Hello fans and welcome to Signing Day 2016. We'll be bringing you live updates through the day on the page below.
Live Updates Don't forget to follow us on Twitter (@SIU_Football) for updates throughout the day and all news Saluki Football in the future. As soon as the NLIs are in and approved, we'll be posting bios on this page throughout the day. Fans are invited to Saluki Stadium for a 6 p.m. reception with the 2016 Saluki Football coaching staff in the Stadium Club (2nd Floor). Head coach Nick Hill will introduce the staff and talk about every new Saluki Football signee. Light snacks and refreshments will be available, and there will also be a cash bar. QUICK LINKS: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Thursday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m.: One day later but worth the wait. Montray Smith's NLI is in and approved. Great to have another exciting playmaking receiver in the class. Great size and speed, Montray has the ability to be a big-time playmaker.
9:30 a.m.: Malik Haynes and Devin Brunetti round out the signing class for now. Brunetti is an offensive lineman who is coming from Mesa Community College, and Malik Haynes is a force in the interior defensive line. For the time being, those two are rounding out the class. Come meet the coaches tonight at 6 p.m. in Saluki Stadium and listen to Coach Hill talk about each member of this signing class. If there are additions to the class, we will post them here, plus on our Twitter (@SIU_Football) and Facebook accounts. Thanks to everyone for following along, and we're looking forward to seeing everyone tonight!
9:15 a.m.: Murphysboro native Clay Rendleman is another local product who is headed down the road to play in Saluki Stadium next season.
9 a.m.: Jhakari Harrison is officially a Saluki. Exciting quarterback from Florida who combined to score more than 100 touchdowns rushing and passing. He's a three-star QB who is ranked as one of the top-50 dual threat quarterbacks in the country. He was an early commit that has a bright future as a Saluki.
8:50 a.m.: ZeVeyon Furcron (known around here this morning as "Big Z") is officially a Saluki. Adds another piece to the defensive line.
8:30 a.m.: Another offensive lineman in. Matt Chmielewski from Lockport has his NLI in and approved. And James Ceasar, Jr., from Detroit, Mich., is an exciting playmaker to watch. Last year, SIU signed Kamahl March from Detroit and are now following that up with Ceasar.
8:15 a.m.: Nico Gualdoni from Johnston City is the most recent addition. Excited to have him in a Saluki uniform. Already a vast majority of the NLIs in, just waiting on a few more.
8 a.m. The war room is pretty quiet and content after 16 player are in before 8 a.m. Local product Jordan Berner (Chester, Ill.) is one of the newest exciting additions to the recruiting class. Landon Lenoir has the SIU quarterbacks excited; he's an explosive receiver from Crete-Monee.
7:50 a.m.: If you missed head coach Nick Hill on the radio with Paxton Guy this morning, remember to come out to Saluki Stadium at 6 p.m. tonight for a reception with all the coaches. Coach Hill will be talking about each recruit, and all the coaches are looking forward to meeting you. Another NLI is in--Jaylin Carter (TE) from Wheaton is officially a Saluki. Great size already (6-4, 245) makes Jaylin an exciting prospect.
7:40 a.m.: It's that time of day where they're coming in fast. Qua Brown, Bryce Notree and Hayden LaPointe are all a part of the family now. Three very different players--Brown is an defensive playmaker from Florida; Notree is a defensive playmaker from Texas, and LaPointe is the O-Lineman the playmakers want to run behind--but coaches are really excited about all three.
7:15 a.m.: Add another receiver to the mix. Sam Bonansinga put up monster numbers at Sacred Heart-Griffin. And add another Illinois kid to the mix. Blake Parzych becomes the first defensive lineman in the class. Both are great additions to the class.
7 a.m.: Mason Wilfong, a Florida receiver, is in and approved. The Florida connection for Saluki Football continues. The Salukis already have seven Florida players on the roster, including Daquan Isom and Withney Simon, who both played last year as true freshmen. They will add a couple more today. Mason was All-State in Florida and an exciting receiver for the Salukis.
6:50 a.m.: Victor Abraham II, a safety from Dearborn, Mich., has his letter in and approved. Along with Jeremy Chinn, Victor is another valuable piece to the future Saluki secondary.
6:40 a.m.: Just an FYI for fans wondering about the process. The players can sign the National Letters of Intent at 7 a.m. local time. So Jeremy Chinn (Fishers, Ind.) and the rest of the Eastern Time Zone guys could start signing their NLIs at 6 a.m. CT. Expecting several more impact players from the Eastern Time Zone today.
