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Quick help: Aggies got what they were looking for in transfers
By Tommy Bowman
JOURNAL REPORTERN.C. A&T, seeking immediate help, appears to have found what it was looking for with its latest recruiting class. The Aggies signed several transfers, including some from Division I-A programs.
Running backs Demmerick Chancellor, a transfer from Clemson, and David Robinson, who played at the College of the Sequoias in California, could bolster an offense that ranked last in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference in total yards.
The Aggies also shored up areas of need with the signing of four defensive backs and four offensive linemen.
Chancellor, a 6-1, 205-pound native of Miami, was recruited out of high school by ACC and SEC programs and saw playing time at Clemson last year - averaging 6.1 yards a carry and rushing for 114 yards against Temple. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Robinson, a 5-9, 180-pound Florida native, had 1,100 all-purpose yards and 17 touchdowns last season for College of the Sequoias.
The Aggies found athleticism and size on the offensive front with the signing of 6-6, 315-pound Jason Valmont from Lake Charles, La. Valmont allowed four sacks in four seasons at St. Louis Catholic High School.
Also among the incoming group of offensive linemen is Enoch Cohen, a 6-4, 285-pounder who was a two-time All-Metro 4-A selection at North Forsyth.
“We addressed some needs offensively,” Coach Lee Fobbs of the Aggies said. “I’m pleased that we were able to add offensive linemen with size and agility. We added some running backs that I think will give us some different looks.…”
The new defensive backs include transfers Brandon Croley (Clemson), Ihsan Shaheed (College of the Sequoias) and Michael Pace (Hinds Community College in Mississippi).
The speedy Croley, a 6-1, 205-pound native of Jacksonville, Fla., played on special teams for Clemson last season. Shaheed, a 5-11, 175-pounder and California native, returned three interceptions for touchdowns last season for College of the Sequoias. And Pace (6-0, 185) had four sacks as a cornerback for Hinds College.
The Aggies also signed home-grown DeShaun Graham, a 5-11, 185-pound defensive back. Graham had 130 tackles and six interceptions last season at Greensboro Page.
“We accomplished what we wanted to in terms of speed,” Fobbs said. “We want to be aggressive on defense so we need people who can play man-to-man.”
Robert Russell, a middle linebacker who played two seasons at Mississippi, could be the headliner among the defensive signees. Russell (6-0, 240), from New Orleans, played five games last season as a sophomore.
The Aggies also signed linebacker Nicholas Johnson (6-3, 205), who had 112 tackles as a senior at Greensboro Page, and added two transfers at defensive end - Jason Broadnax of Hibbing Community College in Minnesota and Phillip Sumlin of Pasadena College in California.
Broadnax (6-2, 255), a native of Delray Beach, Fla., totaled 14 sacks in two seasons for Hibbing. Sumlin (6-2, 255), a native of Los Angeles, registered nine sacks in two seasons at Pasadena.
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N.C. A&T (14)
Player Ht. Wt. Hometown
Demmerick Chancellor# 6-1 205 Miami
Brandon Croley# 6-1 205 Jacksonville, Fla.
DeShaun Graham 5-11 185 Greensboro
Michael Pace 6-0 185 Gulfport, Miss.
David Robinson* 5-9 180 Leisure City, Fla.
Ihsan Shaheed* 5-11 175 Oakland, Calif.
Linemen and linebackers
Player Ht. Wt. Hometown
Jason Broadnax 6-2 255 Delray Beach, Fla.
Adrian Carter 6-3 285 Hamlet
Enoch Cohen 6-4 285 Winston-Salem
Alex Harper 6-5 290 Baltimore
Nicholas Johnson 6-3 205 Greensboro
Robert Russell# 6-0 240 New Orleans
Phillip Sumlin* 6-2 255 Los Angeles
Jason Valmont 6-6 315 Lake Charles, La.
* - junior-college transfer; # - major-college transfer
