Feb. 5, 2003
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State University Head Football Coach Dirk Koetter signed 22 student-athletes to national letters of intent to study and play football, ASU announced Wednesday. The class is comprised of 17 freshmen and five junior college transfers, including the nation's top-rated defensive player and the nation's top-rated junior college tight end from 2002. Three of the transfers are currently enrolled in school and will participate in Spring drills.
"Because of the season we just completed combined with the facilities that we have built, we were able to be in on many of the top players nationally," says Koetter. "This class reflects that. We also were able to meet our needs with a balanced class."
The signature of Koetter's first two ASU classes was speed and this group is comparable.
Four of the signees in this class hail from the state of Arizona, including the finest talent from the Phoenix Metropolitan area. In fact, spanning three classes at ASU, Koetter has signed 23 student-athletes from the state of Arizona to letters of intent.
ASU signed 22 freshmen in 2002, 16 in 2001, 25 in 2000, 16 in 1999, 19 in 1998, 18 each in 1997 and 1996 and 17 in 1995.
| 2003 ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL SIGNEES |
| Name | Pos. | Yr. | Ht. | Wt | Hometown (Last School) |
| Mike Affleck | QB | Fr. | 6-3 | 228 | Provo, UT (Timpview HS) |
| Jessie Ainsworth | K | Fr. | 6-3 | 200 | Thousand Oaks, CA (Thousand Oaks) |
| Aaron Austin | TE | Jr. | 6-5 | 255 | Dos Palos, CA (Fresno CC) |
| Josh Barrett | S | Fr. | 6-1 | 195 | Reno, NV (Reno HS) |
| Rudy Burgess | WR | Fr. | 5-11 | 180 | Edwards, CA (Desert HS) |
| Justin Burks | LB | Jr. | 6-3 | 235 | Norwalk, CA (Cerritos CC) |
| Kyle Caldwell | DE | Fr. | 6-4 | 260 | Scottsdale, AZ (Saguaro HS) |
| Chad Green | CB | Fr. | 5-11 | 170 | Van Nuys, CA (Birmingham HS) |
| Robert Gustavis | OL | Fr. | 6-3 | 263 | Torrance, CA (North Torrance HS) |
| Darnel Henderson | S | Fr. | 5-11 | 185 | Oakland, CA (McClymonds HS) |
| De'Andre Johnson | LB | Fr. | 6-2 | 225 | Phoenix, AZ (South Mountain HS) |
| Sam Keller | QB | Fr. | 6-4 | 220 | Danville, CA (San Ramon Valley HS) |
| Chris McKenzie | CB | Jr. | 5-10 | 185 | New York, NY (Glendale CC) |
| Brent Miller | TE/ATH | Fr. | 6-5 | 225 | Phoenix, AZ (Desert Vista HS) |
| Chijioke Onyenegecha | CB | Jr. | 6-3 | 205 | San Francisco, CA (City College) |
| Julius Orieukwu | OL | Fr. | 6-7 | 298 | Houston, TX (Bellaire HS) |
| Brett Palmer | DT | Fr. | 6-3 | 280 | Tempe, AZ (Marcos de Niza HS) |
| Mike Pollak | OL | Fr. | 6-4 | 275 | Tempe, AZ (Corona del Sol HS) |
| Gabe Reininger | DT | Jr. | 6-2 | 270 | Las Vegas, NV (Moorpark College) |
| Brandon Rodd | OL | Fr. | 6-5 | 275 | Aiea, HI (Aiea HS) |
| Daniel Varvel | S | Fr. | 6-3 | 190 | Bakersfield, CA (Bakersfield HS) |
| Mark Washington | LB | Fr. | 6-3 | 240 | Long Beach, CA (L. Beach Poly HS) |
| Mike Affleck | QB | Fr. | 6-3 | 228 | Provo, Utah (Timpview HS) |
| Appeared at the Elite 11 Quarterback Camp ... the first-ever Sun Devil quarterback to be invited and appear at the Elite 11 Camp ... four-star quarterback rating by Student Sports Magazine and Rivals.com ... rated by SuperPrep Magazine as the No. 11 quarterback in the nation ... rated by SuperPrep Magazine as the No. 15 player in the Midlands (Utah, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming) ... made first-team All-State by The Deseret News ... rated by Rivals.com as the 13th-best quarterback in the nation ... rated as the 35-best player on the West Coast by Rivals.com ... rated four stars by Rivals.com ... the No. 66 player in the west by PacWestFootball.com ... rated the 13th-best quarterback in the United States by Student Sports Magazine in 2002 ... was the Utah Valley Golden Arm (Most Outstanding Quarterback) ... rated as the No. 1 player in the state of Utah ... was the highest rated passer in Utah ... was the highest rated quarterback in history of Timpview High ... senior stats were 129 of 212 passes for 2,063 yards and 22 touchdowns (9 interceptions) ... team went 12-1 ... career stats: 234-407, 4,173 yards, 37 touchdowns, 17 interceptions ... was the MVP of the Colorado Nike Camp in 2002 ... selected to quarterback West team in Insiders.com national 7 on 7 tournament ... made first-team all-region in 2002 ... extremely strong arm ... bench presses 340 pounds, squats 450 and recorded a 27 1/2-inch vertical jump ... physical specimen ... as a junior threw for 2,110 yards and 15 touchdowns ... completed 54-percent (105-of-195) of his passes ... threw eight interceptions ... On my trip to ASU they treated me great and I love the Sun Devil offense. They throw the ball." ... father Dave was a standout football player at BYU ... coached by Chad Van Orden at Timpview High. |
| Jessie Ainsworth | K | Fr. | 6-3 | 200 | Thousand Oaks, CA (Thousand Oaks HS) |
