
The Golden Flashes' 2017 class represents nine different states, which includes 19 current seniors in high school, two junior college students and one early enrollee.
Collectively, the class . . .
DUSTIN CRUM, QB, 6'3", 210
Grafton, Ohio
Midview High School
Notables: Two-time Mr. Ohio finalist…2016 Associated Press Division II All-Ohio First Team…Three-time All-Ohio selection…Two-time district Offensive player of the Year…Three-time All-District First Team selection…Cleveland.com's 2016 Football All-Stars on Offense First Team…Team captain…Helped Midview to a pair of conference titles and a regional runner-up finish…Earned academic all-state honors
Stats: Holds Lorain County and Midview High School records for career passing yards (8,585) and touchdown passes (103)…Rushed for 3,447 yards and 38 touchdowns in his career… As a senior, threw for 2,615 yards and rushed for 1,557 yards, accounting for 46 total touchdowns (32 passing, 14 rushing)…Holds Lorain County record for touchdown passes in a season (39)…Eight touchdown passes in a game are tied for the second most in Ohio history
WILL PHILLIS III, QB, 6'4" 225
Hilliard, Ohio
Hilliard Bradley High School
Notables: Ohio Division I Offensive Player of the Year…All-Ohio First Team…All Central District and Ohio Capital Conference Player of the Year…Helped Bradley to conference championship…Team captain…Also plays basketball at Bradley…Earned Ernie Godfrey and OCC Scholar Athlete honors
Stats: Threw for 2,508 yards, 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions as a senior…6,117 career passing yards with 59 touchdowns
ISAAC VANCE RB/ATHLETE, 5'9" 160
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Mayfield
Notables: Two-time all-state first team selection as both a running back and defensive back…Named District 3-6 Player of the Year…Three-time all-district first team selection at running back…Helped Mayfield to back-to-back state runner-up finishes…Two-year team captain…Brother of former Kent State defensive end Nate Vance…Son of former Kent State assistant coach Zane Vance, who played at East Tennessee State…Grandfather played major league baseball…Also plays basketball and baseball
Stats: Holds seven school records and two state records…Junior season- over 2,000 yards rushing and 32 TD's…Sophomore Season- 1,098 rushing yards, 17 TDs
XAVIER WILLIAMS RB 5'9" 178
Forestville, Maryland
Bishop McNamara
Notables: Two-time All-Washington Catholic Athletic Conference selection…Teammates with K.J. Sherald…Also a captain on McNamara's track & field team, earning all-conference honors in the 55 meters and the 4x100
Stats: Career stats: 1,335 yards rushing, 12 rushing TDs, 52 rec., 603 yards, 6 TDs
JONATHAN MOORE, WR, 5'8" 176
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
St. Thomas Aquinas
Notables: Helped St. Thomas Aquinas to three state championships…Team captain…
Stats: 600 yards of total offense, 3 TDs
DONTE ROSS, WR, 6'1" 170
Palmdale, Calif.
Highland
Antelope Valley
Notables: Earned all-state honors…All-state first team selection…Team's offensive player of the year…Team captain…Brother, Treshawn Garrett plays football at Weber State…Will have two years of eligibility
Stats: 1,082 receiving yards, 11 TDs
NATHAN MONNIN, TE, 6'5" 267
Piqua, Ohio
Piqua
Notables: Associated Press 2016 Division III All-Ohio First Team…2016 first team All-GWOC North honors for both offense and defense…Three-time all-conference team selection, including first team honors in junior and senior seasons…Two-time all-conference selection and team captain on Piqua basketball team
Stats: Junior season: 14 rec., 178 yards, 1 TD, 40 tackles, 3.5 sacks, three FR
SAM ALLAN, OL, 6'2", 265
Portage, Michigan
Portage Central
Notables: All-state Division II First Team selection…Named to 2016 Kalamazoo Gazette Football Dream Team Offense…Two-time all-conference first team selection…All-area first team honors as a senior and second team honors as a junior…Helped Portage Central to a pair of SMAC West titles and a record of 34-5 in his four seasons
Stats: Two-year starter for Portage Central…Helped Portage Central rush for over 2,900 yards
EDDIE BRECHT, OL, 6'7", 290
Lapeer, Michigan
Lapeer East
Notables: Selected to play in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl…2016 Associated Press Division I-II All-State Honorable Mention…Named to the D-Zone 2016 All-Michigan Football First Team…Helped Lapeer to a pair of conference titles in sophomore and junior seasons…Team captain…Also competes for Lapeer's golf and wrestling teams
TYLER HEINTZ, OL, 6'4", 275
Kenton, Ohio
Kenton
Notables: Named AP All-Northwest District Second Team…All-Western Buckeye League Second Team in 2016…All-Western Buckeye League honorable mention in 2015…Helped Kenton to a pair of state semifinal appearances
CAM LANDIS OL, 6'3" 290
Madison, Ohio
Cathedral Prep
Notables: Pennsylvania Sport Writers Class 4A All-State Team…Named PFN Class 4A All-State First Team…Named All-EPA/WPA All-State Super 25 Class 4A Team…Part of Cathedral Prep's Class 4A 2016 state championship team and 2015 state runner-up team…All-region and all-district first team selection…Holds the Cathedral Prep school record in the shot put…Team captain in both football and track & field…State medalist in both shot put and discus…Earned Tony Zambrowski Award for performance and character
RAYMOND JAMES 5'11" 170 ATHLETE
Dayton, Ohio
Wayne
Notables: Played cornerback, wide receiver, running back and returned kicks and punts at Wayne…Earned all-conference second team honors…Helped Wayne to conference title…Began high school career at Xenia…Also played basketball
Defense
ANTHONY McKAY, DT, 6'1" 285
Salinas, Calif.
