All Signees as of 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time Dec. 21, 2022

Eastern Washington football welcomes 19 new players to the program, as announced by head coach Aaron Best today (Dec. 21). The group joins the Eagles as part of the early signing period.

"Our goal is to create competition and we don't set the two-deep in spring. We want to find the guys that want to be on the two-deep in August," Best said. "We have open spots in spring, and we needed to bring guys in to challenge for those spots right out of the gate. It's important to get guys into rooms and acclimated to what we want them to do. They are long, athletic, competitive and ready. There is a lot of room for improvement and growth to be had and I think 19 of these guys are willing to be part of this growth. We have five of them coming in early to part of the team in January to begin that process."

Coach Best and his staff have brought in a deep wealth of talent that will be able to make an impact on the field next fall.

"We are a little bit at the mercy of the FBS level, with guys waiting for potential opportunities. There are factors that are out of our hands and there always have been," Best explained. "When you add variables, it doesn't make our nights more restless. We can only control what we controllable. We have plan A, B, C and D. Sometimes we have to skip to plan E. It can be exhausting, but it's worth it to see those guys commit and then develop as players. A lot of the colleges at our level go through the same thing. We didn't have 25 to 30 guys to replace and that factors into who we can recruit."

The EWU staff will add four quarterbacks, two wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two defensive ends, two linebackers, two cornerbacks, two safeties, one defensive tackle and one tight end.

The Washington connection is strong with seven signees from the home state. EWU also focused on the California pipeline with eight players from sunshine state. The class rounds out with one signee from Colorado, one from Hawaii and one from Utah.
 

Name	Last School	Hometown	Ht.	Wt.	Pos.
Samarai Anderson	Centennial HS	Corona, Calif.	6'1	215	LB
Nate Bell	Liberty HS	Brentwood, Calif.	5'10	185	QB
Mason Buttel-Strong	Butte College	Hauula, Hawaii	6'4	290	OL
William Buzzard	W.F. West HS	Chehalis, Wash.	6'3	255	OL
Aidan Carter	Weber HS	Pleasant View, Utah	6'4	225	QB
Derek Ganter Jr.	Arcadia HS	Pasadena, Calif.	6'0	190	S
Marcellus Honeycutt Jr.	George Washington HS	Denver, Colo.	6'1	170	WR
Tylin Jackson	Federal Way HS	Atlanta, Ga.	6'5	220	DE
Jaylon Jenkins	Federal Way HS	Auburn, Wash.	6'1	175	S
Zion Jones	Spanaway Lake HS	Spanaway, Wash.	6'2	170	CB
Jonathan Landry	Evergreen HS	Vancouver, Wash.	5'11	170	CB
Jirah Leaupepetele	Apple Valley HS	Apple Valley, Calif.	6'2	300	DT
Vincent Macaluso	Upland HS	Upland, Calif.	6'2	215	LB
JP Murphy	San Diego State HS	Danville, Calif.	6'4	245	TE
Jaden Radke	Okanogan HS	Okanogan, Wash.	6'3	230	DE
Jack Seelye	Diablo Valley College	Walnut Creek, Calif.	6'1	275	OL
Jared Taylor	Feather River (Juco)	Lakewood, Wash.	6'0	200	QB
J.T. Weir	Skyline HS	Sammamish, Wash.	5'8	150	WR
Michael Wortham	Sierra College	North Highlands, Calif.	5'9	175	QB

 
Samarai Anderson | LB | 6-1 | 215 | Corona, Calif. | Centennial HS

Best on Anderson: "Samarai has a high football IQ. He is a player who loves the physicality of the game.  He is a downhill player who looks for contact. With his size, Samarai can contribute immediately and play inside early for us. Centennial High School is a winning program, where he played against college talent at the high school level every week. Not only did he play against them, he played well against that kind of talent which is something we look for in recruiting."