6:25 a.m.: Jeremy Chinn from Fishers, Ind., became the first official member of the 2016 Saluki Signing Class! Excited to have Jeremy as part of the family.
6:15 a.m.: Signing Day Central is LIVE! The first National Letters of Intent are coming in. You can find live updates right here on this page. Feel free to ask us questions on Twitter @SIU_Football or by emailing jtlock2@siu.edu.
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2016 Signee Information | Signee | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown | High Sch./Junior Co./Last School |
| Victor Abraham II | S | 6-3 | 195 | Dearborn, Mich. | Plymouth HS |
| Jordan Berner | DL | 6-5 | 230 | Chester, Ill. | Chester HS |
| Sam Bonansinga | WR | 5-11 | 180 | Springfield, Ill. | Sacred Heart-Griffin |
| Qua Brown | S | 5-11 | 185 | DeLand, Fla. | University HS |
| Devin Brunetti | OL | 6-2 | 285 | Scottsdale, Ariz. | Saguaro HS/Mesa CC |
| Jaylin Carter | TE | 6-4 | 245 | Wheaton, Ill. | Wheaton-Warrenville |
| James Ceasar, Jr. | CB | 5-11 | 180 | Detroit, Mich. | East English Village HS |
| Jeremy Chinn | CB | 6-2 | 185 | Fishers, Ind. | Fishers HS |
| Matt Chmielewski | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Lockport, Ill. | Lockport HS |
| ZeVeyon Furcron | DL | 6-1 | 310 | Crest Hill, Ill. | Joliet Catholic HS |
| Nico Gualdoni | K/P | 6-0 | 220 | Johnston City, Ill. | Johnston City HS |
| Jhakari Harrison | QB | 6-1 | 180 | Coconut Creek, Fla. | Coconut Creek HS |
| Malik Haynes | DL | 6-0 | 300 | Chicago, Ill. | Al Raby HS |
| Craig James | CB | 5-10 | 195 | Edwardsville, Ill. | Edwardsville HS/Minnesota |
| Hayden LaPointe | OL | 6-5 | 275 | DeKalb, Ill. | DeKalb HS |
| Landon Lenoir | WR | 6-1 | 180 | Crete, Ill. | Crete-Monee HS |
| Bryce Notree | LB | 6-4 | 210 | Arlington, Texas | Lamar HS |
| Blake Parzych | DL | 6-3 | 260 | Minooka, Ill. | Minooka HS |
| Clay Rendleman | RB | 5-8 | 205 | Murphysboro, Ill. | Murphysboro HS |
| Montray Smith | WR | 6-4 | 170 | Miami, Fla. | Carol City HS |
| Josh Straughan | QB | 6-3 | 205 | Colton, Wash. | Colton HS/Stillman |
| Kyron Watson | LB | 6-0 | 235 | East St. Louis, Ill. | East St. Louis HS/Kansas |
| Mason Wilfong | WR | 6-3 | 200 | Palm City, Fla. | John Carroll HS |
Career Notes: Honorable mention All-State honoree...Also earned All-West, All-Conference and All-Area honors in senior season...Team captain...Recorded 64 tackles and four interceptions on defense...Also played receiver and had 40 receptions for 746 yards...Also played basketball and track and field...Son of Laurece and Victor Abraham...Has two siblings, Jonathan and Laurece...Intends to major in physiology.
Career Notes: All-State honoree...Two-time All-South selection and two-time team MVP...Named his conference's Player of the Year in 2014 and 2015...Recorded 310 career tackles on defense and intercepted nine passes...Holds school records for interceptions in a season (7), interceptions in a career (9) and tackles in a career (310)...Caught 43 career passes for 934 yards and nine touchdowns...Also scored five rushing touchdowns and threw for another as a senior in 2015-16...Also played baseball and basketball...Son of Bethany and Josh Berner...Has one sister, Rachel.
Career Notes: First-team All-State selection by the coaches association as a senior...Two-time All-Conference selection...Recorded 56 catches, 1,034 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior...Team won back-to-back state championships in his sophomore and junior seasons...Also played defense and had 47 tackles and three interceptions as a senior...Had a team-leading four interceptions as a junior...Returned punts and kicks, and had both a punt return and kick return TD...Ended his career with 110 catches for 1,950 yards and 30 touchdowns...Also participated in track and field and qualified for the state meet in the 4x100 as a sophomore...Son of Amy and Joe Bonansinga...Father (SIU and Purdue) and grandfather (Illinois State) both played Division I football...Has six siblings: Gabe, Sophia, Luca, Micah, Gianna and Joseph...Intends to major in physiology.
