National Signing Day 2011: TCU

TCU head coach Gary Patterson and the Rose Bowl-champion Horned Frog football program have announced the signing of 24 players.

The Horned Frogs' recruiting class is rated 23rd nationally by Scout.com and 25th by Rivals.com, the highest rankings in TCU's history.

All the newcomers are three star and above recruits. Three of the newest Horned Frogs earned four-star status: wide receivers LaDarius Brown (Waxahachie) and Brandon Carter (Euless) and defensive tackle Chuck Hunter (West Monroe, La.).

Brown and Carter are ranked among the top-five athletes in Texas, while Hunter is listed as one of the nation's best defensive linemen.

Brown is ranked by Rivals.com as the top athlete in Texas and the No. 4 athlete in the nation. He's also No. 1 in the country in ball-handling skills for athletes. Carter, who played quarterback at Trinity High School, is the No. 5 athlete in the state and No. 33 in the nation. Hunter is ranked as the third-best defensive tackle in Louisiana and the 27th-best player at his position in the country.

TCU has now signed nine four-star recruits in the last three classes. The Horned Frogs had just five four-star signees in the previous eight years combined (2001-08).

Eighteen of the 24 signees are in-state products with 10 landing in the Rivals.com Texas Postseason Top 100.

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Six states are represented in this year's recruiting class. Two signees come from Oklahoma, including Del City High School teammates Chazten Gonzales and Jamelle Naff. Gonzales is listed No. 2 among dual-threat quarterbacks in Oklahoma, while Naff is the top-rated guard prospect in Oklahoma and the 21st-ranked player in the nation at his position.

Linebackers Deryck Gildon (Arlington) and Austin Terry (Lago Vista) and cornerback Jason Verrett (Santa Rosa, Calif.) have already enrolled at TCU and will take part in spring practice.

The 24 signees are split evenly between offense and defense.

The most-common position signed was wide receiver with five players, while four safeties were inked. There were three cornerbacks and three linebackers signed.

Verrett is ranked as the sixth-best junior college defensive back in the nation and the 35th-best overall JC prospect. He is joined at cornerback by Travoskey Garrett (Lufkin) and Kolby Griffin (Houston). Griffin is rated No. 8 among cornerbacks in Texas and No. 51 in the nation.

Rivals.com ranks Chris Hackett (Tyler) as the No. 2 safety in Texas and No. 38 in the nation. He was a first-team Rivals.com High School All-American and a second-team Parade All-American. The other incoming safeties are Quincy Aldridge (Whitehouse), James Bailey (Everman) and Jamie Byrd (Dade City, Fla.). Aldridge totaled 20 interceptions in his high school career. Bailey was the 4A District 7 Most Valuable Player.

In addition to Hunter, the other signee at defensive tackle is Jon Lewis (Spring). A Klein Oak High School product, Lewis posted 13 sacks as a senior.

Joining Gildon and Terry at linebacker in the recruiting class is Laderice Sanders (Arlington), who is rated ninth and 36th among inside linebackers in Texas and the nation, respectively.

Trevone Boykin (Mesquite) totaled 4,729 yards of offense and 58 touchdowns as a senior. He rushed for 1,799 yards and 30 touchdowns while passing for another 28 scores. Boykin is rated as the fifth-best dual-threat quarterback in Texas and No. 24 in the nation.

Wide receiver David Bush (Tyler) and Dominic Merka (Crosby) were both quarterbacks in high school. Bush is ranked as the seventh-best athlete in Texas and No. 50 in the nation. Merka totaled 3,096 yards of offense and 24 touchdowns his senior year.

Bolstering the wide receiver position are DeSoto High School teammates David Porter III and Cameron White. The duo combined for 21 touchdown catches as seniors. Porter and White are ranked ninth and 10th, respectively, among wide receivers in Texas.

Joining Naff among the offensive linemen are Brady Foltz (Rose Hill, Kan.), Bobby Thompson (Midland) and Carter Wall (Richmond). All carry rankings among the best in the state and nation. Foltz, like his older brother and current Horned Frog Blaize Foltz, is a guard. Thompson and Wall are tackles.

