Recruiting

Local high school football commitments and signings

East St. Louis’ Lawaun Powell Jr. is one of three Flyers football players headed to Murray State University
East St. Louis’ Lawaun Powell Jr. is one of three Flyers football players headed to Murray State University Photo by Chris Johns

Below is a list of metro-east high school football players who have given verbal commitments and will sign NCAA Division I or Division II scholarship letters of intent during the regular signing period which begins Feb. 5

If you are an athlete who has signed an NLI or their parent or coach, and your name is not on the list, please contact sports writer Dean Criddle at dcriddle@bnd.com. Provide your name, high school, position and the college you will be attending.

You may also submit a letter-signing photo for use in an online gallery of letter signings.

This list will be continually updated through each new signing period. Division I signing periods for basketball are on April 15.

  • Dylan Appleton, East St. Louis, WR, Murray State
  • Donavan Bieber, Columbia, Nothern Illinois
  • Trey Boyd, Edwardsville, LB-TE, Greenville
  • Chris Chi, Collinsville, QB , Missouri Baptist
  • Yohance Flager, Belleville East, WR, Butler
  • Ke’Vaughn Gaines, Belleville East, TE-WR, Missouri Baptist
  • Jake Holten, Collinsville,,WR, Southeast Missouri State
  • Stefon Homphrey, O’Fallon, DB-LB, Missouri Valley

  • Ronnie Hunsaker, Columbia, RB-LB, McKendree
  • Reed Kaburick, Edwardsville, OL-DL, Central Missouri State
  • Antonio Johnson, East St. Louis, DB, Texas A & M
  • Cameron Kirkpatrick, Edwardsville, OL-DL, McKendree
  • Bennet Krebs, Mater Dei, OL-DL, Drake
  • Juel Little., O’Fallon, OL, Quincy
  • Tim Middleton, Mascoutah, WR, McKendree
  • Jacob Morrissey, Edwardsville, LB,, Southeast Missouri
  • Kameron Neal, O’Falllon, DL-TE, Missouri Southern
  • Elijah Petersen, Mascoutah, OL-DL, Kentucky Wesleyan
  • Lawaun Powell, East St. Louis, WR, Murray State
  • Evan Ramirez, Edwardsville, LB, Quincy
  • Ryan Ritchie, O’Fallon, OL, Indianapolis


  • Kendrick Scarbrough, East St. Louis, LB, Truman State
  • Kameron Sloan, Bellevlle East, WR-DB, Missouri Baptist
  • Javontez Spraggins, East St.Louis, OL, Tennessee
  • Darius Walker, East St. Louis, LB, Illinois State
  • Ryan Weatherford, Columbia, OL, St. Ambrose
  • Matthew Wilson, Mascoutah, OL:DL, Kentucky Wesleyan
  • DaMonta Witherspoon, East St. , RB, Murray State
  • Antione Wooten, O’Fallon, RB, Robert Morris

  • Ethan Young, Edwardsville, DB, McKendree
  • Dyontae Young, O’Fallon., DL, Quincy

  • Trevor Zobrist, Highland. OL-DL, Southeast Missouri State

This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 8:30 AM.

Dean Criddle
Belleville News-Democrat
Dean Criddle has been a reporter at the Belleville News-Democrat for more than 32 years and currently covers public safety . The SIUE graduate was elected in 2020 to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame as a sports writer. Dean is married and lives in Belleville.
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