Career Notes: 2015 Florida Class 8A All-State selection by the Associated Press...Named Central Florida All-Star game MVP...Two-time All-Area selection...Two-star prospect by Rivals.com...Had 61 tackles and four interceptions as a junior...Had four interceptions in a single game as a senior (school record)...Had 73 tackles, five tackles for loss and six interceptions as a senior in 2015...Also played basketball...Son of Frances Brown and Winna Milton...Has one sister, Champaigne Nelson...Intends to major in business.
Career Notes: Team captain and Impact Newcomer of the Year as a freshman at Mesa...Team captain and first-team All-Conference as a sophomore at Mesa in 2015...Will have two seasons of eligibility remaining...Son of Tara Brunetti...Has two siblings, Clayton Brunetti and Andrea Parilla...Intends to major in criminal justice.
Career Notes: Recorded 38 receptions for 406 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior...Two-year starter...Team advanced to the Class 7A playoffs...Also threw the shot put for the track and field team...Played at same high school as former Saluki Chris Arthurs...Son of Sonya Carter...Has one sister, Jasmyne...Intends to major in special education.
Career Notes: Two-time All-City honoree...Team defensive back of the year in 2014...Had 40 tackles, five interceptions and one defensive touchdown as a senior...Scored 10 total touchdowns on offense...Also played track and basketball...Son of Lundrell Johnson and James Ceaser, Sr....Has two siblings, Azaria Reed and Seniqua Harris...Intends to major in business.
Career Notes: All-State honoree as a senior by Associated Press and the coaches association...All-Metro Super Team defensive back by the Indianapolis Star in 2015...First-team All-County and All-Conference defensive back as a senior...Team defensive MVP in 2015...Set school records for interceptions in a season, interception return yards in a season and interceptions in a career...Had seven career interceptions and four in his senior season...Also played running back, where he averaged 6.9 yards on 101 carries...Son of Nichelle Gilbert and James Chinn...Has three siblings, Jay, Jenesis and Leah...Intends to major in Engineering technology.
Career Notes: Honorable mention All-State selection in 2015...Earned first-team All-Area honors as a senior in 2015 by the Joliet Herald News...Two-time first-team All-Conference honoree (SouthWest Suburban Blue)...Two-time Academic All-State selection...Two-time team offensive lineman of the year...Helped key Lockport's rushing attack that gained more than 1,000 yards...Also competed in track and field, where he qualified for the state meet in the shot put...Also participated in basketball and track and field...Son of Karen and Brian Chmielewski...Father played basketball at Iowa Wesleyan...Intends to major in engineering.
Career Notes: Two-time All-Conference honoree...All-State special mention honoree by the Chicago Tribune in 2015...Son of Melody Murriel and Channing Furcron...Has four siblings, Zyane, Channing, Malcom and Chanion.
Career Notes: Two-time All-Conference and honorable mention All-State honoree...2015 team MVP...Averaged 41.6 yards per punt and had a touchback rate of 81.8 percent on kickoffs...Also played running back and outside linebacker in high school...Scored three rushing touchdowns, kicked two field goals and one PAT to account for all 26 points in a 26-14 win over Fairfield in the playoffs...Rushed for 518 yards and 16 touchdown...Son of Dorice and Andy Gualdoni...Has one sibling, Luca...Plans to major in engineering technology.
Career Notes: Three-star prospect by 247sports.com...Rated the a top-50 dual threat quarterback nationally by 247sports.com...Three star prospect by Rivals.com...Two-star prospect by Scout.com...Set a county record with eight touchdown passes in the last game of his career...Combined to throw and run for more than 100 touchdowns in his career.
Career Notes: First-team All-Conference honoree by the Chicago Sun-Times in 2015...Three-time All-Conference honoree...Two-time All-City honoree...Two-time team MVP...As a senior, led Raby to first playoff win in school history...Had 90 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and five sacks...Also blocked two punts and scored two defensive touchdowns...Son of Daphne Haynes and Cordell Richmond...Has three siblings, Breyonna Haynes, Shaquana Richmond and Donald Aguirre, Jr...Also participated in wrestling, baseball, track and field and bowling.
Career Notes: Played two seasons at Minnesota...Played as a true freshman in 2014...Played in 18 games in the secondary and as a punt returner...Served as the primary punt returner for the Golden Gophers in both seasons...Three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals, Scout and 247Sports...ESPN ranked him as the No. 27 player in Illinois, while 247Sports had him at No. 32...The No. 48 defensive back in the nation according to ESPN, No. 69 by 247Sports and No. 80 by Scout.
