National Signing Day
Feb. 1, 2006

Fred Amiker (RB • Fr. • 5-8 • 170 • Tampa, Fla. • Jefferson High School)
Amiker was a three-time all-conference running back who helped his Jefferson High School squad reach the regional semifinals. The team MVP rushed for 1,379 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior, also catching 18 passes for 468 yards and two touchdowns. As a junior he tallied 800 rushing yards, six touchdowns, 26 receptions and 652 receiving yards. In his first varsity season, as a sophomore, he returned four punts for touchdowns.

Matt Barr (QB • Fr. • 6-2 • 185 • Belvidere, Ill. • Belvidere High School)
Barr was a two-year varsity letterwinner at Belvidere High School, where he was a 2005 captain, MVP and all-conference quarterback and punter. He also was named the league's offensive MVP as a senior and earned academic all-state status, along with honors on the IHSA Coaches Association All-State Team and the 2005 News-Gazette All-State Special Mention 100 list. Barr completed 62 percent of his passes and rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season, averaging 9.4 yards per carry. Belvidere posted a 19-5 record during Barr's varsity career, including a 12-1 mark in 2005, and qualified for the state playoffs both seasons.

Shawn Bernaky (OL • Fr. • 6-6 • 310 • Downers Grove, Ill. • Downers Grove South High School)
Bernaky was listed as one of the Rivals.com preseason top 50 recruits in Illinois after 31 consecutive starts over his three-year varsity career at Downers Grove South High School. He was named the league's lineman of the year as a junior and earned all-area and all-state honors from the Daily Herald, Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. As a senior, the all-conference pick was nominated to the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and repeated his all-area and all-state honors. He capped his career with a spot on the Illinois High School Coaches Association Class 8A All-State First Team. Bernaky helped Downers Grove South to three consecutive playoff appearances and a pair of eight-win seasons.

C. J. Hamilton (RB • Fr. • 5-9 • 170 • Sarasota, Fla. • Riverview High School)
Hamilton rushed for more than 1,200 yards and tallied nine touchdowns as a senior in 2004, helping lead his Riverview High School squad to a regional championship and the semifinal round of the 2004 Florida Class 5A playoffs. An all-area selection, Hamilton was elected to the Sarasota County All-Star Game after his three-year varsity career. He was named Riverview's most valuable back as both a junior and senior.

Justin Hamilton (DB • Fr. • 6-0 • 175 • Sarasota, Fla. • Riverview High School)
Hamilton, Riverview High School's most improved player in 2003 and offensive player of the year in 2004, recorded more than 700 yards rushing, 10 touchdowns, three interceptions and 55 tackles as a senior. The offensive co-captain helped his squad to the class 5A regional championship as a senior, then capped his career with an appearance in the Sarasota County All-Star Game.

Drew Helt (TE • Fr. • 6-4 • 225 • Fort Madison, Iowa • Fort Madison High School)
Helt, a three-year varsity starter and two-year captain at Fort Madison High School, earned three all-district awards and a pair of academic all-district honors. Also an established wrestler, Helt was a 2005 state qualifier, an all-conference first-team selection and all-academic team honoree during his three-year career.

Renold JeanLouis (DB • Fr. • 6-1 • 180 • Immokalee, Fla. • Immokalee High School)
JeanLouis recorded 17 interceptions throughout his Immokalee High School career and was a two-time all-state free safety as a junior and senior. He also earned bids to the all-Southwest Florida team and the all-county team while helping Immokalee to a pair of district championships and the 2004 state title. During the 2004 playoff run, JeanLouis intercepted five passes in four games. He tallied 68 tackles and eight interceptions as a senior, and also recorded four punt returns for 95 yards and 20 receptions for 426 yards. In addition to football, JeanLouis participated in basketball and track and field.

Brandon Kreczmer (LB • Fr. • 6-2 • 225 • Chicago, Ill. • St. Patrick High School)
Kreczmer earned a pair of all-state honorable mention bids from the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times and was picked as one of the top 100 players in the Chicago area by the Sun-Times. The 2005 St. Patrick High School captain was a two-time all-conference player and was named the East Suburban Catholic Conference Defensive of the Year after his senior season, helping his squad to its second straight playoff appearance.

Aaron Miller (LB • Jr. • 6-0 • 225 • Trabuco Canyon, Calif. • Orange Coast College • Mission Viejo High School)
Miller comes to Western Illinois via UNLV and Orange Coast (Calif.) College. After redshirtting at UNLV, Miller was a second-team all-conference performer as a freshman and a first-team selection as a sophomore at OCC. He also earned all-state honors while leading the team with 116 tackles during his second season. The three-year prep letterwinner helped Mission Viejo High School to three South Coast League championships, a pair of CIF Division II championships and a second-place national ranking. He was named to the all-conference first team and set the school's single-game tackling record. Also an established wrestler, Miller was a two-time league champion and placed sixth in the state meet. He also represented California at nationals.