HS: Samari played at Centennial High for head coach Matt Logan. He averaged 10 tackles a game during his senior season at Centennial. Samari is listed as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports. During his high school career, Samarai had 42 solo tackles, with 166 total tackles, along with 18 for a loss and 6.5 sacks. He added two interceptions, one fumble recovery and forced two fumbles. On both of his interceptions, Samarai scored touchdowns, along with scoring on his fumble recovery. In addition to football, Samari played for the Rugby team at Centennial.

Personal: Samari is the son of Palu and Kuinise Anderson. He has an ambition to play in the NFL. His nickname is "Rai".

 
Nate Bell | QB |5-10 | 185 | Brentwood, Calif. | Liberty HS

Best on Bell: "Nate has everything you look for in quarterback. He is a winner, leader and a competitor. Extending plays is something Nate excels at, and he does it in a variety of different ways. He's a dangerous runner who will enhance the QB run game aspect of the position for us. But just as important, Nate makes all the throws necessary to be a great Eastern QB."

HS: Nate played in 27 games for Liberty in his high school career, throwing for 3945 yards, averaging 146.1 per game and completing 53.8 percent of his passes. He posted a strong touchdown-to-interception figure, with 38 scores to 12 picks. Nate was a dual-threat quarterback, scoring 23 rushing touchdowns and had six 100-yard games at Centennial. On the ground, Nate racked up 1454 rushing yards, averaging 7.5 per attempt. Listed as a two-star prospect by 247 Sports. He also played baseball at Liberty in his junior season.
 
Mason Buttel-Strong | OL | 6-4 | 290 | Hauula, Hawaii | Green Valley HS | Butte College(Oroville, Calif.)

Best on Buttel-Strong: "What makes Mason valuable is that he can play four spots in the front. He is a fast learner, and we expect him to compete for playing time from the start. Mason has the right balance of nastiness and athleticism. I'm excited to see his growth as an Eagle from the time he steps on campus, through spring ball and into next season."

Prior to Eastern: After graduating from Green Valley High School, Mason played two seasons at Butte College. In 2022, Mason earned All-National NorCal League honors for his second season with the Roadrunners.

HS: Mason played at Green Valley for head coach Bryan Castro. He played in 12 games earning a first team All-Conference award in his senior season. Mason also earned a Scholar Athlete award during the same season.

Personal: Mason is the grandson of Ruth Ann Buttel. At Eastern, Mason plans on majoring in construction management and pursue a career in the industry.

 
William Buzzard | OL | 6-3 | 255 | Chehalis, Wash. | W.F. West HS

Best on Buzzard: "Will is an EWU camp product. We got a first-hand look at him as he progressed in high school. He's a legacy player after his dad played at Eastern in the mid-90s. I think he is best suited to play inside for us on the offensive line. What Will provides us with is a mentality and nastiness that will enable him to be a great player during his career here."

HS: William plays at Liberty High school for head coach Dan Hill. At Liberty, Will played on both the offensive and defensive line during his high school career. Will earned first team All-Evergreen League honors for both offensive and defensive line in his senior and junior seasons. His senior year was highlighted by helping W.F. West win the Evergreen league. He was a first team All-Area selection by both the Olympian and Chronicle newspapers his junior season. During his sophomore season, Will earned second team All-Evergreen league at offensive tackle. A model of consistency, Will started every game on the offensive line the past three seasons and every game on the defensive line the past two seasons. Will was a multi-sport athlete at W.F. West, playing for the basketball team his freshman year, along with the wrestling and track team his sophomore year.

Personal: Both of Will's parents are Eastern graduates and former student-athletes. Jim Buzzard played football and was an AP All-American in 1997, earning third team honors in 1996, while adding All-Big Sky first team selection in both seasons. Meghan Buzzard played tennis at Eastern as well. He has one sister, Caroline (14). When he arrives at Eastern, Will is considering majoring in either business or exercise physiology.