| Rated as the No. 106 player in the Farwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington) by SuperPrep Magazine ... the No. 2 rated kicker in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... a member of The Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100" ... earned "Top 12" honors at the Chris Sailer's 1st Annual National Kicking Competition held at UNLV on January 11-12, 2003 ... averaged 41.1 yards per punt as a senior and was 9 of 15 on field goals ... longest field goal as a senior was 56 yards ... hit 41, 55 and 56-yarders in one game ... it marked the first time ever in California a player had two field goals over 50 yards in one game ... missed three field goals due to blocks and missed from 56 and 62 yards ... hit 17 of 19 extra points as a senior (both misses due to blocks) ... earned first-team all-league, all-county and all-C.I.F. as a kicker as a senior ... was all-C.I.F. three times ... selected second-team all-state as a senior ... as a defensive end, collected nine quarterback sacks, 50 tackles, two interceptions and two forced fumbles as a senior ... hit 51 of 52 extra points as a junior and was three of six on field goals ... also was a standout punter, averaging 35.6 yards with 88-percent not returned ... earned first-team all-league, all-county and all-C.I.F. as a junior ... was all-C.I.F. at punter as a sophomore and all-league and all-county ... averaged 39.3 yards per punt as a sophomore ... owns the following Thousand Oaks High School records: most PAT's in one game (8 vs. Simi Valley HS, '01); most PAT's in one season (51 in '01); most PAT's in a career (78, '00-02); longest field goal (56 yards vs. Royal HS, '02); longest season punting average (41.1, '02); and, longest pass reception (87 yards vs. Newbury Park HS, '00) ... "I loved the coaching staff and the atmosphere(at ASU). It is everything I'm looking for in a school. It's a great climate for kicking" ... boasts a 3.7 grade-point average ... coached by Mike Sanders. |
| Aaron Austin | TE | Jr. | 6-5 | 255 | Dos Palos, CA (Fresno CC) |
| Signed by ASU for the second year in a row and is currently enrolled and will participate in Spring drills ... listed in PrepStar's Top 125 junior college players of this year ... listed as the No. 42 junior college player in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine ... listed last year as the No. 3 junior college player in the nation by JC Football.com and the No. 1 tight end ... four-star player by Rivals.com and a member of its Top 100 ... listed as the No. 6 junior college player in the nation by SuperPrep magazine ... SuperPrep rates him as the No. 1 junior college tight end in the country ... 2001 JC Gridwire All-America honorable mention selection and was voted to the All-California Region II First-Team Offense ... sophomore statistics at Fresno City College were 29 catches for 419 yards and nine touchdowns in 10 regular season games ... long reception went for 48 yards and averaged 14.45 yards per catch ... second in touchdown receptions as a sophomore with nine and fourth in scoring (54) ... as a freshman at Fresno City, collected 18 catches for 249 yards, six touchdowns and a long reception of 37 yards. ... averaged 13.83 yards per catch ... led Fresno City in touchdown receptions with six as a freshman ... was third in scoring that year (36) ... runs the forty in 4.52 seconds ... tremendous blocker ... played for coach Tony Caviglia at Fresno City College ... Caviglia says, "Aaron compares favorably to former FCC tight ends Ryan Wetnight (Stanford, Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers) and David Sloan (New Mexico and Detroit Lions) and runs faster than both of them at the similar stage of his career." |
| Josh Barrett | S | Fr. | 6-1 | 195 | Reno, NV (Reno HS) |
| Selected the Northern 4A football Player of the Year in Nevada ... a member of The Las Vegas Sun all-state football team on offense and as a returner ... interested in ASU's highly-acclaimed School of Business ... garnered first-team all-region honors at wide receiver, defensive back and return specialist as a senior ... made the Sierra League first-team and conference Player of the year ... first-team all-Sierra league at defensive back, receiver and as a returner ... made all-league as a running back ... he rushed for 490 yards on 60 carries and scored five touchdowns and caught 22 passes for 365 yards and five more touchdowns ... made five interceptions ... also returned seven kicks and punts for touchdowns and scored four times on interception returns ... as a junior, made Nevada Class4A, Northern Region and second-team as a returner ... made the all-Sierra League team and first-team as a returner ... also played basketball as a junior and senior ... member of the track and field team as a freshman and junior ... played baseball as a sophomore ... will play safety at ASU ... "It was a great trip. Meeting the guys, talking with the coaches, getting to see the program. It is a program on the rise and that's the thing that made my decision" ... helped lead Reno High to a 11-0 record in 2002 before McQueen High defeated the Huskies, 37-6, in the Northern 4A Championship game ... boasts a 3.4 grade-point average ... coached by Dan Avansino at Reno High. |