Career Notes: Two-time first-team All-Conference honoree...Two-time first-team All-Area honoree from the Daily Chronicle...Team captain...Helped DeKalb advance to the Class 6A quarterfinals in 2015, the longest playoff run for the school in 35 years...2014 team won the program's first conference title since 1989...Also participated in track and field...Son of Cathy and Joe LaPointe...Has one brother, Will.
Career Notes: Part of Crete-Monee program that won 34-straight conference games...Team was Illinois Class 6A state runner-up in 2015...Averaged 14.2 yards on 43 catches with four touchdowns as a senior...Caught a touchdown in Crete-Monee's 40-37 Class 6A semifinal win to help send the team to the state championship game...Son of Andrea McCullum and Jevelyn and Lance Lenoir, Sr....Has three siblings, Lance Lenoir, Jr., Jalyn Lenoir and Logan McCullum...Brother, Lance, plays at Western Illinois and holds the school record for career touchdowns...Cousin of NFL draft prospect Laquon Treadwell...Ranked as a top-15 wide receiver in the state of Illinois...Intends to major in business.
Career Notes: Two-star prospect by Scout.com...Has a 6-9 wingspan...Voted All-District defensive end by district coaches in 2014 and 2015...Had 96 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, three interceptions and two forced fumbles...Also played basketball...Son of Mia and Bryant Notree...Father played basketball at Illinois...Has one brother, Brayden...Intends to major in exercise science.
Career Notes: Two-time All-Area, team MVP and All-Conference selection...Earned Academic All-State honors in 2015...Invited to play in the Blue-Grey All-American bowl...Racked up 45 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks in his final two high school seasons...Also played basketball...Son of Kathy and Scott Parzych...Father played basketball at North Carolina State and professionally in Europe...Intends to major in kinesiology.
Career Notes: Two-time Academic All-State honoree...Two-time All-State, All-Conference and All-South running back...Ran for 2,490 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns...Ran for more than 1,000 yards in both his junior and senior seasons...Averaged 8.3 yards per carry...Also participated in baseball and track and field...Son of Laurie and Kevin Rendleman...Intends to major in biological sciences.
Career Notes: Three-star prospect by 247sports.com and Rivals.com ...Ranked top-175 wide receiver nationally by 247sports.com...Ranked as the No. 22 player and No. 8 wide receiver in Miami-Dade county by the Miami Herald.
Career Notes: Played at Stillman College (Division II)...Played in 24 games, completing 468 passes for 5,470 yards and 53 touchdowns...Earned All-Conference recognition in 2014...Was a preseason All-American in 2015, but did not play while rehabbing from an injury...Graduated in December 2015 with a bachelor's degree in health sciences (3.98 GPA)...Earned 2014-15 SIAC All-Academic Team honors...Played eight-man football in high school, as well as basketball and baseball...Threw for more than 11,600 yards in high school with 141 touchdowns...2011 All-State honoree in Washington.
Career Notes: Played in 15 games over two seasons at Kansas...Made 10 tackles, 1.0 TFL and recovered a fumble...Rated a four-star prospect out of high school by ESPN.com...ESPN rated him the ninth-best outside linebacker, fifth-best player in the state of Illinois and the 13th-best player in the Midlands region in the class of 2014...Selected to play in the Semper Fidelis All-American game...A two-time all-state, all-metro and all-conference performer...Set a school record for single-season tackles with 165 stops in 2013...Recorded 21 tackles in a game as senior, setting the school single-game tackling mark...Also had 9.0 sacks and three interceptions in 2013...Tallied 142 tackles, 5.0 sacks and three interceptions as a junior...Played for head coach Darren Sunkett at East St. Louis HS... Also lettered in baseball, basketball, tennis and track and field.
Career Notes: Two-time honorable mention Class 3A All-State selection in Florida...Caught 64 passes for 930 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015...Caught 138 career receptions for 1,715 yards and 17 touchdowns...Earned All-East Coast Region Elite Second Team by FloridaHSFootball.com as a junior and senior...Two-time team offensive player of the year...Caught 69 passes for 744 yards and five touchdowns as a junior...Named to FloridaHSFootball.com East Coach Region Super 16 team prior to senior season...Also participated in baseball, basketball and track and field...Son of Cara and Greg Wilfong...Has three siblings, Harrison, Allison and Hudson...Intends to major in sports management.
2016 Football Schedule 
