Arkansas State head football coach Butch Jones announced that the Red Wolves have added 25 players from eight different states to their 2025 recruiting class.
This class is currently ranked as the best in the Sun Belt Conference by Rivals. Nine of the players that signed are expected to be available for the Red Wolves’ 2025 spring camp.
Of the 25 signees, 23 are high school signees, just two short of the school record of 25 signed last year. 19 of the 23 high school signees played a role in leading their teams to the state playoffs this year.
Arkansas State’s 2025 class is ranked as high as 69th in the country by Rivals, marking four consecutive classes that rank in the top five in school history.
The class consists of 13 offensive and 12 defensive players, including five offensive linemen and four defensive linemen. A-State also signed six defensive backs, four wide receivers, two running backs, two linebackers, and a tight end.
Arkansas State signed six players from Texas and Mississippi, four players from Florida, three players each from Alabama and Tennessee, and one each from Arkansas, Georgia, and Ohio.
2025 Arkansas State Football Recruiting Class
Luca Akirtava: DL, 6-2, 250, Frisco, Texas (Reedy HS)
Nasir Allen: RB, 5-11, 175, Ocala, Fla. (Vanguard HS)
Demarcus Baker*: DB, 6-1, 190, Hattiesburg, Miss. (Hattiesburg HS)
Demarrco Blanton*: WR, 6-0, 185, Summit, Miss. (Southwest Mississippi CC)
Landon Bridges*: OL, 6-2, 300, Flowood, Miss. (East Central CC)
Tony Carter: DL, 6-2, 265, Nashville, Tenn. (Lipscomb Academy)
Cade Channell*: OL, 6-5, 280, Dora, Ala. (Dora HS)
Andre Feast*: WR, 5-10, 165, Missouri City, Texas (Fort Bend Marshall HS)
Javeon Fricks: TE, 6-5, 230, Mineral Springs, Ark. (Mineral Springs HS)
Noah Hacker: OL, 6-7, 270, Nashville, Tenn. (Lipscomb Academy)
Aslan Jones: DB, 6-2, 170, Prichard, Ala. (Vigor HS)
Tyrell Lewis*: QB, 6-1, 200, Dayton, Ohio (Wayne HS)
DD Murray: RB, 5-10, 190, Bellville, Texas (Bellville HS)
Nigel Nelson*: LB, 5-11, 215, Pensacola, Fla. (Pensacola Catholic HS)
Warren Nolen: OL, 6-3, 320, Willis, Texas (Willis HS)
Courtney Patterson*: DB, 5-11, 170, Ocala, Fla. (Jones HS)
Mike Peterson Jr.*: WR, 5-11, 145, Fort White, Fla. (Fort White HS)
Ryan Reese: DL, 6-2, 275, Birmingham, Ala. (Ramsay HS)
Romel Stevens: WR, 6-4, 205, Willis, Texas (Willis HS)
Dan’tay Ward Jr.*: OL, 6-6, 290, Waco, Texas (Waco HS)
DJ Watkins: DB, 6-0, 170, Madison, Miss. (Madison Ridgeland Academy)
Malekhi Weedon: DB, 6-1, 185, Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett HS)
Marquis Williams*: DB, 6-0, 175, Madison, Miss. (Madison Central HS)
Shaun Williams: DL, 6-2, 235, Columbus, Miss. (Columbus HS)
Aidan Wright*: LB, 6-3, 220, Franklin, Tenn. (Centennial HS)
*Available to participate in A-State’s 2025 spring camp (12)
Arkansas State Football 2025 Recruiting Class By The Numbers
By Position: Offense (13)
QB (1): Tyrell Lewis
RB (2); Nasir Allen, DD Murray
WR (4): Demarrco Blanton, Andre Feast, Mike Peterson Jr., Romel Stevens
TE (1): Javeon Fricks
OL (5): Landon Bridges, Cade Channell, Noah Hacker, Warren Nolen, Dan’tay Ward Jr.
By Position: Defense (12)
DL (4): Luca Akirtava, Tony Carter, Ryan Reese, Shaun Williams
LB (2): Nigel Nelson, Aidan Wright
DB (6): Demarcus Baker, Aslan Jones, Courtney Patterson, DJ Watkins, Malekhi Weedon, Marquis Williams
By State
Alabama (3): Cade Channell, Aslan Jones, Ryan Reese
Arkansas (1): Javeon Fricks
Florida (4): Nasir Allen, Nigel Nelson, Courtney Patterson, Mike Peterson Jr.
Georgia (1): Malekhi Weedon
Mississippi (6): Damarcus Baker, Demarrco Blanton, Landon Bridges, DJ Watkins, Marquis Williams, Shaun Williams
Ohio (1): Tyrell Lewis
Tennessee (3): Tony Carter, Noah Hacker, Aidan Wright
Texas (6): Luca Akirtava, Andre Feast, DD Murray, Warren Nolen, Romel Stevens, Dan’tay Ward Jr.