| Rudy Burgess | WR | Fr. | 5-11 | 180 | Edwards, CA (Desert HS) |
| Listed as the No. 91 player in the Farwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington) by SuperPrep Magazine ... rated the No. 75 player in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... rated the No. 12 wide receiver in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... the 2002 C.I.F. Southern Section Division XII Defensive Player of the Year ... made All-C.I.F. Southern Section First-Team Defense at cornerback ... was the 2002 High Desert league Defensive Player of the Year Award winner ... made first-team all-league at wide receiver ... was the Kern County Player of the Year in 2002 ... earned first-team all-region as a defensive back ... made first-team all-state Small School ... selected the Desert High Most Valuable Player three years in a row ... served as team captain ... two-way starter for four years on varsity ... all-around athlete ... rushed for 1,235 yards and 12 touchdowns and caught 22 passes for 656 yards and 9 more touchdowns as a senior ... scored a touchdown on a kickoff and on a punt return ... on defense he intercepted six passes, two of which were returned for touchdowns ... collected 860 yards and 13 touchdowns receiving during junior season ... in track and field he posted a 24' 1" long jump in the preliminary round of the California State Meet ... finished fourth in he state meet ... personal bests in track are 47' 11" triple jump, 6' 8" high jump, 10.8 100-meters, 4.35 40-yard dash and 43-inch vertical jump ... is the C.I.F. Southern Section Division XII long jump record holder at 24' 8" ... was the league's long jump record holder ... as a junior, was first-team offense at wide receiver all-C.I.F. Southern Section Division XII ... made first-team all-county and all-valley at wideout ... rushed 63 times for 1,014 yards and eight touchdowns ... also caught 44 passes for 890 yards and 12 scores ... also had four touchdowns on kickoff returns and three more on punt returns ... had two interceptions over 90 yards for touchdowns ... as a sophomore was first-team defense at cornerback in the C.I.F. Southern Section Division XII ... made first-team all-league on offense ... as a freshman, made first-team all-league on offense and rushed 23 times for 870 yards and seven touchdowns ... also had 30 receptions for 810 yards and nine touchdowns ... scored one touchdown on a kickoff return and one on a punt return Šwas the first freshman to make the All-Antelope Valley Press team ... was the Male Athlete of the Year at Desert High in 2002 ... was the Desert HS Sprinter of the Year in 2001 and 2002 and the Jumper of the Year in 2001 and 2002 ... was the track and field Most Valuable Player for three consecutive seasons ... was the Region Co-Field Athlete of the Year ... "I had a great visit to ASU and after talking it over with my family, I committed. The good feeling I had around the team made me feel comfortable it was the right decision. I liked what I saw in the Graphic Arts department and the athletic facilities were just top notch. ASU just seems like a great fit and the area itself reminds me a lot of home" ... coached by Joe Switzer. |
| Justin Burks | LB | Jr. | 6-3 | 235 | Norwalk, CA (Cerritos CC) |
| Rated as the No. 33 junior college transfer in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine ... listed in PrepStar's Top 125 junior college players this year ... enrolled in January and will participate in spring football workouts ... selected first-team JC Grid- Wire All-American ... first-team All-California Community College Football Coaches Association ... Cerritos played in the Strawberry Bowl game ... ... first-team all-state Region IV ... first-team all-Mission Conference Northern Division ... collected 98 unassisted tackles, 67 tackle assists, (165 total stops), 10 quarterback hurries, five tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks and one pass deflection ... a four-star recruit by Rivals ... "I wanted to be a part of what's getting ready to happen over at ASU. Plus, Tempe is closer to my home so my family will be able to come out and watch me play" ... coached by Frank Mazotta. |
| Kyle Caldwell | DE | Fr. | 6-4 | 260 | Scottsdale, AZ (Saguaro HS) |
| The top-rated player in the state of Arizona by SuperPrep Magazine ... selected the Gatorade Player of the Year in the state of Arizona ... son of former Sun Devil defensive line star Bryan Caldwell ... played in last month's Army All-American game on ESPN, in which he was a rare bright spot on the West's losing team ... he had five tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery ... won the Ed Doherty Award, the state player of the year honor ... rated as the 48th-best player in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine (a member of the "Elite 50") ... rated as the No. 14 defensive line prospect in the country by SuperPrep ... garnered nine votes in The Long Beach Press-Telegram's "Best In The West" ratings ... a member of The Orange County Register's Fab 15 First-Team (there are only two non-Californians