Wednesday afternoon Hugh Freeze met with the media to discuss his 2020 signing class. Here’s everything he had to say about the signees:
WR CJ DANIELS
“CJ is out of a great program in Parkview. His head coach Godfrey was in my visit there at the school, just really enjoyed my time with him. His parents, they’re just incredible people, and it’s going to be a great asset to our program. We project him to be in the slot, but he is a longer slot guy. I like length at receiver, we got that in all three of these (receivers). They’re all long. He’s got phenomenal ball skills for a high school kid.”
WR JAIVIAN LOFTON
“Jaivian is obviously the most developed thus far, we believe. Junior College kid, standout there in the California Junior College league. We were able to get on him late. He tripped us last which was a positive for us. He had some really good offers. We’re excited to get him, hopefully we can get him here sooner than expected, maybe get him in for one of our D terms and get through some of the spring.”
WR AHMAD JACKSON
“A big, strong, really good looking kid. He was adopted by Miss Marlene and Mr. Clovis. They just light up a room when they come in. They have an incredible story. He came to camp and just stood out. We were able to hold on to him throughout the recruiting process.”
TE TREVOR HOBBS
“Depending on what services you’re looking at, he was ranked high – 1, 2, 3 tight end in different polls. He needs to gain some weight. We’ve got him here now. He’s putting in the calories and Dom and Danielle are doing a good job with him. He’s already gained 6 pounds since he’s been here. His ball skills and his route running are where it needs to be, just got to get some more girth to compete at this level. Great parents there too, two parent home and just a phenomenal family.”
QB CHRIS FERGUSON
“Being a grad transfer from Maine, I think gives us a good mixture of dual-threat enough and a big pocket passer that has a quality arm. He’s recovering from a little injury, hopefully he will be ready to go in spring ball also. With Malik (Willis) being here, Chris provides very good competition which I love. Some people don’t care for it. You’re in the wrong place if you’re not wanting to compete. I think it makes us all better. Really excited about the depth and competition we’ve been able to create there.”
QB SEAN BROWN
“High school kid we had in camp. We fell in love with him at camp. A lot of people tried to come in on him at the end, but he just remained strong with us. We’re excited about that.”
QB RJ GLOD
“We were able to get him out of Jacksonville, Florida. Visited with his family on the last weekend here, really a dynamic faith based family that I think will add a lot to our school and program. He’s a late developer. He’s only played quarterback one year. I was really impressed with how he functioned in that one year.”
OL GAGE BASSHAM
“Mid-year enrollee from here in Virginia from a great program – Lord Botetourt. Coach Harless does a great job there and his parents are super people. All kind of awards that he has and had great offers.”
OL BRYCE MATHEWS
“Grad transfer from Ole Miss who I recruited there. Love him and his family. He’s a 6’5 long guy that we felt like we needed somebody to come in and compete at right tackle, and we believe that Bryce can do that. We also know that he can play every position which I love for a grad transfer. He can play center, guard, or tackle. He’s looked good in the workouts we’ve had thus far. I got to see them work out yesterday.”
OL WILL BUCHANAN
“We project that this is going to be, in 2 years, a phenomenal offensive lineman. He’s a tough kid. High school coach is his dad. He walks around campus with a smile on his face, but also looks like he would fight you at any time, I like that about him.”
OL BRIAN HANNIBAL
“One of the more athletic offensive linemen I saw on tape. Got him out of Maryland, think he’s going to be one of those inside guys like Damian Bounds and those kids that we’ve had.”
OL CHASE MITCHELL
“Probably the most developed thus far. Out of Pennsylvania, did a home visit there with him. He and his mom, they’ve been through a lot of hard times and they’ve stuck together and loved one another through some difficult times, losing a son and a brother, just difficult times. He always has a smile on his face and he is a big human being. Really, probably the most advanced, outside of Bryce obviously, excited about these young kids.”
OL BJ WHEAT
“From here locally out of E.C. Glass to come to join us, who I think has a chance to develop into being a quality offensive lineman. Another 6’5″ long kid, that’s 310 pounds.”
LB ANTHONY BUTLER
“Grad transfer out of Charlotte. He’s already here, he’s working to get himself in tip top shape for spring ball, excited about what he brings.”
LB DJ HUMES
“Out of a great program, St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida.”
LB GABERIEL FUSTER
“Already here.”
