CARBONDALE, Ill. – Southern Illinois football head coach Nick Hill announced the signing of 14 more players for the Class of 2025, bringing the total of incoming players to 35. Today’s additions were all high school seniors who will be true freshmen at SIU next fall.
“We feel like there’s a lot of value in bringing in young, high school kids,” Hill said. “They’re the foundation of your program that you can get in here and develop. Because of the way recruiting is now with the transfer portal, less high school kids are getting signed. Not passing up on some good, young talent in this second signing period was important.”
Hill said that while the transfer portal has changed some aspects of recruiting, Saluki Football will always put a high emphasis on recruiting character.
“Everybody can look at a highlight film and recognize a good player – it’s really the work you have to put in on the back end to find out about the person you’re getting,” Hill said. “That part of the evaluation takes time.”
Lincoln Acree, 5-11, 160, Freshman
Wide Receiver, Graves County, Ky. | Graves County HS
Totaled 2,324 all-purpose career yards, 1,701 receiving Yards, 23 touchdowns, including two punt return and one kickoff return TD … Louisville Courier Journal All-State Second-Team and two-time all-area and all-conference … Team captain … Also lettered in track … An Honor Roll student.
Brendan Bisgrove, 6-4, 280, Freshman
Offensive Line, Oswego, Ill. | Oswego HS
Honorable mention all-conference … Won the team’s Creator of Contact and Rookie of the Year awards and member of the 1,300-lb Club … Helped lead his team to and undefeated regulars season and the second round of the playoffs in 2024 … Also played for the school’s conference championship baseball team … Hobbies include flying planes and working on cars.
Alex Broshears, 5-11, 200, Freshman
Linebacker/Long Snapper, Evansville, Ind. | Reitz Memorial HS
Totaled 464 career tackles and holds the school’s career, single-season and single-game tackle record … Helped lead team to an 11-1 record in 2024 and sectional championship … A three-time all-state, all-city and all-conference player … Named Prime Time 25 Team by Indiana Digest … A four-time academic all-state and all-city honoree … Member of student council and Student Athletic Advisory Council … Also lettered in baseball and basketball.
Liam Carney, 6-5, 290, Freshman
Offensive Line, Wauconda, Ill. | Wauconda HS
A three-year varsity starter with 33-straight starts … A two-time all-conference and all-state special mention, and all-state academic team honoree … A two-way starter who was named the team’s lineman of the year in 2024 … Helped lead the team to two conference championships and four playoff appearances … Also participated in basketball, baseball and track … Comes from a football family where grandpas, uncles, father and cousin all played and coached at either the high school or college level.
Cam Cason, 6-0, 177, Freshman
Cornerback, Weldon Springs, Mo. | Francis Howell HS
Helped lead his team to the 5A state championship in 2022, the first title in school history … All-state, two-time all-conference and all-district … An accomplished track athlete who set the school triple jump record (14’3”) and finished second at state … Also recorded a 40’8” vertical jump … Played soccer in Memphis and led the team in goals.
Kaden Clay, 6-0, 205, Freshman
Linebacker, Lexington, Ky. | Frederick Douglas HS
All-state and all-city in 2024, when he had 70 tackles 10.0 TFL, 2.0 sacks and two interceptions, while leading team to an 8-5 record … Also played basketball and recorded a career-high 22 points … Uncle, Vincent Burns, was a teammate of Peyton Manning and Indianapolis Colts during 2006 Super Bowl season.
Ryan Coby, 6-3, 195, Freshman
Outside Linebacker, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. | Cardinal Newman HS
Only played two years of football but totaled career stats of 159 tackles, 11.0 sacks, five forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and five pass breakups … Earned all-county in 2024 … Helped lead team to a district and regional championship … Also an all-county basketball player … Recognized on Honor Roll every quarter of high school career.
Tristan Cooke-Dennis, 6-6, 308, Freshman
Offensive Line, Westfield, Ind. | Westfield HS
Was a key part of the best statistical offense in school history in 2024 – in 14 games, the offense totaled 1,400 passing yards and 1,700 rushing yards, while the offensive line allowed just five sacks … Team finished 12-2 and advanced to the state championship game … Threw the shot put for track & field team.
Tristen (Tip) Payne, 5-10, 170, Freshman
Wide Receiver, Little Rock, Ark. | Milton HS
Helped lead team to 5A state championships in 2023 and 2024, including a 15-0 record and No. 2 national ranking in 2024 … Recorded 56 receptions, 932 yards and 10 TDs … In track & field, finished third in the state in triple jump.
Chris Potter, 5-10, 170, Freshman
Wide Receiver, Kirkwood, Mo. | Kirkwood HS
Recorded career stats of 84 receptions, 1,460 yards and nine touchdowns and is ranked among the top 10 in receiving seasons all-time at Kirkwood … A two-time first-team all-conference and all-district honoree … Team reached final four of the playoffs in 2024 and had four receivers over 500 receiving yards … Two-time academic all-state and National Honor Society member … Younglife Student Council member … Placed 8th in the state in the 4×100 meter relay in track in 2023 … Enjoys playing guitar … Played for head coach Jeremy Maclin, an NFL Pro-Bowl wideout … From the same school as Saluki tight end and 10-year NFL pro MyCole Pruitt.
Arshawn (AJ) Powell, 5-9, 151, Freshman
Athlete, Chicago, Ill. | Evergreen Park HS
Posted 31 catches, 410 yards and 8 eight receiving TDs in 2024, plus 28 carries for 315 yards and three TDs on the ground … Added 48 tackles on defense with 3.0 TFL and five interceptions, including a pick-six … On special teams, returned a kick 85 yards for a TD and added three blocked FG/PAT … All-state, all-conference, all-area and Team MVP … Holds the school record for touchdowns in a season with 22 .. Also lettered in basketball, track and baseball.
Owen Rann, 6-4, 205, Freshman
Quarterback, Harrisburg, Ill. | Harrisburg HS
A three-year varsity starting quarterback and led Harrisburg to playoffs all three seasons, including a trip to the Illinois state quarterfinals in 2023 … Harrisburg all-time leader in career passing yards, completions, and touchdowns. A 2023 and 2024 River-to-River All-Conference Selection … SIU Chancellor’s Academic Scholarship recipient … Southern Illinois Builders Association Scholarship Recipient … Maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout high school, National Honor Society, member of Mu Alpha Theta, Key Club and Vice President of Student Council … Also a varsity starter in baseball and basketball.
Chase Reynolds, 6-0, 190, Freshman
Safety, Collinsville, Ill. | Collinsville HS
Played quarterback in high school and totaled 3,000 career yards and 35 touchdowns … All-St. Louis first-team defensive back in 2023 and All-St. Louis first-team quarterback in 2024 … Totaled 3000+ career passing yards and 37 touchdowns … Helped school win its first-ever playoff games … Team MVP in football, basketball and track … Helped basketball team to a 28-5 record and a top 7 ranking.
Gavin Tinch, 6-4, 300, Freshman
Defensive Line, Crystal Lake, Ill. | Prairie Ridge HS
All-state honorable mention in 2024 and two-time all-conference and all-area selection … Helped lead team to state runner-up finish in 2022 and 9-0 mark in 2023 … Enjoys playing guitar.