 
Aiden Carter | QB | 6-4 | 225 | Pleasant View, Utah | Weber HS

Best on Carter: "We are very familiar with Aiden since he's an EWU football camp product. His stature will be an asset for him at the position. He was a productive player throughout high school. We love his mentality and he's ready to come in and compete. He is excited about the opportunity to play quarterback at Eastern Washington University."

HS: Aiden played at Weber High School in Ogden, Utah for head coach Jayson Anderson. He was a two-year letterman in football. In 2021, Aiden helped Weber go to the Utah 6A semi-finals. He was also Weber's most improved player that season. Once football was done, Aiden competed for the Weber track team.

Personal: Aiden is the son of Rachel and Brian Carter. At Eastern, Aiden intends to major in Business.

 
Derek Ganter Jr. | S | 6-0 | 190 | Pasadena, Calif. | Arcadia HS

Best on Ganter Jr: "We see a lot of potential in Derek to be an impact player. He has a high ceiling and a huge upside. You can see on film that he is efficient and effective wherever he is on the field. He has excellent ball skills and position flexibility is something that made us want to target him. He gained that versatility as a multi-sport athlete with a bright future as an Eagle."

HS: Derek played for Antyone Sims at Arcadia High School in the Pacific League conference. He lettered in football four years, while lettering in basketball for three years. Derek played all over the field, amassing 1772 receiving yards on 104 career receptions and scored 20 touchdowns, 11 coming in his senior season. He also accounted for 248 rushing yards with two touchdowns in his final season. Derek played both sides of the ball, recording 56 total tackles, with 33 solo and adding one interception. Derek earned first team All-Pacific League honors for the 2021 and 2022 season. He was the Olympic defensive MVP in 2020 as well.

Personal: Derek is the son of Clarinda and Derek Ganter. He intends to major in either criminal justice or sports science at Eastern.
 

Marcellus Honeycutt Jr. | WR | 6-1 | 170 | Denver, Colo. | George Washington HS

Best on Honeycutt Jr.: "One word to describe Marcellus is play maker. He played multiple positions in high school. He displays all the characteristics of a team leader. On the field, Marcellus shows great ball skills and his speed that will translate to the college game. He has a commitment to be a really good player and demonstrates the desire to get the most out of himself while playing at Eastern."

HS: Marcellus played at George Washington High School under head coach Dwight Swift, competing at the 3A level. At GW, Marcellus was a two-time, first team All-Conference selection. Marcellus has helped GW win nine games for the first time since 1992. In 2021, Marcellus was a 3A All-State selection, rushing for 1417 yards and 20 touchdowns. He earned a second team All-Conference selection as well. Marcellus was a four-time honor roll member in his high school career. Along with lettering in football, Marcellus lettered in track and basketball at GW.

Personal: Marcellus is the son of Ciera and Nathan Yorks. He plans on majoring in construction management at Eastern. His nickname is "Celly".

 
Tylin Jackson | DE | 6-5 | 220 | Atlanta, Ga. | Federal Way HS

Best on Jackson: "Tylin is a multi-sport athlete. With his mix of length and athleticism, we look at him as a defensive end. Tylin has a high ceiling, and he will only get better from the time he walks on to campus. He is still learning parts of the game, but we are excited to see where his progression goes. He wants to win and learned how in high school."

HS: Listed as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports. Tylin played for head coach Marcus Yzaguirre at Federal Way High School.

Personal: Tylin is the son of Sonny Jackson and Naomi Brown. At Eastern, Tylin wants to major in finance with a career ambition to work in real estate. He is a relative to former Eastern wider receiver Jayson Williams (2016-19). He also has a family connection to Jaden McDaniels, Juwan Howard, Jalen McDaniels, Darwin Jones and Mandrell Worthy.

 
Jaylon Jenkins | S | 6-1 | 175 | Auburn, Wash. | Federal Way HS

Best on Jenkins: "Jaylon honed his skills as a multi-sport athlete in high school. He is a proven winner at Federal Way. The position flexibility that Jaylon provides us is a plus. We watched him play multiple positions in high school and that ultimately allowed us to see his athletic upside. His length will only further help him once he arrives on campus in August."
 
