NMU Football signs 26 players
Courtesy of NMU Athletics
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Northern Michigan University head football coach Chris Ostrowsky announces his second recruiting class today (Feb. 6) as 26 future NMU student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent on the first day of the signing period.
“Signing day is the end of a long process for players, parents and coaches,” Ostrowsky said. “We have recruited some of the most celebrated players in Michigan, Florida and Illinois. We recruited high school team captains who are top academic students and have played for some of the premier programs in the nation like St. Thomas Aquinas and Cass Tech.”
The class consists of players from Michigan (16), Florida (5) and Illinois (5). Kyle Root (Brimley, Mich./Sault Area) and Jared Vuksan (Gladstone, Mich./Gladstone) represent Upper Peninsula recruits.
“As a staff, we have worked extremely hard day and night to accomplish our objective, which is to have one of the top recruiting classes in America on the Division II level,” added Ostrowsky. “We felt it was critical to follow last year’s class with another stellar group and believe we have done so when this group of players arrives on campus. Today is a great day to be a Wildcat.”
NMU finished 4-7 overall and 3-7 in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in 2012, winning three of its final five games. The Wildcats finished tied for 11th in the GLIAC and had 12 seniors end their football careers.
Listed below are the individuals signed on the first day of the signing period.
| Name | Pos. | Height | Weight | Hometown / High School / Previous College or University |
| Shaye Brown | QB | 6-4 | 205 | Fenton, Mich. / Linden |
| Deionte Bruton | CB | 5-10 | 170 | Detroit, Mich. / Ecorse |
| Josh Crim | OL | 6-6 | 290 | Lansing, Mich. / Eastern |
| Darius Danzy | CB | 5-10 | 175 | Southfield, Mich. / Southfield Senior |
| Jake Gierlak | ATH | 5-10 | 165 | Algonquin, Ill. / Harry D. Jacobs |
| Cornell Gilmore | DT | 6-0 | 260 | Miami, Fla. / Miami Palmetto |
| Dominick Hamilton | DL | 6-1 | 317 | Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech |
| DeMarco Haynes | WR | 5-7 | 150 | Hollywood, Fla. / Chaminade Madonna |
| Sherman Hodges | WR | 6-2 | 168 | Muskegon, Mich. / Muskegon |
| Dan Hugan | SR | 5-11 | 175 | Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron |
| Rodney Lamar | DE | 6-2 | 239 | Pompano Beach, Fla. / Ely / Florida Atlantic University |
| Marcus Lee | LB | 6-1 | 220 | Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook / College of DuPage |
| John Oberheide | K/P | 5-9 | 200 | Park Ridge, Ill. / Maine South |
| Ross Querro | LB | 6-0 | 215 | Armada, Mich. / Armada |
| Kyle Root | HB | 6-0 | 210 | Brimley, Mich. / Sault Area |
| Patrick Ryan | S | 6-1 | 181 | Linden, Mich. / Linden |
| Connor Schrader | RB | 5-9 | 205 | Lake Zurich, Ill. / Lake Zurich Senior |
| Joseph Short | RB | 5-10 | 190 | Chicago, Ill. / Chicago Bulls College Prep |
| Marcus Smith | SR | 5-9 | 175 | Muskegon, Mich. / Muskegon |
| Jalen Stovall | SR | 5-9 | 160 | Kentwood, Mich. / East Kentwood |
| Marcus Tucker | WR | 6-0 | 190 | Flint, Mich. / Grand Blanc / Mott Community College |
| Jared Vuksan | DE | 6-1 | 220 | Gladstone, Mich. / Gladstone Area |
| Mark Walker | S | 5-11 | 165 | Delray Beach. Fla. / North Broward |
| Cedric Washington | DT | 6-0 | 270 | Flint, Mich. / Flint Southwestern Academy |
| Chris Washington | CB | 6-0 | 190 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / St. Thomas Aquinas |
| JaMarco Willingham | DL | 6-2 | 245 | Livonia, Mich. / Benjamin Franklin |
Shaye Brown | video
Fenton, Mich.
