MACOMB, ILL. - Western Illinois Football announced 17 additions to the program on Wednesday (Feb. 2), with 17 individuals signing the dotted line and officially joining the program. Included in this class are four offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, three defensive backs, three wide receivers, two linebackers, one running back and one quarterback, with talent from Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Georgia.

"We are extremely excited about this special group. I am thankful for the great support of our administration and athletic staff, as we worked to bring in this outstanding signing class in a short period of time. I am very proud of my staff who hit the ground running and have worked tirelessly to build this class," head coach Myers Hendrickson said. "We had great visits on campus and that allowed us to get to know these student-athletes on a personal level through this process, beyond just what they can do on the field. They are invested in being Leathernecks, and I am very excited that they are joining our Leatherneck family.

"We put a strong emphasis on recruiting the Midwest, especially in our backyard. Along with our success recruiting heavily in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri, we were able to add great players from different pockets of the country where we had strong connections and relationships," Hendrickson added. "The talent in this class is incredible. This group will be able to come in and not only lay a great foundation for success for the future of Leatherneck football, but also have opportunities to make an immediate impact. We are still recruiting, and we will continue to add to the Leatherneck family. This is certainly a great start and a great day for Leatherneck Football."
 

---

Yaser Alawadi, OL, 6-8, 320, Park Ridge, Ill. (Maine East)

• Rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.

• Played left tackle for Maine East High School, also playing basketball and throwing shot put on the track and field team. 

• Earned CSL All-Conference honors his junior and senior year, and was an All-State honorable mention.

• Credits his parents as major influences on his sports career and plans to major in business.

Almarion "Mari" Bell, DL, 6-3, 280, Rockford, Ill. (Harlem)

• Was a unanimous selection to the All-Conference First Team at the defensive tackle spot his senior season, recording 35 tackles, ten tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and two touchdowns. 

• Was on the honor roll all four years of high school.

• Says his most memorable moment in sports was winning his first playoff game, saying, "It was a goal I had all of my high school career and to finally make it my senior year and win in a shootout was my most memorable moment."

Ryan Crandall, LB, 6-2, 205, Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny)

• Lettered in football, basketball and baseball at Ankeny High School.

• Was named First Team All-State and First Team All-District after the 2021 football season and earned Second Team All-State and Second Team All-District honors after the 2020 season.

• Plans to major in Business while at WIU.

Carter Gorder, OL, 6-4, 290, Mason City, Iowa (Mason City)

• Earned varsity letters in wrestling, track and field, and football.

• Was a four-time academic all-conference selection.

Tre Henry, DL, 6-3, 285, Lake Charles, La. (Lake Charles College Prep / Highland CC)

• Helped Lake Charles to the district championship.

• Recorded 112 stops with five sacks during his junior season.

• Garnered all-district and all-state honors.

Byron Jarrett Jr., QB, 6-4, 235, Des Moines, Iowa (Hoover / Iowa Central CC)

• Recorded 5,000 passing yards and 50 passing touchdowns during his prep career, which included setting Hoover's school record for the most passing yards in a single game (547).

• Collegiate accolades include 3,500 career passing yards, 900 career rushing yards and 42 career passing touchdowns.

• Named the 2021 ICCAC Offensive Player of the Year, while also garnering first team all-conference and NJCAA First Team All-America recognition.

Myles Johnston, WR, 6-1, 185, Morris, Ill. (Morris Community)

• Played football, basketball and wrestled at Morris Community High School.

• Recorded 37 receptions for 650 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior season, earning All-Conference honors.

• Credits his parents as major influences on his sports career, saying, "They motivate me to do better in life and everything they have done continues to influence me."

Mitchell Logan, WR, 6-3, 190, Springfield, Ill. (Springfield)

• Played wide receiver for Springfield High School.

• Finished senior season with 24 catches, 602 yards, and seven touchdowns.

Tah-jae Mullix, DL, 6-3, 250, Covington, Ga. (Newton)

• Rated by MaxPreps as the 48th best defensive line recruit in Georgia.

• Finished senior season with 48 tackles, 39 solo, four tackles for loss and three sacks.

Kamal Mukarram, DB, 6-1, 185, Tinley Park, Ill. (Lincoln-Way East)

• Earned all-conference and all-area honorable mention accolades.

• Notched a season-high 17 tackles in a single game.

Wyatt Newcomer, OL, 6-2, 285, Kansas City, Mo. (Liberty North)

• Was a three-year varsity letter winner on the Liberty North High School football team, where he played center. 

• Named First Team All-District and First Team All-State for his performances during the 2021 season.

• Holds records at his high school for snaps played in a career (1,881) and single-season pancake blocks (58).

Montarious Reed, DB, 6-1, 195, Covington, Ga. (Newton)

• Played safety at Newton High School in Covington, Ga., where he was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.

• Recorded 61 tackles (47 solo), picking off two passes and forcing two fumbles in 20 appearances. 

• Chose Western Illinois because "They showed major love and made me feel at home on my official visit! The staff is very cool and one of the most genuine to be around and I could see myself playing in the purple and gold."

Tajh Sanders, WR, 6-0, 180, Valdosta, Ga. (Valwood)

• Played receiver at Valwood High School, where he was rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.

• Most memorable sports moment was scoring his first touchdown during his freshman season and chose WIU because it was the "best fit."

Caden Selle, OL, 6-3, 270, Hannibal, Mo. (Hannibal)

• Ranked the 13th best offensive line recruit in Missouri by MaxPreps.

• Helped lead Hannibal High School to a 13-1 overall record his senior season.

• First team all-conference, all-district, and all-state selection.

Eli West, DB, 5-11, 170, Albany, Ga. (Dougherty) 

• Rated the 81st best wide receiver in the state of Georgia by MaxPreps.

• Played safety and wide receiver at Dougherty High School.

• Finished senior season with 84 tackles, 53 solo tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and nine pass deflections. 

Lesharo Wildcat, LB, 6-4, 220, Pawhuska, Okla. (Pawhuska)

• Was a member of the Pawhuska High School football, wrestling and track teams.

• Recorded 157 total tackles, 31 TFLs, 11 sacks and 1 Interception in his career.

• Chose Western Illinois because "I have a lot of love for the game, and I know about Western having top tier competition so that's what drove me to choose WIU. I also think being away from home will be a good experience for me to grow and learn."

Wentric Williams, RB, 6-0, 195, Liberty, Mo. (Liberty)

• Rated the 29th best running back in Missouri by MaxPreps.

• Finished his senior season with 1542 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging 140 yards per game and 6.8 yards per carry.

• Ended career with 3910 rushing yards and 50 total touchdowns.