Flashes Ink 19 on National Signing Day
12/4/2024 5:42:00 PM | Football
KENT- The Kent State Golden Flashes, led by head coach Kenni Burns have signed 19 players during the 2024 signing period, officially kicking off year three of the Kent GRIT era.
Below is a position-by-position breakdown of the class as well as some of their accolades from their high school, junior college and previous college careers.
Quarterback (1)
Deante Ruffin - 6-2 | 215 | Neumann-Goretti High School (Pennsylvania)
Ruffin has thrown for over 1,400 passing yards, racked up 476 rushing yards, and has scored 25 total touchdowns. He has a 65% completion percentage. His play has earned him First Team All-Conference honors.
Running Backs (2)
Taryan Martin - 5-8| 190 | East Saint Louis High School (Illinois)
Martin has led his team to a 2024 Illinois high school football state championship. He is a power back that has racked up 776 yards on 73 carries with seven total touchdowns. His play has earned him All-Conference honors.
Anthony Jeffery - 5-8 | 190 | Thomson High School (Georgia)
Jeffery is an elusive back that tallied seven games this season with multiple touchdowns. He also tied a school record earlier this season scoring four touchdowns in a single game. His play has earned him First Team All-Conference honors. He is also a regional finalist.
Wide Receivers (2)
Teaunn Hunter - 5-11 | 172 | Wayne High School (Ohio)
Hunter has racked up 469 receiving yards on 31 receptions with seven touchdowns. His play has earned him First Team All-Conference honors. He is also a regional finalist. Hunter ended up having to play QB for four games having never played the position before posting a record of 3-1.
Maurice Stephens - 6-1 | 177 | Ballard High School (Kentucky)
Stephens strong ball tracking wide receiver that has tallied 700 receiving yards on 46 receptions hauling in eight touchdowns. He is a regional finalist as well as an All-Conference player.
Tight Ends (2)
Zy'aire Fletcher - 6-4 | 214 | Springfield High School (Ohio)
Fletcher is coming off his one season as tight end having played tackle in previous years. This season he has recorded 322 receiving yards on 26 catches with a pair of touchdowns. He is First Team All-District, First Team All-Conference and is an All-Ohio nominee.
Garrett Long - 6-3 | 217 | Columbus North High School (Indiana)
Long has turned heads playing both sides of the football. He has recorded 431 receiving yards, six touchdowns, 40 tackles, three sacks, and 10 tackles for a loss. His play has earned him First Team All-Conference honors.
Offensive Linemen (4)
Kayden Mayle - 6-5 | 287 | Fremont Ross High School (Ohio)
Mayle is a vicious run blocker that has posted a 91% run block win rate. His play has earned him First Team All-Ohio, First Team All-District, and First Team All-Conference honors.
Boston Crowell - 6-3 | 281 | New Philadelphia High School (Ohio)
Crowell has played both sides of the ball who started for three years at the left tackle position. As a defensive lineman he tallied 39 tackles including 12 for a loss. His play has earned him First Team All-District and First Team All-Conference honors.
Tyler Meadows - 6-8 | 320 | Lakota East High School (Ohio)
Meadows adds a great size and length to the OL room. He is a dominant run blocker that moves well in space. His play has earned him First Team All-Conference honors.
Nate Cross - 6-0 | 295 | Archbishop Hoban High School (Ohio)
Cross is a dominant blocker that has great finishing ability. He allowed zero sacks across a 15-game season that saw play all five positions on the line. Cross led his team to the state semifinals. His play has earned him All-Conference honors.
Defensive Linemen (2)
Darian Blachewicz- 6-2 | 270 | Millville High School (New Jersey)
Blachewicz explodes off the ball. He has racked up 66 tackles including nine for a loss, five sacks, and a defensive touchdown. His play has earned him First Team All-Conference and Frist Team All-South Jersey honors.
Bryce Griffin - 6-2 | 211 | Yorkville High School (Illinois)
Griffin brings a polished pass rush arsenal to Kent. He's posted 50 tackles, five sacks, 18 tackles for a loss and one defensive touchdown. His play has earned him First Team All-Conference honors, and he has also been named the Defensive MVP for his conference.
Linebackers (3)
Rafael Terrero - 6-3 | 211 | Emmaus High School (Pennsylvania)
Terrero was sidelined for his senior year due to injury but has fully recovered coming to Kent. As a vocal leader for his team, he took on a coaching role during his injury. During his junior season, Terrero made 50 tackles, six interceptions, had 28 receptions for 372 yards and scored two touchdowns.
Trey Rubinstein - 6-2 | 190 | Napoleon High School (Ohio)
Rubinstein racked up 1,000 all-purpose yards, 77 tackles including 17 for a loss, five interceptions, two defensive touchdowns and returned two TD's on special teams. Playing both sides of the ball he was named First Team All-Conference as both a wide receiver and a defensive back.
Tanner Mintz - 6-0 | 215 | Archbishop Hoban High School (Ohio)
Mintz brings a high football IQ and an impressive arsenal to get past blockers to Kent. He tallied 162 tackles, 29 tackles for a loss, 13 sacks, and three interceptions this season. His play has earned him All-District honors.
Defensive Back (1)
Buddyrow Garrer - 5-9 | 160 | Evans High School (Georgia)
Garrer played both sides of the football as both a cornerback and a slot receiver. He racked up 50 tackles, 10 passes broken up, two interceptions while averaging 11.2 yards per catch and scoring one touchdown as a receiver. His play has earned him All-Conference honors.
Safety (1)
Derrick Jackson - 5-11 | 182 | Cass Tech High School (Michigan)
Jackson led his team to the 2024 Michigan high school D1 state championship. He tallied 50 tackles, seven interceptions, five passes broken up, and had game grabbing three picks. His play has earned him All-State and All-Region honors.
Specialists (1)
Sean Leonard - 6-3 | 220 | Xenia High School (Ohio)
Leonard tallied 61 points on the season going 5/5 in field goals, 46/47 in extra points, and caused 32 touchbacks. He kicked a school record 69-yard punt this past season. He is a three time All-District player, and a two time All-State player.
