SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The highly-regarded 2024 recruiting class for Sacramento State football became deeper on Wednesday as the Hornets added four midyear transfers to the group. The four join
15 players who committed to the program during the early signing period in December as part of a class which was ranked second in the Football Championship Subdivision.
The four newest commits are all currently enrolled at Sacramento State and will take part in spring practice and workouts. The group includes three transfers from four-year institutions as well as one junior college transfer.
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December Signing Period Commits |
Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown/Previous School |
Luke Baker |
QB |
5-11 |
185 |
Fr. |
Alamo, Calif./San Ramon Valley HS |
Yebrell Emerson* |
S |
6-2 |
195 |
Jr. |
Fresno, Calif./Fresno City JC |
Kai Hamilton |
WR |
6-3 |
178 |
Fr. |
San Jose, Calif./Valley Christian HS |
Jaythn Long |
WR |
5-11 |
160 |
Fr. |
Stockton, Calif./Lincoln HS |
Jayland McGlothen |
DL |
6-2 |
270 |
Fr. |
Las Vegas, Nev./Silverado HS |
Ardwon Morris |
RB |
5-9 |
206 |
Fr. |
Los Angeles, Calif./Orange HS |
Tommy Poe |
TE |
6-4 |
187 |
Fr. |
Penryn, Calif./Del Oro HS |
Jerome Roberts* |
LB |
5-10 |
192 |
Fr. |
San Diego, Calif./Lincoln HS |
Phoenix Rose |
CB |
5-10 |
156 |
Fr. |
Marysville, Calif./Whitney HS |
Jay Rudolph* |
TE |
6-4 |
245 |
Jr. |
Scottsdale, Ariz./San Diego State |
Bryson Summers* |
OL |
6-5 |
295 |
Jr. |
El Dorado Hills, Calif./Coastal Carolina |
Adam Taylor |
CB |
5-10 |
150 |
Fr. |
Stockton, Calif./St. Mary's HS |
Malini Ti'a* |
NB |
6-0 |
200 |
Jr. |
Livermore, Calif./College of San Mateo |
James Tivao |
LB |
6-0 |
205 |
Fr. |
San Diego, Calif./Madison HS |
Colby Warkentin* |
DL |
6-6 |
265 |
Sr. |
Bakersfield, Calif./Abilene Christian |
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February Signing Period Commits |
Name |
Pos |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
Hometown/Previous School |
Makai Cope* |
WR |
6-4 |
210 |
Jr. |
Culver City, Calif./Utah |
Will Leota* |
LB |
6-0 |
217 |
Sr. |
Salem Utah, Utah Tech |
Murvin Kenion III* |
S |
6-0 |
205 |
Sr. |
Vallejo, Calif./Idaho |
Gavin Nelson* |
TE |
6-3 |
247 |
Jr. |
Clovis, Calif./Fresno City JC |
* Enrolled at Sacramento State during the 2024 spring semester |
Makai Cope (WR, 6-4, 210, Culver City, Calif./Culver City HS/Utah)
Attended Utah for three years where he appeared in 26 games…played in all 11 games on special teams and at wide receiver in 2023…recorded seven receptions for 75 yards and a touchdown in 13 games as a junior in 2022…started three games that season on a team which played in the Rose Bowl against Penn State…hauled in three receptions for 36 yards against UCLA and had three catches for 34 yards and a touchdown against Colorado…saw action against Weber State and in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State during 2021 (redshirt season)…graduated from Culver City HS in 2021…was a three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN…named first team all-Ocean League…had 46 receptions for 802 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior…added 47 catches for 780 yards and nine touchdowns the previous season…helped lead the team to the CIF Southern Section Div. VII title that same year.
Will Leota (LB, 6-0, 217, Salem, Utah/Salem Hills HS/Utah Tech)
Played three seasons at Utah Tech where he earned all-WAC/UAC honors each season…named second team all-WAC in 2021, first team all-WAC in 2022 and second team all-UAC in 2023…recorded 213 tackles during his three seasons which places him sixth in school history.…finished the 2023 season with 75 total tackles, including four for loss…set his season high with 12 tackles at Austin Peay and also cracked double digits with 11 at North Alabama and 10 at Northern Arizona…intercepted a pass at NAU and finished the year with two pass breakups and quarterback hurries…shared the conference lead with 84 total tackles in 2022…set his career high with 16 total tackles at Stephen F. Austin, had 14 tackles at UNI and 12 against Tarleton State…picked off a pass and had a PBU against Sam Houston…as a freshman in 2021, he had 54 total tackles, including 4.5 for loss and a sack…set his season high with 11 at Montana and had eight tackles against Sacramento State and Stephen F. Austin…added an interception and a TFL at Montana…a 2021 graduate of Salem Hills HS in Salem, Utah…named first team all-state and was a two-time all-region selection…recorded 75 total tackles as a senior with seven TFLs and seven interceptions…helped lead the team to the Utah 5A state semifinals…also played on offense where he had over 1,200 all-purpose yards.
Murvin Kenion III (S, 6-0, 205, Vallejo, Calif./St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS/CCSF/Idaho)
Played two seasons at Idaho where he helped the Vandals to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals in 2023 and totaled 53 total tackles and four interceptions…credited with 17 tackles in 2023 with a high of six against UAlbany in the NCAA FCS Playoffs…played in all 11 games in 2022 where he amassed 36 total tackles, including 2.5 for loss…added four interceptions and seven PBUs during the year…set his career high with nine tackles against Portland State…picked off passes against Drake, Northern Colorado, Portland State and Idaho State…played the 2021 season at City College of San Francisco…posted 15 tackles, including three TFLs, and an interception in nine games…a 2019 graduate of St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS in Vallejo, Calif…a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com…totaled over 1,300 all-purpose yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions as a senior…helped lead the Bruins to a CIF State Div. 6-AA title as a sophomore in 2017.
Gavin Nelson (TE, 6-3, 247, Clovis, Calif./Buchanan HS/Fresno City JC)
Attended Fresno City JC for two years…appeared in nine games during the 2023 season where he caught 14 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns…brought in four passes for 59 yards at Modesto JC for his season bests with a long of 49 yards…had three catches for 25 yards at College of the Sequoias…a 2022 graduate of Buchanan HS in Clovis, Calif…was named the Tri-River Athletic League Defensive Lineman of the Year as a senior…finished that year with 17.5 tackles for loss, including 10.5 sacks.