Luca Akirtava: DL | 6-2 | 250 | Frisco, Texas | Reedy HS
High School: Finished with a career-high 35 solo tackles and 49 total tackles as a senior … Recorded 14.0 TFL in 2024 and 28.0 TFL for his three-year varsity career … Had 7.0 sacks in 2024 in eight games played … Finished career with 22.0 total sacks and 25 quarterback hurries … Responsible for two fumble recoveries in 2023 for 28 yards and two forced fumbles … Also had a pass deflection in 2022 … Received offers from Air Force, Bryant, Colgate, Cornell, Lafayette, UMass, Montana, North Texas, Prairie View A&M, Stephen F. Austin, Texas State, UT-Rio Grande Valley, UTEP, Washington State, and Yale.
Nasir Allen: RB | 5-11 | 175 | Ocala, Fla. | Vanguard HS
High School: Helped Vanguard to a 11-2 record in 2024 and a spot in the regional title game … Registered 173 yards on 15 carries in Class 4A-Region 2 semifinal against Lake Wales … Racked up 111 yards on 10 carries in the 36-0 rout of LMHS as a senior … Received offers from Georgia Southern, Troy, Georgia State, and Western Kentucky.
Demarcus Baker: DB | 6-1 | 190 | Hattiesburg, Miss. | Hattiesburg HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by On3 and 247 … Rated the No. 18 player in Mississippi by On3 … Helped Hattiesburg to a 13-0 record and appearance in the upcoming Class 6A State Title game … Ranked the No. 32 player in Mississippi by 247 … Received offers from Alcorn State, Jackson State, Prairie View A&M, Southern, Southern Miss, UT Martin and Western Kentucky.
Demarrco Blanton: WR | 6-0 | 185 | Summit, Miss. | SW Mississippi CC / Natchez HS
Southwest Mississippi CC: First Team All-Conference choice in 2024 after snagging 49 catches for 416 yards and two scores … Returned 11 kickoffs for 300 yards for an average of 27.3 … Had a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown … All-MACCC selection in 2023 … Totaled 11 catches for 195 yards and three scores in 2023 before injury sidelined him for the remainder of season after week four … Rated a three-star JUCo recruit by On3, 247, ESPN and Rivals … Ranked the No. 4 wide receiver in On3 JUCO rankings and the No. 6 wide receiver in 247Sports Composite JUCO rankings … Received offers from Coastal Carolina, East Carolina, Jacksonville State, New Mexico State, Norfolk State, Old Dominion, South Alabama, Toledo, Troy, ULM, UMass and UTEP.
Landon Bridges: OL | 6-2 | 300 | Flowood, Miss. | East Central CC | Northwest Rankin HS
East Central CC: First Team All-MACCC in 2024 … Helped Warriors to 8-3 record in 2024 falling in the MACCC Championship game … Blocked for an offense that averaged 354.5 yards per game … Received offers from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Central Arkansas, FIU, Incarnate Word, Jacksonville State, Memphis, Middle Tennessee, Ohio, Old Dominion and UAB.
Tony Carter: DL | 6-2 | 265 | Nashville, Tenn. | Lipscomb Academy
High School: Rated a three-star defensive lineman by On3, 247, ESPN, and Rivals … Rated the No. 36 player in Tennessee … Totaled 8.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in senior season … Two-time state champion … Received offers from 18 universities, including Big 10 programs in Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Purdue, and ACC programs in Duke, Georgia Tech, Louisville, and North Carolina.
Cade Channell: OL | 6-5 | 280 | Dora, Ala. | Dora HS
High School: Rated a three-star offensive lineman by On3, 247, and Rivals … Ranked the No. 80 player in the state of Alabama … Named to the North All-Star Team for the December North-South All-Star game … Earned AHSAA Region 4 Athlete of the Week by the Alabama Community College System … Blocked for a run game that amounted to 335.0 rushing yards per game … Helped block for a running back that recorded 2422 total yards on the ground and 33 rushing touchdowns … Tallied nine pancake blocks … Also recorded a touchdown … Registered four punt returns for 96 yards and a long return of 37 yards … Helped lead Dora High School to a 6-1 region record in 2024 … Received offers from Appalachian State, Jacksonville State, Marshall, North Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy and UT Martin.