HS: Jaylon played for Federal Way High school under the direction of head coach Marcus Izaguire. He is listed as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports. At Federal Way, Jaylon played basketball and competed on the track team after football season.

Personal: Jaylon is the son of Danielle Maxey and Kyle Jenkins. Danielle is a graduate of Eastern Washington.

 
Zion Jones | CB | 6-2 | 170 | Spanaway Lake, Wash. | Spanaway Lake HS

Best on Jones: "Zion is a long, versatile Corner that will make an impact for us. He was a winner in high school and is another player with versatility that gives lets him play multiple positions. I think he is just starting to figure out his potential and his football is ahead of him.  The upside he has can't be overstated. His length is intriguing, and we are super excited about him putting on the Eagle uniform."

HS: Zion played his senior season at Spanaway High School after playing two seasons at Puyallup High School. 247 Sports lists Zion as a three-star recruit. He accounted for 68 total tackles and 39 solo in his career. Zion had four career interceptions with two coming in his senior year Spanaway. Zion added experience at wider receiver in his year at Spanaway, catching 11 passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns. 

Personal: Zion is the son of Meylane and Walter Jones. He has one brother Mekhi (18) and one sister Jamera (28). Zion wants to major in psychology with an ambition to by a psychologist for his career.
 
Jonathan Landry | CB | 5-11 | 170 | Evergreen HS | Vancouver, Wash.

Best on Jones: "Jonathan is a pure football player and a Washington state product. We know he can play multiple positions when he gets on the field here. His ball skills are exceptional, and he is physical at the point of contact. There is definitely an opportunity for him to play early with his makeup."

HS: Jonathan is listed as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports. He played his high school career at Evergreen High School for head coach Christian Swain. Jonathan was a first team, All-League selection for the Greater St. Helen Conference, earning Defensive Player of the Year. He also earned all-region first team honors. Along with football, Jonathan competed for the Evergreen track team.

Personal: Jonathan is the son of Martha and Ron Piper.

 
Jirah Leaupepetele | DT | 6-2 | 300 | Apple Valley, Calif. | Apple Valley HS

Best on Leaupepetele: "Jirah is an important addition because he fills a need at defensive tackle for us. He has shown that he is a three down defensive tackle that can stop the run and rush the passer equally as effective. Jirah has a huge upside, with great size for the position. Fans are going to see great production from Jirah once he gets to Cheney."

HS: Jirah plays at Apple Valley High School for head coach Kyle Godfrey. Jirah is a two-time first team All-Mojave River League selection at defensive linemen. He was also a first team All-Area selection. Jirah helped Apple Valley earn Division III CIF Southern Section runner up. Jirah tallied 95 total tackles in his career, with 16 solo and 12 for loss. He finished his career with eight sacks and one recovered fumble.

Personal: Jirah is the son of Rhonda and Washington Leaupepetele. At Eastern, Jirah wants to major in exercise science, with an ambition to become a physical trainer.

 
Vincent Macaluso | LB | 6-2 | 215 | Upland, Calif. | Upland HS

Best on Macaluso: "Vincent is a late bloomer in football. His first love was baseball, which then morphed into the game of football. His athleticism and length will allow him to make plays that will separate him on the field. Through talking with Vincent, we can tell he is eager to get here and we are excited to have him come on board as an Eagle."

HS: Vincent recorded 220 total tackles in his high school career, making 140 solo and 23 for loss. At Upland High School, Vincent played for head coach Darryl Thomas. He accounted for 11.5 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles and two recovered. In 2022, Vincent helped lead Upland to the CIF Division 3 finals. He would earn a first team All-CIF honor, along with a first team, All-Basline League selection. Vincent returned one of his fumble recoveries for a touchdown in his senior season. Adding to his versatility, Vincent caught 11 passes and had five touchdown receptions in his high school career.

