Image provided by: JMU Athletics Communications
Written by Bennett Conlin
Staying on top of transfer portals and high school recruitment status can be a major challenge. It’s even more difficult given the lack of consistent national recruiting efforts for Group of Five teams.
To make life a little easier for avid fans of JMU football, we aim to track JMU’s 2024 high school recruiting class in one document. Later in the fall he plans to create a 2024 transfer portal tracker.
Release of commitment
With Cignetti leaving for Indiana, JMU could lose some members of its 2024 class.
Jar Jar Boyd, CB – This was a big commitment at the time. Boyd was rated the highest of any high school player he ever attended at JMU. Boyd, a Penn State prospect, had offers from Penn State, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and Boston College.
Alberto Mendoza, QB – Mendoza, JMU’s starting quarterback in the 2024 class, has received offers from teams such as ECU, App State, and Charlotte. The prospect from Miami is considered a three-star recruit by 24/7 Sports.
offensive addition
Nate Crosby Jr., RB – Marshall and Charlotte were among the schools that adopted the North Carolina product. He will join a JMU program with a strong recent track record at the running back position. He is a versatile player who can run and catch.
Deacon Rawls, OL – West Virginia, Temple, Charlotte and Army all offered Rolls, a Virginia Beach product. At 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds, Rawls has great size and talent. He’s a great addition for the Dukes.
Evan Bushon, OL – JMU is a good recruiter of Penn State players, with Bushong playing in the Harrisburg area. He received offers from Army as well as several Ivy League schools. His height is listed as 6 feet 3 inches and his weight is 295 pounds.
Kobe Campbell, OL – The Dukes have had success adding unheralded players before they explode, and Campbell could fit that mold. He had offers from several FCS schools in addition to JMU, but recently attended camps at Florida State and Duke, where he was the top OL during a trip to Duke. Campbell, a North Carolina native, is a great addition to JMU.
Keenan Phillips, RB – Phillips announced his commitment on Instagram, choosing JMU over App State, Boston College, NC State, Troy and Tulane, among other offers. The talented running back from Georgia is a very good shifter and often evades defenders in tight spaces. He has the ability to return kicks as well as a running back.
defensive addition
Bryson Banks, LB – Banks is on the smaller side at about 5 feet 9 inches tall, but has great potential. Schools offering Banks included UCF, UConn, Navy, Army, and more. If he had been a few inches taller, he probably would have been a target for a lot of Power Five teams. He plays high school football in Georgia.
Anthony Walker, LB – JMU added Walker, a prospect from North Carolina State. Like Banks, he has a lot of potential. He was a little taller at 6 feet tall and also had an impressive list of offers that included App State and Charlotte. Walker was also courted by several of JMU’s former CAA peers, including Richmond and Delaware.
Immanuel Ezeogu, LB – At 6-foot-3, Ezeogu could develop into an edge rusher if needed. The prospect from Virginia was committed to attending JMU throughout the recruiting process, according to the DNR.
Ronnell Davis, S – JMU beats West Virginia in battle to acquire defensive back from Delaware State. Curt Cignetti is likely excited about this addition, as programs like Duke and his UConn were also looking to acquire Davis’ services.
Dontray Henderson, S – Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, East Carolina and Marshall all made offers to Henderson, a North Carolina native. Henderson chose the Dukes. He joins a great roster of young defensive backs for the Dukes.
Chase Regan, S – The defensive back run continued with Regan’s dedication. The Penn State safety received a number of FCS offers, and Old Dominion was one of the FBS teams that offered Regan. He chose JMU out of 20 D1 offers.
Philip Harris, DB – Another North Carolina prospect joins the Dukes as Harris chose JMU over ECU, West Virginia, Marshall, Coastal Carolina and others. He is a great addition to his JMU class.
Mario Landino, DL – The first defensive lineman committed to JMU’s 2024 recruiting class, Landino is a great player. The Dukes continued their solid additions in Pennsylvania, adding players with great size (6-foot-4, 255 pounds). Landino chose his JMU over Coastal schools, including Carolina, Rutgers, and UW.
Marcellus Nash, EDGE – Nash held offers from App State, Arizona, Coastal Carolina, Marshall, Penn State, and others. The in-state defender ultimately chose JMU, giving the Dukes another strong addition to their defensive line. Nash is one of JMU’s highest-rated players in his 2024 class of recruits.
Daniel Ndukwe, EDGE – A talented defensive end from Georgia, Ndukwe also had offers from App State, Coastal Carolina, Memphis, Tulane, and UCF, among others. He is a quality addition to JMU’s impressive 2024 class and strengthens a special group of defensive additions.
Diablo God EDGE – What a name! Diablo, a North Carolina native, also held offers from App State, Boston College and ODU. At 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, it’s easy to get excited about Deabro’s potential as an outside rusher.
Milton Ferguson, DB – The three-star defensive back from Virginia Beach also received offers from Maryland, Miami State, Virginia State and Virginia Tech. He is a talented player who has attracted interest from powerful Power Five schools.
Kieran Flow, Database – Flo, a three-star defensive back, has committed to the Dukes from West Virginia. The Dukes’ 2024 class has outstanding talent in the secondary.