Andre Feast: WR | 5-10 | 165 | Missouri City, Texas | Fort Bend Marshall HS
High School: Finished career with 1307 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns … Tallied a career-high 541 receiving yards in 2024 with a long reception of 89 yards … Averaged 54.1 receiving yards per game as a senior … Recorded a total of 115 rushing yards on 12 carries in his high school career … Finished career with four punt returns for 83 yards at an average of 20.8 yards per return … Successfully converted six two-point tries … Received offers from Arizona State, Incarnate Word, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Memphis, North Texas, Sam Houston, Texas State, Tulsa, UAB, UTEP and UTSA.
Javeon Fricks: TE | 6-5 | 230 | Mineral Springs, Ark. | Mineral Springs HS
High School: Totaled 34 receptions for 433 yards and five touchdowns … Caught two passes for successful two-point conversions … Had 30 carries for 430 yards and three scores … Had one kick return of 96 yards for a touchdown … Received offers from Alcorn State, Southeast Missouri and UT Martin.
Noah Hacker: OL | 6-7 | 270 | Nashville, Tenn. | Lipscomb Academy
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect by 247 … Two-time state champion … Top 10 offensive lineman out of state of Tennessee per PrepRedZone.com … Received offers from Austin Peay, Charlotte, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern and Marshall.
Aslan Jones: DB | 6-2 | 170 | Prichard, Ala. | Vigor HS
High School: Helped lead Vigor High School to a Class 5A Region 1 championship and a State Semifinal appearance in 2024 … Logged three interceptions, two returned for touchdowns, and a forced fumble in his first year of high school football as a senior … Also ran track and played basketball … Also offered by North Alabama, Southeastern Louisiana and ULM.
Tyrell Lewis: QB | 6-1 | 200 | Dayton, Ohio | Wayne HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by On3, 247, ESPN, and Rivals … Led Wayne High School to the 2024 Regional Finals and won seven out of the final nine games of the 2024 season … Completed 157 of 292 passes as a junior for 2129 yards and 21 touchdowns … Added 402 yards on the ground in 2023 and eight rushing touchdowns for a Wayne High School program that finished 7-4 overall and second in the GWOC … Became Wayne’s all-time leader in passing attempts (929), pass completions (527), passing yards (7,588), total offense (8,662) and touchdowns accounted for (87) … Received offers from Akron, Louisville, UMass, Miami (OH) and Toledo.
DD Murray: RB | 5-10 | 190 | Bellville, Texas | Bellville HS
High School: Totaled 167 carries for 1,289 yards and 21 scores as a senior … Added eight receptions for 286 yards and four scores … Rushed for 2,072 yards and 36 touchdowns on 188 carries as a junior … For his high school career, totaled 3,935 rushing yards, 447 receiving yards, 437 kick return yards and 97 punt return yards… Also received an offer from Utah State.
Nigel Nelson: LB | 5-11 | 215 | Pensacola, Fla. | Pensacola Catholic HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by On3, 247, ESPN, and Rivals … Named 2023 Pensacola News Journal Player of the Year … Played on both sides of the ball at Pensacola Catholic High School … Ended high school career with 1,563 yards rushing (26 touchdowns), 61 yards receiving, 31 yards passing (2 touchdowns), 166 tackles, four sacks, and 11 interceptions … Finished the 2024-25 campaign with 141 yards rushing and 47 yards receiving, scoring all six touchdowns on the ground … Tallied 44 tackles, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery on defense … Received offers from Akron, Army, East Carolina, and Florida Atlantic.
Warren Nolen: OL | 6-3 | 320 | Willis, Texas | Willis HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by On3 … First Team All-Conference selection for Willis as a senior … Helped Willis to a 12-1 record and spot in the finals of the UIL Texas 6A D2 Regional final … Spent sophomore and junior seasons at The Woodlands High School … Played freshman season at Powell (Tenn.) High School … Received offers from Cincinnati, Florida, Georgia, Memphis, Michigan, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Texas A&M, UCF and UTEP … His brother, Walter, is a defensive end at Texas A&M.
Courtney Patterson: DB | 5-11 | 170 | Ocala, Fla. | Jones HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by On3, 247, ESPN, and Rivals … Finished with 118 solo tackles, 185 total tackles, and 8.0 TFL … Recorded 51 tackles as a senior … Started first three years of high school career at Trinity Catholic … Had a career-high 2.0 sacks as a junior … Had 4.0 sacks in his career … Was responsible for 10 career interceptions, including two as a senior … Tallied 15 pass deflections … Forced six fumbled, including a career-high three as a senior … Blocked a punt as a sophomore … Spent time on the offensive side of the ball as a junior, recording five receptions for 60 yards with a long reception of 30 yards … Played two years of baseball … Also played baseball and ran track … Received 21 offers, including offers from SEC programs in Mississippi State, Missouri, and Florida, ACC programs in Florida State, Miami, and North Carolina, and Big 12 programs in UCF and West Virginia.
