Akron’s 2020 signing class is currently ranked No. 98 nationally and No. 6 in the Mid-American Conference by 247Sports.com, the Zips’ first Top 100 class ranking since 2009.
This year’s class features homegrown talent. Nine student-athletes list their hometowns within the state of Ohio.
Additionally, four incoming Zips hail from Georgia, two from Florida, and one each from Kansas, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
Ten of the signees— DL Deacon Allen (Rockmart, Ga.), RB Teon Dollard (Lake City, Fla.), RB Cole Gest (Solon, Ohio), DB Woobendy Guerrier (Homestead, Fla.), DB MyJaden Horton (Cincinnati, Ohio), LB Ryan McClain (Albuquerque, N.M.), DB Chu Ogbonna (Marietta, Ga.), DL Nazir Sy (Peachtree Corners, Ga.), DL Janirr Wade (Stone Mountain, Ga.), and TE Brycen Yarmo (Hudson, N.H.) — are enrolled in classes beginning in January 2020.
Redshirt junior WR Julian Hicks (Cleveland, Ohio), who saw action in 11 games for the Zips in 2019 after transferring from Central Michigan, has earned a scholarship and is a member of this year’s class.
Quick Stats
√ Eleven (11) Zips earned three-star rankings from various recruiting sites.
√ Three Zips were part of state championship teams.
√ Fourteen (14) signees played multiple sports in high school.
√ Eight earned All-State honors, while five were All-Academic selections.
√ Breakdown by position: four running backs; three offensive linemen; three defensive backs; three linebackers; three defensive linemen; two tight ends; one wide receiver, and one quarterback.
√ Six of the signees are transfers from junior colleges, while one is a graduate transfer.
√ Redshirt senior RB Cole Gest earned his bachelor’s degree from Indiana and will participate as a graduate student at Akron.
√ Junior DB Chu Ogbonna (Marietta, Ga.) will get to play against his twin brother Chinedu, who plays for UMass, as the Minutemen visit Akron on Oct. 17, 2020.
√ Freshman OL Tony Georges (Westlake, Ohio) hails from Saint Ignatius HS, Tom Arth’s alma mater.
2019 Akron Football National Letter of Intent Early Signees
Name Pos. Elig. Ht. Wt. Hometown | High School | Previous School
Deacon Allen $ DL Fr. 6-1 320 Rockmart, Ga. | Rockmart
Tristian Brank TE Fr. 6-4 230 Asheville, N.C. | Clyde A. Erwin
Ronan Chambers OL Fr. 6-5 270 Olmsted Township, Ohio | St. Edward
Isiah Childs RB Fr. 6-1 205 Manhattan, Kan. | Wamego
Teon Dollard $ RB Jr. 5-11 200 Lake City, Fla. | Columbia | Independence CC
Tony Georges OL Fr. 6-2 290 Westlake, Ohio | Saint Ignatius
Cole Gest $ RB R-Sr. 5-9 195 Solon, Ohio | St. Edward | Indiana
Woobendy Guerrier $ DB Jr. 6-0 200 Homestead, Fla. | South Dade | Butler CC
Julian Hicks # WR R-Jr. 6-3 200 Cleveland, Ohio | Mayfield | Central Michigan
MyJaden Horton $ DB Fr. 6-2 190 Cincinnati, Ohio | Princeton
Juan Jarrett LB Fr. 6-2 185 Cincinnati, Ohio | Princeton
Joey Marousek QB Fr. 6-2 195 North Royalton, Ohio | North Royalton
Ryan McClain $ LB So. 6-4 250 Albuquerque, N.M. | La Cueva | Garden City CC
Jonzell Norrils RB Fr. 5-10 205 Toledo, Ohio | Central Catholic
Chu Ogbonna $ DB R-Jr. 6-2 180 Marietta, Ga. | Wheeler | Hutchinson CC
Michael Snowden LB Fr. 6-2 195 Pittsburgh, Pa. | University Prep
Nazir Sy $ DL So. 6-2 290 Peachtree Corners, Ga. | Norcross | Butler CC
Janirr Wade $ DL Fr. 6-4 280 Stone Mountain, Ga. | Stephenson
Nate Williams OL Fr. 6-6 295 Utica, Ohio | Newark Catholic
Brycen Yarmo $ TE R-So. 6-5 250 Hudson, N.H. | Exeter Academy | Coffeyville CC
$ Mid-year enrollee
# Current student