and two linebackers. Offensively Western Michigan brings in six wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, one tight end and one running back.
Offensive lineman Wesley French crossed the finish line first, sending his National Letter of Intent at exactly 7 a.m. ET. The entire class was signed, sealed and delivered by 8:24 a.m.
2015 Western Michigan Football Signing Class (click names for highlights via YouTube)
Eric Assoua (AH-soo-uh)
Defensive End
6-2 / 230
Silver Springs, MD / St. Johns
Rated 3-star prospect by Rivals.com and SCOUT.com ... 2014 Washington Post Fall All-Met First Team Defense ... 2014 DMVelite Third Team Defense ... 2014 WCAC First Team All-Conference.
Tony Balabani (bal - uh -bahn - ee)
Defensive End
6-3 / 235
Macomb, Mich. / Dakota
Rated 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com and Rivals.com ... No. 27 on Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list ... First Team All-Metro East ... First Team All-State ... First Team All-Conference ... holds single-season sack record with 16 ... 142 total tackles and 21 sacks.
Sam Beal
Defensive Back
6-2 / 195
Grand Rapids, Mich. / Ottawa Hills
Rated 2-star prospect by SCOUT.com ... track and football star at Ottawa Hills High School ... placed third in both 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the State Championship in 2013 ... scored eight total touchdowns and racked up 29 tackles.
LeVante Bellamy
Wide Receiver
5-11 / 185
Indianapolis, Ind. / Pike
Rushed for over 3,297 yards in his career and recorded 50 rushing touchdowns ... rated a 3-star prospect by Rivals.com and SCOUT.com ... rushed for 2,360 yards and 35 touchdowns during junior season ... Class 3A IHSAA State Finalist ... Recipient of McAlister's SPUDtacular Play of the Week Award (Oct. 10).
Anton Curtis
Wide Receiver
6-3 / 185
Grosse Point, Mich. / East English Village Prep
Rated a 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com ... ranked no. 36 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list ... played quarterback in high school at East English Village Prep.
Paul Engram
Linebacker
6-1 / 235
Detroit, Mich. / Loyola
No. 47 on Detroit News Blue Chip Prospect List ... racked up 228 total tackles in his career, including 13.5 sacks ... 2014 MHSAA Division 7 State Champion ... 2014 Class D Catholic League Prep Bowl Champion.
Ken Finley, Jr.
Defensive Tackle
6-3 / 283
Muskegon, Mich./ Muskegon
Rated 3-star prospect ... was ranked 33rd best recruit in Michigian in 2014 ... ranked by Detroit News Top 60 Blue Chip List Detroit Free Press Top 50 Recruiting List as 33rd best recruit in Michgian ... 2013 All-Sate.
Tom Flacco
Quarterback
6-1 / 185
Vorhees, N.J. / Eastern
Rated 2-star prospect ... multi-sport athlete who played basketball and baseball .. passed for over 4,500 yards and accounted for 40 touchdowns ... dual threat quarterback ... drafted in 32nd round of 2014 MLB Draft by the Philadelphia Phillies.
Wesley French
Offensive Lineman
6-5 / 300
Benton Harbor, Mich. / St. Joseph
Rated 3-star offensive lineman ... ranked No. 30 in Detroit News blue Chip Recruits list ... named No. 43 in Detroit Free Press Fab 50 ... 10th best prospect in the state of Michigan according to Rivals.com ... 2014 AP First Team All-State.
Davontae Ginwright (JIN - right)
Defensive Back
6-3 / 195
Southfield, Mich. / Southfield
Rated 3-star prospect by ESPN and SCOUT.com ... ranked No. 58 in Detroit News Blue Chips Recruits list ... has 100 career tackles, one interception and one touchdown ... brings size and speed to the defensive backfield.
Kadeem Goulburne
Wide Receiver
6-4 / 200
Weston, Fla. / Cypress Bay
Rated 3-star prospect ... chose WMU over Michigan State, Missouri, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Rutgers, Wisconsin, N.C. State and the rest of the MAC ... had 803 yards receiving during senior season and 14 touchdowns.
Alex Grace
Linebacker
6-2 / 200
Saginaw, Mich. / Swan Valley
Rated 3-star prospect ... two-time Michigan High School Football Player of the Year finalist (2013, 2014) ... No. 12 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list ... No. 26 in Detroit Free Press Fab 50 ... holds state single-season rushing record with 2,962 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2013, including a state record eight consecutive games with at least 200 yards rushing ... 2013 AP Division 3 Player of the Year ... two time AP First Team All-State.
Donte Horton
Defensive End
6-4 / 205
West Chester, Ohio / Lakota West
Rated 3-star prospect by ESPN, SCOUT.com and Rivals.com ... recorded over seven sacks in his career ... named to Massillon NFSC All-Combine Defense Team ... older brother Mikel plays running back at Kentucky.