Linden High School
Quarterback
6-4, 205
-Team captain, all-state, all-conference, second team all-area, Tri-County player of the year
Deionte Bruton | video
Detroit, Mich.
Ecorse High School
Cornerback
5-10, 170
-All-conference, all-metro
Josh Crim | video
Lansing, Mich.
Eastern High School
Offensive Line
6-6, 290
-All-conference
Darius Danzy | video
Southfield, Mich.
Southfield Senior High School
Cornerback
5-10, 175
-All-conference, all-metro, honorable mention Detroit Free Press all-state
Jake Gierlak | video
Algonquin, Ill.
Harry D. Jacobs High School
Athlete
5-10, 165
-Two-time all-conference, two-time all-area, team captain.
Cornell Gilmore | video
Miami, Fla.
Miami Palmetto Senior High School
Defensive Tackle
6-0, 260
Dominick Hamilton | video
Detroit, Mich.
Cass Tech High School
Defensive Line
6-1, 317
-First team all-metro
DeMarco Haynes | video
Hollywood, Fla.
Chaminade Madonna
Wide Receiver
5-7, 150
-All-Broward County honorable mention
Sherman Hodges | video
Muskegon, Mich.
Muskegon High School
Wide Receiver
6-2, 168
-All-conference defensive back
Dan Hugan | video
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Huron High School
Slot Receiver
5-11, 175
-First team all-Southeastern Conference Red, first team all-county, first team All-Ann Arbor, team, MVP, all-Southeastern Conference third team
Rodney Lamar | video
Pompano Beach, Fla.
Ely High School
Florida Atlantic University
Defensive End
6-2, 239
-Played at Rochester Community and Technical College in 2010 and was a squad member at Florida Atlantic University
Marcus Lee | video
Bolingbrook, Ill.
Bolingbrook High School
College of DuPage
Linebacker
6-1, 220
-Played linebacker at the College of Dupage
John Oberheide | video
Park Ridge, Ill.
Maine South High School
Kicker / Punter
5-9, 200
-All-conference
Ross Querro | video
Armada, Mich.
Armada High School
Linebacker
6-0, 215
-Second team all-county, first team all-conference
Kyle Root | video
Brimley, Mich.
Sault Area High School
Halfback
6-0, 210
-First team all-U.P. running back, team MVP
Patrick Ryan | video
Linden, Mich.
Linden High School
Safety
6-1, 181
-Two-time all-conference, two star Rivals rating
Connor Schrader | video
Lake Zurich, Ill.
Lake Zurich Senior High School
Running Back
5-9, 205
-All-state, all-area, all-conference
Joseph Short | video
Chicago, Ill.
Chicago Bulls College Prep
Running Back
5-10, 190
-All-city, all-conference running back and strong safety
Marcus Smith | video
Muskegon, Mich.
Muskegon High School
Slot Receiver
5-9, 175
-University of Michigan football camp MVP, member of Midwest Elite 7 on 7 National Team, OK Black first team all-conference, Muskegon Chronicle second team all-area, LakeMichiganFootballReport.com second team, LocalSportsJournal.com first team
Jalen Stovall | video
Kentwood, Mich.
East Kentwood High School
Slot Receiver
5-9, 160
-All-conference, all-state
Marcus Tucker | video
Flint, Mich.
Grand Blanc High School
Mott Community College
Wide Receiver
6-0, 190
-Played basketball at Lake Michigan College in 2011-12 and club football at the University of Michigan-Flint
Jared Vuksan | video
Gladstone, Mich.
Gladstone Area High School
Defensive End
6-1, 220
Mark Walker | video
Delray Beach, Fla.
North Broward High School
Safety
5-11, 165
-Team defensive player of the year
Cedric Washington | video
Flint, Mich.
Flint Southwestern Academy
Defensive Tackle
6-0, 270
-First team all-conference, first team all-city
Chris Washington | video
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Cornerback
6-0, 190
JaMarco Willingham | video
Livonia, Mich.
Benjamin Franklin High School
Defensive Line
6-2, 245