on the team) ... a member of The Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100" ... is rated as the nation's 11th best defensive end by rivals.com and theinsiders.com. ... is ranked as the 99th best overall player by theinsiders.com. ... All-American Selection (preseason) by PrepStar Magazine ... listed as the No. 1 player in the state of Arizona by SuperPrep in the preseason ... listed as the No. 12 defensive line prospect in the preseason by SuperPrep ... named first-team West All-Region by PacWestFootball.com ... the No. 3 defensive end in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... rated as the No. 10 player in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... named All-Arizona by The Arizona Republic ... first-team all-state 4A by The Arizona Republic ... East Valley Tribune All-Northeast Valley first-team defense and Player of the Year ... The Arizona (Scottsdale) Republic first-team defense and Player of the Year ... won three major awards in Arizona, presented by Phoenix Metro Football Magazine (the Scottsdale City Player of the Year, the Roger Kronberg Award, given to the best interior lineman and the Brian Murray Award, given to the state's best interior lineman) ... named to the Super All-State first-team on defense by Phoenix Metro Football Magazine ... won the Curley Culp Award, given to the best defensive player in Arizona ... three-time all-state player ... accounted for 131 tackles, 34 tackles for loss, 30 quarterback sacks, 29 quarterback hurries, four caused fumbles and three fumble recoveries during his senior season ... also played fullback and tight end on offense ... rushed for 515 yards and scored eight touchdowns last year ... four-year stats were 334 tackles, 45 quarterback sacks, 82 quarterback hurries, 13 forced fumbles and 12 fumble recoveries ... also collected 18 career touchdowns rushing or receiving as a fullback ... team captain and MVP as a freshman on the frosh team ... benches 325 pounds, squats over 500 pounds and has a vertical jump of 34 inches ... father Bryan was drafted in the third round of the 1983 draft by the Dallas Cowboys ... father was a member of the nation's top defensive unit at ASU in 1982 ... that ASU team went 10-2 and defeated Oklahoma in the 1983 Fiesta Bowl ... carries a 3.6 grade-point average ... spends some of his time doing charity work (first started doing charity work at the age of 13) ... has helped build homes for Habitat for Humanity and worked for environmental groups that strive to re-vegitate the desert ... an aspiring artist, some of his work has been placed on display at galleries in the Phoenix area ... played for coach Stuart Goldstein at Saguaro High School. |
| Chad Green | CB | Fr. | 5-11 | 170 | Van Nuys, CA (Birmingham HS) |
| Earned seven votes in The Long Beach Telegram's Best In The West ratings ... that paper said of Green, "A top-flight cover cornerback who is at his best in the marquee matchups ... a member of The Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100" ... played in the CaliFlorida IV Bowl all-star game at Mt. Sac (all-stars from California and Florida) ... rated the 22nd-best cornerback in the nation by Rivals.com ... rated the 32nd-best corner in the country by theinsiders.com ... a preseason All-American by PrepStar Magazine ... rated the No. 6 cornerback in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... rated the No. 43 player in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... helped his defense slow down Woodland Hills Taft's vaunted receiving group in Birmingham's 35-7 victory over Taft in the 2002 L.A. City Section Championship ... a three-year, two-way starter ... listed as the No. 44 rated player in the Farwest in the preseason by SuperPrep Magazine ... 14-game senior statistics included 48 receptions for 1,141 yards and 17 touchdowns ... also collected 30 tackles, five interceptions and two fumble recoveries ... had a 103-yard interception return for a score as a senior ... selected all-valley and all-city during his junior and senior seasons ... three-time all-league performer ... gained notoriety when he shut down Woodland Hills Taft wide receiver Steve Smith during his sophomore, junior and senior seasons ... as a junior, collected 25 catches for 500 yards and eight touchdowns ... had two interceptions, one fumble recovery for a touchdown and was selected second-team all-city as a defensive back ... was first-team all-league as a junior ... was the Los Angeles City long jump champion as a junior ... Birmingham High won the L.A. City track and field championship ... registered four touchdowns and two interceptions as a sophomore ... was selected as Birmingham's Defensive Back Of The Year as a sophomore and senior ... made first-team All-West Valley as a sophomore ... "I've coached some good cornerbacks, but Chad is the first one we've had whom we wouldn't have traded for any other guy playing high school football," coach Ed Croson said. "He just needs to add weight and muscle, but the football instincts, coverage skills and closing speed are already there." |