Luke Juriga (jer - ee - guh
Offensive Lineman
6-4 / 270
Aurora, Ill. / Marmion Academy
Rated 2-star prospect ... 2014 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 6A All-State team member ... Co-Offensive Player of the Year in Chicago Catholic League ... son of former NFL offensive lineman Jim Juriga.
John Keenoy
Offensive Lineman
6-3 / 285
Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood
Rated 3-star prospect by ESPN, SCOUT.com, Rivals.com ... No. 13 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list ... No. 12 on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list ... two-time First Team All-Conference ... All-State Honorable Mention ... Detroit Free Press First Team All-State ... ranked No. 1 center in the state of Michigan ... named Top Ten “Best of the Best” offensive lineman at Rivals.com Big Man Elite camp.
Giovanni Ricci
Wide Receiver
6-4 / 200
Loveland, Ohio / Loveland
Rated a 2-star prospect by SCOUT.com ... multi-sport athlete ... 2013 State Champion and part of a Loveland High School team that went undefeated.
Daniel Jackson
Defensive Tackle
6-3 / 250
Romeoville, Ill. / Plainfield East
Rated 2-star prospect ... starred at Plainfield East High School earning a spot on the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 7A All-State Team ... brings size and athleticism to the defensive line.
Obbie Jackson (oh - bee)
Defensive Back
5-11 / 180
West Bloomfield, Mich. / West Bloomfield
Ranked No. 40 in Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list ... ranked No. 42 in Detroit News Blue Chip list ... rated 2-star recruit by SCOUT.com ... earned Best Defensive Back Award at Core 6 Showcase camp ... named Mr. Explosive (short shuttle winner) for receivers/defensive backs at Adidas Winter Showcase.
Justin “Jett” Spencer
Defensive Back
5-10 / 190
Oviedo, Fla. / Oviedo
Goes by the name Jett ... rated 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com ... racked up 79 career tackles and five interceptions ... chose Western Michigan over Cincinnati, UCONN and Mississippi State.
Carrington Thompson
Wide Receiver
6-3 / 170
Junior
Houston, Texas / Northwood University
Played in 20 games in two seasons at Northwood ... recorded 89 receptions for 1,210 yards and 10 touchdown receptions ... averaged 60.5 yards per game and 13.6 yards per catch.
Justin Tranquill
Defensive Back
5-11 / 185
Huntertown, Ind. / Carroll
Rated 4-star prospect by SCOUT.com .... highest rated recruit in program history ... No. 3 defensive back in the state of Indiana ... held offers from Power Five Conference programs like Cincinnati, Indiana, Illinois ... starred on offense and defense at running back and defensive back, racking up over 1,400 yards rushing, 17 tackles, three interceptions and 11 pass breakups during junior season ... missed senior season due to injury ... earned MVP Award at Core 6 Showcase in both Cincinnati and Chicago.
Davon Tucker (DAY-vaughn)
Running Back
5-10 / 205
Somerdale, N.J. / Sterling
Rated a 3-star prospect by ESPN, SCOUT.com and Rivals.com ... 2014 New Jersey Offensive Back of the Year rushed for 1,085 yards and 13 touchdowns during junior season ... 2013 First Team Liberty Division/Colonial Conference selection.
Parker Underwood
Tight End
6-4 / 240
Lansing, Mich. / East Lansing
Rated a 2-star prospect by both ESPN, SCOUT.com and Rivals.com ... recorded 254 yards and three touchdowns in 16 receptions with East Lansing High School ... three-sport athlete.
Jon Wassink (wah - sink)
Quarterback
6-3 / 195
Grand Rapids, Mich. / South Christian
Rated a 3-star prospect by SCOUT.com... ranked no. 33 in Detroit News Blue Chip Recruits list ...ranked No. 33 in Detroit Free Press Fab 50 ... racked up 34 total touchdowns with 2,178 yards passing and 900 yards rushing during senior season ... passed for 24 touchdowns and 2,781 yards and rushed for 22 touchdowns and 1,074 yards during junior season ... was a 2014 Michigan High School Player of the Year finalist ... two-time MHSAA Division 4 State Champion ... multi-sport athlete excelling in basketball and football.
Keishawn Watson (KEE- shawn)
Wide Receiver
6-0 / 185
Wheaton, Ill. / Warrenville South
Rated 2-star prospect by SCOUT.com... attends Wheaton Warrenville South High School, the same school as current Bronco Corey Davis ... racked up 510 receiving yards and four touchdowns on just 23 receptions, also averaginging 16.5 yards per punt return.