Mike Peterson Jr.: WR | 5-11 | 145 | Fort White, Fla. | Fort White HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by On3, 247, ESPN, and Rivals … Recorded 162 yards on 17 receptions as a senior … Scored two touchdowns in 2024 … Spent his junior season at Buchholz High School where he caught 25 passes for 502 yards and five touchdowns … Helped Bobcats reach semifinals of Florida’s 4S playoffs … As a sophomore at Oak Hall, caught 12 passes for 236 yards and four touchdowns … Received 25 offers including offers from Brigham Young, Penn State, Texas A&M, Tulane, Tulsa, UAB, and USF … His father is a former NFL linebacker for the Colts, Jaguars, and Falcons who won a National Championship at Florida in 1996.
Ryan Reese: DL | 6-2 | 275 | Birmingham, Ala. | Ramsay HS
High School: Totaled 52 tackles, including 18 tackles for loss, as a senior … Tallied seven sacks in win over Carver-Birmingham … Has four career punt blocks …Received offers from Chattanooga, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Mercer, North Alabama, Tennessee State, Troy, West Georgia and Wofford.
Romel Stevens: WR | 6-4 | 205 | Willis, Texas | Willis HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by 247, ESPN, and Rivals … As a senior, recorded 586 receiving yards on 33 receptions … Scored nine touchdowns and had a long reception of 62 yards … Also recorded a kickoff return for 15 yards … Received offers from Colorado, Nebraska, Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, UNLV, and Washington State.
Dan’tay Ward Jr.: OL | 6-6 | 290 | Waco, Texas | Waco HS
High School: First Team All-District selection … Three-star prospect by On3 and 247 … Received offers from Jackson State, Louisiana, Prairie View A&M, Tulsa and UTEP … Father Dan’tay Ward Sr., played at Texas Tech as defensive tackle.
DJ Watkins: DB | 6-0 | 170 | Madison, Miss. | Madison Ridgeland Academy
High School: Rated as a three-star prospect and No. 39 in the state of Mississippi by On3, 247, and Rivals … Played on both sides of the ball at Madison Ridgeland Academy as a senior and Jackson Academy as a sophomore and junior … At Madison Ridgeland, finished with 381 rushing yards on 72 carries with nine touchdowns … Also recorded 262 receiving yards on 14 carries with three touchdowns … Recorded 41 total tackles in 2024 and had one interception … At Jackson Academy, recorded 151 carries for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns … Had a long rush of 54 yards in 2023 and tallied seven touchdowns … Also recorded 13 receptions for 181 yards and two touchdowns … Responsible for 389 kickoff return yards with a long return of 44 yards … Combined for 80 tackles, 4.0 TFL, six interceptions for 37 yards, and 16 pass deflections as a sophomore and junior … Returned an interception for 24 yards in 2023 … Recorded a career-high 53 tackles, 37 solo stops, as a sophomore … Received offers from Austin Peay, Campbell, Kent State, Liberty, Texas A&M-Commerce, and ULM.
Malekhi Weedon: S | 6-1 | 185 | Suwanee, Ga. | North Gwinnett HS
High School: Recorded a career-high 72 total tackles as a senior in 2024 … Tallied 49 solo stops and 3.0 TFL … Had a career-high five interceptions with 62 return yards as a senior … Recovered two fumbles for 78 yards and recorded nine pass deflections in his career … Also had a quarterback hurry … Finished with 118 total tackles in his career with 4.0 TFL … Recorded a kickoff return as a junior and a punt return as a senior … Received offers from Jacksonville State, Warner, Bethune-Cookman, Georgia Southern, Taylor, and Wofford.
Marquis Williams: CB | 6-0 | 175 | Madison, Miss. | Madison Central HS
High School: Selected to the Mississippi vs Alabama All-Star Game … Helped team to 10-3 record and trip to semifinals of playoffs in 2024 … Had 58 tackles, 46 solo stops, 12 pass deflections, four interceptions and a blocked field goal in senior campaign … Totaled 42 tackles, three for loss, an interception, three blocked kicks and 12 pass deflections in junior season … Received offers from Georgia State and South Alabama.
Shaun Williams: DL | 6-2 | 235 | Columbus, Miss. | Columbus HS
High School: Selected to the Mississippi vs Alabama All-Star Game … Received offers from Alcorn State, Central Arkansas, Mississippi Valley State, Southern Miss, ULM and UT Martin.
Aidan Wright: LB | 6-3 | 220 | Franklin, Tenn. | Centennial HS
High School: Rated a three-star prospect by On3, 247, ESPN, and Rivals … Ranked the No. 39 player in Tennessee by On3 … Entered postseason play of senior season with 107 tackles, including 14 sacks, in 10 games … Received offers from Marshall, Memphis, Purdue, Toledo, Eastern Kentucky, and Tennessee State.