Personal: Vincent is the son of Mandy Macaluso. While attending Eastern, Vincent intends to major in business.
 

JP Murphy | TE | 6-4 | 245 | Danville, Calif. | San Ramon Valley HS | San Diego State

Best on Murphy: "JP is a well tooled tight end that will add to our depth at the position. On the field he has shown the versatility to play the Y and F positions.  We can tell that he will also be a factor on special teams. He is serious about reaching his full potential and is a great addition to our tight end room."

Prior to Eastern: JP spent two seasons at San Diego State, redshirting in 2021 and working with the scout team. He was third on the team's depth chart at the 'Y' position.

HS: JP played at San Ramon Valley High School for head coach Aaron Becker. Out of high school, JP was listed as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports. At tight end, JP had 1081 yards on 50 receptions, with 15 touchdowns. He played at defensive end along with tight end. His defensive stats include two interceptions and one fumble recovery. JP was a first team, All-League tight end for the East Bay Athletic lead at tight end and second team All-League at defensive end 2019. He also played basketball at San Ramon.

Personal: JP is the son of Karen and John Murphy. He has one brother Ryan (22) and one sister (21).

 
Jaden Radke | DE | 6-3 | 230 | Okanogan, Wash. | Okanogan HS

Best on Radke: "We were fortunate enough to have Jaden at the EWU Football Camps. We will start him out at defensive end, and he has the right defensive mentality for the position. Jaden is another in-state product that we were able to lock up. We are excited to get him on a college campus and put on weight to his frame to see it translate to the college level."

HS: Jaden played his high school football at Okanogan High for head coach Erick Judd. Jaden earned a spot CW2B All-League team. He was a multi-sport athlete, playing for Okanogan's basketball and golf team as well.

Personal: Jaden is the son of Erin and Darin Radke. He is undecided on a major when he comes to Eastern.
 
Jack Seelye | OL | 6-1 | 275 | Walnut Creek, Calif | Liberty HS | Diablo Valley College

Best on Seelye: "Jack is ready to get work for us and will compete on the interior offensive line immediately. He is tough, hard-nosed and a player that plays with great leverage and want to. One thing that sets him apart is he knows how to win. We want him to add a level of competitiveness into the offensive line room and he is up to the challenge."

Prior to Eastern: Jack played two seasons at Diablo Valley College, appearing in two games.

HS: Jack played at Liberty High School for head coach Matt Heoffs. He recorded 14 total tackles, with seven solo and 4.5 for a loss in his career. He recovered one fumble and had 2.5 career sacks.  Jack earned four letters in football and three in baseball.

Personal: Jack intends on majoring in finance at Eastern. His nickname is "Seels".

 
Jared Taylor | QB | 6-0 | 200 | Stanwood, Wash. | Lakewood HS | Feather River College

Best on Taylor: "It important for recruiting strategy to keep bringing in Washington high school products like Jared. He has willed himself to get better the last two years at Feather River. We don't have to motivate him; he is already wanting and willing to compete. His TD to INT ratio in college is what stood out to us on paper and is demonstrated on the field. He is another player that will add a dimension of toughness from the quarterback position to the team."

Prior to Eastern: Jared played at Feather River Community College under head coach Nick Goulet. At Feather River, Jared completed 69 percent of his passes for 1961 yards and 24 touchdowns, to only one interception. He averaged 9.7 yards per attempt and had a pass efficiency of 188.1.

HS: Before graduating high school, Jared played at Lakewood High during for head coach Dan Teeter. Jared threw for 3542 yards in his high school career and had a 56.4 completion percentage. He finished with 43 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for his career. Taking the dual-threat role, Jared rushed for 2214 yards averaging 6.8 yards per carry, including 1333 his senior season. On the ground, Jared scored 28 touchdowns and 18 during his senior campaign. He also competed for Lakewood's basketball and baseball teams during his high school career.