| Robert Gustavis | OL | Fr. | 6-3 | 263 | Torrance, CA (North Torrance HS) |
| Rated as the No. 135 player in the Farwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington) by SuperPrep Magazine ... preseason All-American selection by PrepStar Magazine ... listed by SuperPrep Magazine as the No. 90 player in the Far West in the preseason ... rated as the No. 25 offensive lineman in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... first-team all-C.I.F. as a senior ... also first-team all-area by The Los Angeles Times and first-team all-Ocean League ... second-team all-area by The Daily Breeze ... was the North Torrance Most Valuable Player ... earned first-team all-state, first-team all C.I.F. and first-team all-Ocean League as a junior ... also made first-team all-area by The Daily Breeze and The Los Angeles Times ... was the team lineman of the year as a junior ... had 33 pancake blocks and gave up only two quarterback sacks during his junior season ... selected all-state and all-C.I.F. as a junior and senior ... was the most improved player in basketball after his freshman, sophomore and junior campaigns ... boasts a grade-point average of 3.7 ... won a GSE award for algebra, Spanish, coordinated sciences, chemistry and U.S. history ... Excellent Citizenship award for seven semesters ... honor roll for six semesters ... nominated to attend NLA convention (National Leaders of America) ... won outstanding student award ... coached by Todd Croce. |
| Darnel Henderson | S | Fr. | 5-11 | 185 | Oakland, CA (McClymonds HS) |
| Rated as the No. 124 player in the Farwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington) by SuperPrep Magazine ... made The Contra Costa Times "Cream of the Crop" team ... all-city honorable mention in 2001 and 2002 ... all-city in track and field in 2002 and 2003 ... first-team O.A.L. as a running back ... served as team captain ... second-team A.N.G. running back ... rushed for 1,425 yards and scored 21 touchdowns as a senior ... collected five interceptions and returned two for touchdowns ... had six forced fumbles ... "I come to play every down and I put everything I've got out there on the field. I cannot wait to get down there and get going." ... strong player, bench presses 285 and squats 425 ... brother Tyrone plays football at Colorado ... coached by Alonzo Carter. |
| De'Andre Johnson | LB | Fr. | 6-2 | 225 | Phoenix, AZ (South Mountain HS) |
| Signed with ASU last year and entered school this Spring ... PrepStar all-American and listed as the No. 6 linebacker in the WestŠ named first-team all-Arizona by The Arizona Republic ... member of the All-Informant team, selected annually by The Arizona Informant ... member of the Super All-State 2001 Team by Phoenix Metro Magazine ... listed as the No. 15 player in the state by SuperPrep and a member of the SuperPrep Farwest Team ... Defensive Player of the Year at South Mountain ... moved from rush end to linebacker as a senior ... played six positions at South Mountain in 2001 ... collected 36 solo tackles, 42 assists, seven tackles for loss and 13 quarterback sacks while splitting time between inside linebacker and defensive line ... plays several musical instruments ... former South Mountain teammate of current Sun Devils Jason Shivers and Joey Smith ... played for Cleveland Dansby at South Mountain High. |
| Sam Keller | QB | Fr. | 6-4 | 220 | Danville, CA (San Ramon Valley HS) |
| Rated as the No. 25 quarterback recruit in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine ... rated as the No. 30 prospect in the Farwest (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington) by SuperPrep Magazine ... a member of The Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100" ... was the Red Zone Old Spice California State Player of the Year in 2003 ... was a 2001 Student Sports Magazine Junior All-America ... listed as the No. 9 quarterback by Rivals.com ... has an Insiders Magazine No. 37 rating ... played in the California/Florida All-Star football game and completed nine of 13 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown ... participated in the 2002 Air 7 Quarterback Challenge ... Rivals Magazine No. 30 ranking overall in the state of California ... a member of the Cal Hi Sports All-State Underclass second-team in 2001 ... made The Contra Costa Time's "Cream of the Crop" for 2002 ... won the Peter Villa Trophy for the Outstanding Player in San Ramon Valley in 2002 ... was first-team all-league (East Bay Athletic League) quarterback in 2001 and 2002 ... was all-ANG Newspapers (Oakland Herald) first-team quarterback in 2002 ... all-Contra Costa Times second-team quarterback in 2001 and 2002 ... all-EBAL League second-team quarterback in 2000 ... was the offensive MVP for San Ramon Valley High School in 2001 and 2002 ... compiled a 23-10-2 record as a starter at San Ramon Valley High School ... 