DL DURRELL JOHNSON
“Junior College kid who was all-American. He is quick-twitched and we needed someone to replace somewhat of Jessie’s production. I don’t know if you can totally replace Jessie, but Durrell has the twitch and the length. He needs to gain a little weight, but he’s looking good right now.”
DL KARSEN PERKINS
“Another December signee, he’s one of those 6’4″ 250 guys. I just saw him down eating in the training table, he’s already gaining weight and we project he’s going to be 290 and be an inside guy in time. Love him as a kid, love the way he’s working.”
DL KENDY CHARLES
“The Haitian Sensation we refer to him as. This is just a hard working guy. His family came on the official visit, doesn’t speak English, he does but his mom doesn’t. It was a unique time, special time. She was just overwhelmed with gratefulness. She doesn’t know how good her kid is going to be, but she understands he’s getting an opportunity. We’re thrilled to have him out of Orange Park, Florida. Coach McPherson has done a great job there in developing him.”
DL AAKIL WASHINGTON
“Out of Wheeler High School in Georgia, we did really well in the Atlanta area. I think he’s one of the more talented kids that we signed, that’s probably further along skill-wise. Wouldn’t shock me to see him play as a true freshman like Tre(Shaun Clark) did this year. Really excited about him. Coach Love and some of our staff go way back. He had some nice offers and we were able to hold on to him.”
DL RASHAD WHITEHEAD
“Came to camp this past summer, he and his family. Love his mom and dad, Corey and Robert, great family. He attended B.E.S.T. Academy there and really is a guy we project is going to be another one of those guys that’s 260, defensive end type once he gets here.”
DB JUAWAN TREADWELL
“Had Boston College, Hawaii, Temple, many others, that’s who we ended up having to beat really at the end of it. I think my relationship with his mom, Miss Tammy, from recruiting her other son Laquon Treadwell from back at Ole Miss, really paid dividends for us, and once we got them on campus and she saw the environment here they were sold it was the best fit. He is someone we are expecting to play right away. He’s a physical safety that will strike you and can run and cover.”
DB DEON BIGGINS
“Out of Mississippi, good friends there with Brad Boyet head coach, who’s done a phenomenal job at Horn Lake. Miss Yolanda is a stud as a mom in raising him. This kid can fly, he’s legit 4.35ish laser time. He’s got length. He’s raw, but he’s the type we believe we can develop into being really, really special.”
DB MARCUS HASKINS
“Another Junior College all-American that we think is a swing guy that can play both corner, nickel, or safety. Hopefully we can get him here for that D term also as he’s finishing up his course work to get his A.A.”
DB QUINTON REESE
“Today’s signee was huge for us. We loved him all along. He took his time deciding and was dead set he was going to finish his high school career in the state championship game. Didn’t take many visits in December, some of the bigger schools that had offered him had filled up, so it was fortunate for us. Too, I think Coach Hunley did a great job staying on him. Coach McFarland, his head coach who I have a really good relationship with and I think there’s a trust factor there, his dad’s a preacher. Once we got them on the trip in January, we were able to get Quinton Reese to sign with us today. 3-star corner out of Blessed Trinity in Alpharetta, Georgia.”
DB JEROME JOLLY
“Another safety out of Mandarin where we’ve had some success, thats where Demario Douglas comes from. We have a really good reputation in north Florida right now. He is a put together, for a freshman out of high school, he’s really put together. I hope he’s as physical as he looks when we start spring ball.”
DB LOUIS TAYLOR III
“Local kid here that came from Magna Vista, that came to summer camp. Immediately I watched him and defensive staff did, and we huddled up right after and said I trust my eyes, I trust my gut, this kid is going to be a player. He shut it down. He committed to us after we offered him and really shut down his recruitment. His mom, Miss Courtney and dad Louis, just knew this is where they wanted to be.”
DB TIM COUTRAS
“Tennessee state player of the year in 4A football. Another camp guy that we worked out and spent time with and just knew he was a Liberty fit. Just had surgery and will be rehabbing from that, look forward to him getting here next fall.”
DB AARON LOVINS
“Out of Brentwood Academy in Tennessee, one of the most solid tacklers that I’ve watched on film. Family came here 3, 4, 5 times, They were the Liberty fit. Comes from a great high school there in Brentwood Academy and Coach White does a heck of a job. Lisa and Rick, his parents, are phenomenal people. He will be here this summer.”