Personal: Jared is the son of Dawn and Jason Taylor. At Eastern, Jared intends to major in business.
 
J.T. Weir | WR | 5-8 | 150 | Sammamish, Wash. | Skyline HS

Best on Weir: "We saw J.T.'s skill after he attended our camps. He takes pride in being the leader of his team. J.T. was a main presence of the turnaround of his team during his senior season. He is one of those players with the "IT" factor. J.T. makes plays with the ball in his hands and he may factor into the return game as well. Leadership is an important quality that J.T. brings to a deep room and he is excited to reach his max potential."

HS: 247 Sports lists JT as a three-star recruit. He played at Skyline High School for head coach Cameron Elisara. JT finished his career with 59 catches for 564 yards, averaging 9.6 per reception. He scored three touchdowns, two in his senior season. For his efforts, JT was named to the 2022 KingCo first team. He also helped Skyline reach the state semifinals.

Personal: J.T. is the son of Tracy Gordon and Damion Weir. He is considering majoring in exercise science to pursue a career in personal training or starting his own gym. JT also has an ambition to play in the NFL.


Michael Wortham | QB | 5-9 | 175 | North Highlands, Calif. | Center HS | Sierra College

Best on Wortham: "Michael is another player who has the "IT" factor. His intangibles are a plus and will make the transition to college easier for him. He was proven winner at the college and high school level. Michael is the ultimate competitor that is ready to compete from the start of his time on campus. I'm very excited to add him and his skill set to the offense and this team as a whole."

Prior to Eastern: Michael played at Sierra College, appearing in seven games. He rushed for 212 yards on 24 rushes (8.8 per attempt). From the pocket, Michael completed 66.7 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and one interception. Michael was named NorCal MVP and All-American honor while at Sierra. He played in the Gridiron Bowl earning player of the game honors.

HS: Michael completed his high school career at Center High School in Antelope, Calif. In 27 games, Michael threw for 4119 yards with a 66.5 completion percentage. He would toss 55 touchdown passes, with 17 interceptions. Additionally, Michael ran for 1555 yards, with a 9.5 per yard attempt. He scored 17 rushing touchdowns in his career. He also competed in basketball and track while at Center. Michael would earn All-State honors for the Pioneer Valley League.

Personal: Michael is the son of Chanel Green. He plans on majoring in business at Eastern and wants to make it to the NFL as well.

Additional comments from Head Coach Aaron Best

On recruiting in Washington
"The first quality we look for is if they make us better. If the answer is yes, then we can start the process of looking deeper. We are a west coast driven team, and we always will be. Retention is big for us to keep them here for four or five years. They get their degrees which lets them end their academic and athletic career at the same time. It has played in our favor the past 20 years to keep guys in-state. They know each other from camps, clinics and visits. We do look outside the state, but we always look if they are going to make us better first. We have good relationships with coaches in this state. If we get too far out of Washington for recruiting, we have to reintroduce us to in-state coaches and that doesn't help with relationship building."

On what they look for in quarterbacks
"I think for quarterbacks, everyone at Eastern Washington needs to have all-American characteristics on and off the field. Every quarterback who has started the past two decades for multiple years has been an all-American. When you walk into a high school or living room and someone what they need to be quarterback at Eastern, they need to have all-American potential."

On the Big Sky coaching changes' impact on recruiting
 "There's 12 coaches in the Big Sky and five are new, that leaves seven that are not new. That obviously affects recruiting. We challenge our student-athletes to commit to the university and community because coaching staffs can change. Sometimes those change before they actually get to campus. We rely on ourselves to tell guys to develop a checklist for factors that they can control and what they can't control."

On the transfer portal
"The portal, in general, is a variable in itself. There are so many reasons why guys come out. There are so many answers to that equation. It does create a ripple effect. You have to see if guys are plug-and-play, but see if they fit our system. The grade levels have to be accounted for so you don't overload on one class level. It's an effort to balance all of those factors out."