13-game statistics as a senior were a 10-3 record, 210 completions out of 333 attempts for 3,282 yards and 38 touchdowns with just five interceptions ... scored two touchdowns rushing ... sophomore stats were 101 of 230 for 1,425 yards and 14 touchdowns, eight interceptions, two rushing touchdowns and one TD via a pass reception ... threw for 7,388 career yards and 80 touchdowns ... three-year starter (made 35 consecutive starts) ... best game was a 444-yard and five touchdown game against rival Monte Vista High ... four-year starter in basketball at San Ramon Valley High ... father Mike played football at the University of Michigan for Bo Schembechler and has been involved in professional football at one level or another since he left Michigan ... father Mike played for the Dallas Cowboys (3rd-round draft choice) ... father was a two-time all-Big Ten defensive end and a member of the AP and UPI All-America teams in 1971 ... uncle played at Michigan as well ... runs a 4.84 40-yard dash ... boasts a 3.2 grade-point average ... coached by Dave Kravitz. |
| Chris McKenzie | CB | Jr. | 5-10 | 185 | New York, NY (Glendale CC) |
| Rated as the No. 87 junior college player in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine ... listed in PrepStar's Top 125 junior college players in the nation ... first-team All-American by the NJCAA ... selected second-team all-American by JC Gridwire ... rated as the No. 46 overall junior college prospect in the country ... was the Region 1 Player of the year and Region MVP on defense ... made first-team all-conference at Glendale as a sophomore ... also made first-team all-region ... was nominated for junior college player of the year ... was the Defensive MVP for the team and for the region ... was the Region 1 Player of the year ... collected two interceptions and returned one for a touchdown ... also had three fumble recoveries (two for touchdowns), two forced fumbles and two quarterback sacks ... had one interception for a touchdown as a freshman at Glendale ... committed to ASU on May 20th, the second player in this class to commit ... "Chris is the fastest football player I've ever seen," says Glendale College head coach Joe Kersting ... "He may be the fastest player in football on any college level. We have timed him in the 4.1's in the 40-yard dash" ... can vertical jump 40 inches ... originally from Queens, New York ... position coach at Glendale is Mickey Bell, former high school coach of Sun Devils Lamar Baker and Mike Talbot at Agua Fria High. |
| Brent Miller | TE/ATH | Fr. | 6-5 | 225 | Phoenix, AZ (Desert Vista HS) |
| Rated as the No. 5 player in the state of Arizona by SuperPrep Magazine ... rated as the No. 10 defensive end in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... a member of The Tacoma News Tribune's Western 100" ... named first-team All-Arizona in 5A by The Arizona Republic ... recipient of the Larry Gordon Award, presented by Phoenix Metro Football Magazine to the state's top linebacker ... Gordon played at Arizona State ... versatile player, played linebacker, quarterback, fullback, tight end, wide receiver and even served as a return specialist ... Desert Vista Athlete of the year ... Desert Vista Scholar Athlete of the Year ... first-team all SouthEast Valley linebacker ... first-team all-region linebacker and central region defensive player of the year ... set school record in high jump at 6-6 ... earned all-region honors as a defensive back, recording 57 tackles during his junior campaign ... was Desert Vista's Junior Athlete of the Year ... named to the Super All-State first-team on defense by Phoenix Metro Football Magazine ... started at quarterback the first four games of the season and rushed for 220 yards on 43 carries and threw two touchdowns ... all-region honorable mention at quarterback as a sophomore ... Desert Vista Sophomore Athlete of the year ... helped lead Desert Vista to a 9-3 record ... rated the No. 5 player in the state of Arizona by Rivals and the No. 16-rated tight end in the country ... boasts a 3.9 grade-point average ... coached by Dan Hinds. |
| Chijioke Onyenegecha CB | Jr. | 6-3 | 205 | San Francisco, CA (City College) |
| The finest junior college cornerback in the nation ... many regard Chijioke as perhaps the best junior college defensive player in the nation ... listed as the No. 2 junior college player in the country by Rivals.com ... listed as the No. 8 junior college transfer in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine ... earned first-team JC Gridwire All-American honors on defense ... prepped at El Cerrito High School in the Bay area ... a member of The Contra Costa Times "Cream of the Crop" listing as a senior in high school ... a member of The San Francisco Chronicle's Top 25 players ... teammate at San Francisco City College of current Sun Devil offensive lineman Tim Fa'aita ... team won the national junior college championship during his freshman season ... also runs track ... clocked at 10.27 in the 100-meters ... runs a 4.3 40-yard dash ... has great size and cover skills ... coached at City College by George Rush. |
| Julius Orieukwu | OL | Fr. | 6-7 | 298 | Houston, TX (Bellaire HS) |