Everett Alvarez
Monterey Peninsula College
Notables: Two-year team captain…All-conference first team selection…Named Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2016…Took four seasons off from football before enrolling at Monterey Peninsula College…Will have two years of eligibility
ZAYIN WEST, DE, 6'1" 240
Midlothian, Va.
Manchester
Notables: Two-time all-state selection…Named to all-region and all-conference first teams on both offense and defense…Two-time All-Metro Team selection… Team captain…Helped Manchester to a 2016 conference title…Father Rod West was an offensive lineman at Kent State (lettered 1991-93) and teammates with Paul Haynes…Also played basketball at Manchester
Stats: 63 tackles, 15 TFL, 10 sacks
KESEAN GAMBLE, LB, 6'1" 225
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy
Notables: AP Div. V All-State First Team selection…Miami Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year…Earned all-conference second team honors on defense…Cincinnati Enquirer Offensive Player of the Year…Helped Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy to conference title…Team captain in both football and basketball
Stats: 13 games, 183 carries, 1,768 yards, 31 TDs…20 rec. 462, 4 TDs
AMARI JENSON, LB, 6'0", 220
Ypsilanti, Mich.
Ypsilanti Community
Notables: Three-time all-conference first team selection…Two-time all-league selection…Three-year team captain…Named to AP Dream Team…Helped Ypsilanti to conference title in 2014…Also lettered in track & field…Earned all-conference honors in shot put in back-to-back seasons
Stats: 157 tackles, 25 sacks and three forced fumbles
CEPEDA PHILLIPS, LB, 6'0", 200
Detroit, Mich.
Detroit Martin Luther King
Notables: 2016 Division I-II Associated Press All-State First Team… Helped Detroit Martin Luther King to back-to-back state championships…Team captain…Team Defensive MVP…All-city first team…Dale Harvel Leadership Award…Earned all-academic football team award
Stats: Combined for over 100 tackles in junior and senior seasons…Led Detroit Martin Luther King in 2016 state championship game with 10 tackles and one sack
SAM THOMAS, LB, 6'0", 224
Baltimore, Md.
St. Frances Academy
Notables: Named 2016 Defensive Player of the Year in Maryland…Earned all-conference second team honors as a running back in 2015
RODLEY JOLICOEUR, S, 5'8", 169
Delray Beach, Florida
Village Academy
Notables: Named to All-Palm Beach County 5A-1A Second Team Defense…Selected to play in the Florida vs. Georgia All-Star game…Named to all-conference second team…Named to ESPN 106.3's Top 63…Helped Village Academy to district runner-up finish…Team captain in both football and track & field…Was a member of 4x100 regional runner-up relay team…Earned academic achievement honors from Delray Beach Sports Exhibitors and Omega Psi Psi Fraternity
Stats: 117 tackles, 12 sacks, 17 pass breakups, 13 TFL, 9 forced fumbles, 3 fumble recoveries, 8 rushing TDs
AJ MUSOLINO S, 6'3" 205
Struthers, Ohio
Struthers
Notables: AP Northeast Ohio Inland District Defensive Player of the Year for Division IV…Named 2016 AP All-State First Team…MaxPreps/JJ Huddle Ohio High School All-Ohio First Team Defense…Two-time conference player of the year…Third team all-state as a junior and honorable mention as a sophomore…Youngstown Vindicator Defensive Player of the Year…Three-time all-conference and all-region selection…Named WKBN Big 22 Class of 2016…Team captain…Helped Struthers to conference title in 2016…Also plays basketball at Struthers…Father, Joe Musolino played football at Cincinnati
Stats: Holds school record for career total yards (5,200) and total touchdowns (66), five interceptions, 164 tackles… Senior season: 77 tackles, 5.5 TFL, two INT's, five FF, three FR; rushed for 1,260 yards and 21 TDs, threw for 550 yards and four TDs
KEITH "KJ" SHERALD JR., CB, 5'9" 170
Waldorf, Maryland
Bishop McNamara
Notables: Washington Catholic Athletic Conference 2016 Honorable Mention…High School teammates with Xavier Williams…Also plays basketball at Bishop McNamara
Stats: Senior season: 55 tackles, four INT, 1 FR, 10 passes defended
EARLY SIGNEE
ELVIS HINES, CB, 5-10, 172
Camden, N.J.
IMG Academy
Notables: 3-star recruit as rated by multiple scouting agencies…Went undefeated as a part of the IMG Academy Ascenders football team (20-0)… The Ascenders finished as the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps south region football computer rankings and No. 4 team in the nation…Father, Elvis Hines played football at Delaware State
Stats: Junior and senior seasons: 34 solo tackles, 51 total tackles, four interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, 16 pass breakups and two defensive touchdowns
The Golden Flashes begin spring football March 1. Kent State's 2017 season opens Sept. 2, visiting defending national champion Clemson.