Stephen Moore (DB • Fr. • 5-9 • 175 • Tampa, Fla. • Jefferson High School)
Moore earned defensive MVP honors at Thomas Jefferson High School and was named to the all-conference and all-county first teams after totaling 43 tackles and intercepting nine passes as a senior. He helped his squad to a two-year record of 19-8 and back-to-back state playoff appearances, going 11-4 in 2004 and earning a berth in the state title game.

Davie Pierson (DL • Fr. • 6-1 • 255 • Freeport, Ill. • Freeport High School)
Pierson, the reigning NIC-9 defensive player of the year and two-time all-conference first-team selection, earned all-state status from the Champaign News-Gazette after his senior season. During his three-year career, he totaled 201 tackles, 139 solo stops, 25 sacks, 53 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and four touchdowns. Freeport earned a 26-7 record during Pierson's three seasons as a varsity starter, picking up two league championships and three playoff appearances. Also an all-conference track and field athlete in 2005, Pierson was an IHSA state qualifier in the shot put, finished in 12th place at the state meet.

Patrick Stoudamire, Jr. (DB • Fr. • 5-11 • 185 • Portland, Ore. • Centennial High School)
Stoudamire was rated the ninth best prospect in Oregon according to Rivals.com after an all-state career at Centennial High School. He rushed for 1,253 yards and 15 touchdowns as an all-state honorable mention quarterback this past season, and earned all-state first team honors at defensive back. He was the Mt. Hood Conference offensive player of the year and was named to the all-league first team at both quarterback and defensive back. A selection to the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl as a senior, Stoudamire earned first-team all-conference honors at defensive back and running back as a junior. He was also an all-conference basketball player and track athlete, and has been recruited to also play basketball for the Leathernecks.

Lavell Taylor (DL • Fr. • 6-4 • 220 • Chicago, Ill. • St. Leo Catholic High School)
Taylor, the St. Leo Catholic MVP and runner-up for Catholic League White Conference Defensive MVP award, was a four-year varsity starter who totaled 412 tackles, 68 tackles for loss, 10 interceptions, 21 pass breakups and 20 sacks. As a freshman, Taylor was 9-1 as a starting quarterback, leading St. Leo to a conference title. He moved to defensive end for his final three seasons, and also saw time at tight end, linebacker, fullback, running back and wide receiver. Taylor also played two years of varsity basketball.

Zack Todd (OL • Jr. • 6-7 • 275 • Carmichael, Calif. • Feather River College • Rio Americano High School)
Todd, a two-year starter at Feather River College, earned all-conference honorable mention at offensive line after his sophomore season. He helped his squad to a two-year record of 12-8 and a victory in the 2004 East County Bowl. At Rio Americano High School, Todd was a two-year varsity starter who earned all-conference first-team honors as a senior.

Victor Visoky (DL • Fr. • 6-3 • 235 • Northbrook, Ill. • Glenbrook North High School)
Visoky earned all-conference and first-team class 7A all-state honors as a junior and senior at Glenbrook North High School. The 2005 Central Suburban League North Defensive Player of the Year and two-time Lineman of the Year was rated among the top 100 prospects by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times entering his senior year and was rated No. 49 among the nation's defensive tackles by ESPN.com midway through his senior season. He helped his squad to a two-year record of 17-5 and back-to-back conference titles in 2004 and 2005, totalling 145 tackles, 58 solo stops, 23 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. Also a decorated wrestler, Visoky earned all-conference status and was a state qualifier as a junior. He currently has a 22-3 record in the 275-pound weight class.

Pat Walsh (LB • Fr. • 6-1 • 215 • Evergreen Park, Ill. • Brother Rice High School)
Walsh earned four all-area bids and three all-state awards during his three years as a varsity player at Brother Rice High School. He was named to all-state teams by the Illinois High School Coaches Association, the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times as a senior and was the 2005 Chicago Catholic League Defensive Player of the Year after earning back-to-back all-conference honors. His Brother Rice team advanced to the 2003 Class 8A semifinals and played in the quarterfinal round in 2004 and 2005. He helped his squad to a pair of appearances in the Chicago Prep Bowl, including a victory in 2004.

Matt Warner (TE • Fr. • 6-4 • 215 • Sherrard, Ill. • Sherrard High School)
Warner earned three varsity letters at Sherrard High School while earning a pair of Rock Island Argus/Moline Dispatch and Quad City Times all-area selections. He was named to the 2005 Illinois High School Coaches Association All-State Class 3A First Team and was also a first-team all-state pick by the Chicago Sun-Times. The 2005 Sherrard High School offensive and defensive MVP was one of the top 100 players to earn special mention by the Champaign News-Gazette after his senior season, a year in which he recorded 151 tackles, 1,315 rushing yards, 19 touchdowns and an average of 10.3 yards per carry. Warner was also a two-time all-area selection in track, a 2005 sectional champion in four events, and the school's record-holder in the 100-meter dash.