| Listed as the No. 64 prospect in the state of Texas by SuperPrep Magazine ... rated as an all-region selection by PrepStar ... a member of The Houston Chronicle's Top 100 and The Dallas Morning News' Top 100 ... made all-district as a junior and senior in 18A-5A ... was all-Academic all-district 18A-5A for the past three years ... a National Honor Society member for the past two years ... also a member of the Spanish National Honor Society last year ... a member of Dave Campbell's Super team on the offensive line ... a member of the Touchdown Club All-Greater Houston team Š10-game statistics included 25 tackles and four quarterback sacks as a defensive lineman ... as a junior, registered seven quarterback sacks in the first five games of the year from his defensive end spot before switching to offensive line ... the son of Nigerian immigrants ... began playing football in the seventh grade ... has a huge wingspan (84 inches) ... selected ASU because, "It's a good situation and they are an up and coming program. I also like the warm weather" ... coached by Marshall Law. |
| Brett Palmer | DT | Fr. | 6-3 | 280 | Tempe, AZ (Marcos de Niza HS) |
| Rated as the No. 48 defensive line prospect in the nation by SuperPrep Magazine ... rated as the No. 10 defensive tackle on the West Coast by PacWest.com in the postseason ... ranked No. 24 strong side defensive end nationally by Rivals.com in the postseason ... ranked No. 48 at defensive tackle nationally by TheInsiders.com in the postseason ... member of The Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100" ... also rated as the No. 4 player in the state of Arizona by SuperPrep Magazine ... all-American selection by PrepStar Magazine ... listed by The Sporting News as one of the Top 250 seniors in the nation ... ranked as the No. 3 defensive end prospect by PacWest.com ... ranked as the No. 11 defensive line prospect on the West Coast by Student Sports/Sporting News ... ranked as the No. 44 overall prospect on the West Coast by Rivals.com ... named honorable mention all-Arizona by The Arizona Republic ... earned second-team All-East Valley by The East Valley Tribune ... made first-team All-City (defensive line) and first-team All-Central Region (long snapper) and second-team All-Central Region (defensive line) ... first-team Channel 12 Sports All-Friday Night Fever (defensive line) 5A and Defensive POY nominee ... recorded 111 tackles, nine quarterback sacks, 13 tackles for loss, three caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries as a senior ... posted 49 tackles, eight quarterback sacks, three fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles and 18 quarterback hurries as a junior ... three-year starter at defensive end ... one of the top five players in the state of Arizona ... collected 12 career sacks ... led team in sacks and tackles for loss during junior and senior seasons ... also played tight end and long snapper ... averaged 8.5 points and 12.5 rebounds as a power forward in basketball and also competes in the shot put and the discus ... first verbal commitment to ASU on April 4, 2002 ... bench presses 365 pounds and squats 525 ... runs a 4.9 forty-yard dash ... also played defensive end, tight end, fullback and long snapper ... second in all-time sacks at Marcos de Niza ... two-time Team Defensive Lineman of the Year at Marcos de Niza High ... Marcos de Niza won the Central Region title during his senior year with an 8-3 record and a No. 6 ranking in the final state 5A poll ... as a junior, made second-team All-Central Region (long snapper) and honorable mention All-Central Region as a defensive lineman ... following junior season, was invited to the Nike Football Combine at USC and finished No. 5 out of 375 players in the bench press (30 reps x 185 pounds) ... lettered two years in track and field and one year in basketball ... coached by Mike Maluski at Marcos de Niza High. |
| Mike Pollak | OL Fr. | 6-4 | 275 | Tempe, AZ (Corona del Sol HS) |
| Earned two votes in The Long Beach Press-Telegram's "Best In The West" rating ... a member of The Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100" ... rated as the No. 8 prospect in the state of Arizona by SuperPrep magazine ... Š All-Region selection by PrepStar Magazine ... rated the No. 6 offensive lineman in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... rated the No. 42 player in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... ranked No. 20 at guard by Rivals.com ... named first-team all-Arizona by The Arizona Republic ... was first-team all-city and all-conference as a senior ... as a junior, was honorable mention all-state and first-team all-conference ... named to the Super All-State first-team on offense by Phoenix Metro Football Magazine ... played guard and defensive tackle at Corona del Sol ... ranked as the 58th-best offensive lineman by theinsiders.com ... senior stats included 92-percent pass blocking, 86-percent run blocking and 67 pancakes ... had not played football before coming to Corona and had been a baseball player as a pitcher ... earned first-team all-region, first-team all-East Valley and honorable mention all-state as a junior ... started three years on varsity ... "Being around the environment made me think this was a place I wanted to go. I want to help this ASU team in the near future because they'll be real successful." ... also played baseball for three years ... plays the guitar ... father was a three-sport athlete at the University of Oklahoma ... played for former ASU offensive lineman Gary Venturo at Corona del Sol. |
| Gabe Reininger | DT | Jr. | 6-2 | 270 | Las Vegas, NV (Moorpark College) |
| Listed in PrepStar's Top 125 junior college players in the nation ... a unanimous selection to the All-Western States Conference team ... made third-team All-American by JC Grid-WireŠ rated three stars from Rivals ... was first-team Commission On Athletics (COA) All-American in 2002 ... made first-team all-WS Conference as a unanimous selection ... also made first-team all-state ... was an academic all-America candidate ... posted 36 solos tackles, 48 assists, 14 tackles for losses, 7.5 quarterback sacks, one forced fumble, two pass breakups and 43 hurries last year ... coached at Moorpark by Jim Bittner. |
| Brandon Rodd | OL | Fr. | 6-5 | 275 | Aiea, Hawaii (Aiea HS) |
| 2002 all-state football selection ... O.I.A. Red Division Football All-Star ... Aiea High Lineman of the Week five times in 2003 ... was the Aiea High team captain ... a preseason all-state selection ... participated in the H.U.B. Goodwill Football Classic ... was team captain for Higher, Faster, Stronger as a junior and senior ... Aiea High Canoe Team Captain ... in 2002, was a O.I.A. White Division Football All-Star ... was all-state as a junior ... Aiea Lineman of the Week three times ... O.I.A. Canoe Team All-Star ... was O.I.A. White Division Football All-Star as a sophomore ... made Aiea High Lineman of the Week twice ... an excellent student ... coached by Wendel Say. |
| Daniel Varvel | S | Fr. | 6-3 | 190 | Bakersfield, CA (Bakersfield HS) |
| Rated the No. 5 safety in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... PrepStar Magazine lists Daniel as an honorable mention all-region selection ... was the Bakersfield area Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... was a 2002 Bakersfield Home Town Sports, Home Town All-Star as a defensive back ... was the November Athlete of the Month by the Bakersfield Jockey Club in 2002 ... won the Frank Gifford Award, given to the best defensive back at Bakersfield High School in 2002 ... was the Most Inspirational Player in 2001 varsity basketball at Bakersfield High ... made the Academic Honor Roll from 1999 through 2003 ... earned 2001 first-team All-Southeast Yosemite League defensive back honors ... 2001 second-team all-area defensive back ... 2002 Southeast Yosemite League Defensive Player of the Year ... 2002 first-team all-area defensive back ... as a senior, posted 120 tackles, two caused fumbles, five interceptions and led the team in solo tackles, tackle assists and interceptions ... had 95 tackles, five quarterback sacks, two caused fumbles and six interceptions as a junior ... "I just absolutely loved my visit. The players really made me feel welcome and they seem to have a lot of positive things going on right now. I want to be a part of that. The facilities, especially the weight room, were amazing. When the trip went so well, I knew ASU was the best fit for me" ... lettered two years in football, three years in basketball and two years in track and field ... boasts a 3.2 grade-point average ... major will be business coached by Jason Oliver. |
| Mark Washington | LB | Fr. | 6-3 | 240 | Long Beach, CA (L. Beach Poly HS) |
| One of several top-flight prospects from the fabled Long Beach Poly High School in Long Beach, Calif. ... a member of The Tacoma News Tribune's "Western 100" ... an All-American selection by PrepStar Magazine, which means he is one of the top 300 players in the nation ... rated as the No. 85 player in the Farwest by SuperPrep Magazine ... rated the No. 5 linebacker in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... rated the No. 53 player in the West by PacWestFootball.com ... frst-team defense all-C.I.F. ... first-team All-Moore League ... made The Long Beach Press-Telegram's first-team ... a "Who's Who" Sports All-American ... hard-hitting linebacker ... collected 65 solo tackles, 55 assists, 23 tackles for loss, six quarterback sacks, three fumble recoveries and five caused fumbles as a senior ... won the school's Most Outstanding Linebacker Award ... as a junior, posted 45 tackles, five tackles for loss, three quarterback sacks, three caused fumbles and two interceptions ... started four games for the Poly 2001 team that won the C.I.F. Southern Section Division I Championship and finished ranked No. 3 nationally by USA Today ... runs a 4.6 forty ... started two seasons at Poly ... played his sophomore season at Artesia High School ... won the Governor's Scholarship Award ... had one of 6,000 poems selected in Poem Society Book ... was an actor in Queen of the Nile at Long Beach State University ... father, Mark, played offensive line at Colorado ... coached by Raul Lara. |