Quincy Aldridge (S, 6-2, 195, Whitehouse, Texas; Whitehouse High School)
First-team 4A All-District 14 as a junior and senior … totaled 48 tackles and four interceptions his senior year ... added six receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown … totaled 20 picks in his high school career … was a second-team all-district pick and third-team all-state selection his sophomore year ... named the district's Newcomer of the Year as a freshman ... also lettered in basketball for three years and in track and field for two years … chose TCU over Notre Dame and Illinois … comes from the same Whitehouse program that produced TCU fullback Luke Shivers ... his father, Jerry Aldridge, played for the San Francisco 49ers from 1980-82 ... has an older brother, Cory Aldridge, who was a fourth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves and currently plays for the Los Angeles Angels ... a cousin, Kevin Aldridge, played for the St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans from 2003-07.

James Bailey (S, 6-1, 200, Everman, Texas; Everman High School)
Earned 4A District 7 Most Valuable Player honors as a senior … rushed for 967 yards and 12 touchdowns, including a 77-yard score, as a senior … added 591 yards receiving with eight touchdown catches … had a long receiving score of 87 yards … totaled 48 tackles on defense … had a 64-yard kickoff return … rushed for 565 yards and six touchdowns his junior year … had 161 receiving yards and three scores … recorded 29 tackles and three interceptions on defense … chose TCU over Oklahoma State, Baylor and Arizona.

Trevone Boykin (QB, 6-1, 205, Mesquite, Texas; West Mesquite HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 24 dual-threat quarterback in the nation and No. 5 in the state of Texas … listed as No. 100 in the Rivals.com Texas Postseason Top 100 ... district most valuable player and honorable-mention all-state as a senior … rushed for 1,799 yards and 30 touchdowns … also completed 60.7 percent (198-of-326) of his passes for 2,930 yards and 28 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions … totaled 4,729 yards of offense and 58 touchdowns … ran for 1,380 yards and 24 scores as a junior … completed 53.2 percent (116-of-218) of his pass attempts for 1,666 yards and 10 touchdowns … totaled 3,046 yards and 34 touchdowns … chose TCU over UTEP.

LaDarius Brown (WR, 6-2, 190, Waxahachie, Texas; Waxahachie HS)
A Rivals.com four-star recruit … ranked as the No. 4 athlete in the nation and the No. 53 overall player in the Rivals 100 … ranks first nationally in ball-handling skills for athletes ... the top-rated athlete in Texas and the seventh-ranked in-state prospect for all positions … the 4A District 15 Offensive Most Valuable Player at wide receiver … was also honorable-mention 4A All-State at receiver … totaled 781 receiving yards and eight touchdowns as a senior … chose TCU over Alabama, Auburn, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

David Bush (WR, 5-10, 165, Tyler, Texas; John Tyler HS)
First-team all-state and the 4A District 14 Most Valuable Player … All-East Texas ... ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 50 athlete nationally and No. 7 in Texas … a triple-threat in high school, finishing with 1,998 yards passing, 1,450 yards rushing and 365 yards receiving in his career … lettered one year in basketball … chose TCU over SMU and Tulsa ... has a brother, Antione Bush, who played football at North Texas.

Jamie Byrd (S, 5-11, 180, Dade City, Fla.; Pasco High School)
A two-time All-Sunshine Conference selection and the league's Defensive Player of the Year ... led Pasco in tackles his junior and senior seasons ... averaged 12.9 tackles per game as a senior ... totaled 129 tackles, including 101 solo stops, with six sacks his junior year ... added four fumble recoveries and a pass breakup ... helped lead Pasco to a pair of district championships in addition to region and conference titles ... a two-year recipient of a Pasco Leadership Award ... chose TCU over Boise State and Purdue.

Brandon Carter (WR, 5-11, 161, Euless, Texas; Trinity HS)
A four-star recruit by ESPN and Scouts.com … ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 33 athlete and No. 5 in Texas ... listed as the No. 70 overall player in the state … Scouts.com tabs him the nation's 21st-ranked wide receiver … an all-state selection his senior year and the 5A District 6 Most Valuable Player … rushed for 1,239 yards on an 11.6 per carry average with 14 touchdowns as a senior … also had 25 receptions for 394 yards (15.8 average) and four scores … totaled 2,300 yards of offense and 18 touchdowns … chose TCU over Oklahoma.

Brady Foltz (OG, 6-4, 290, Rose Hill, Kan.; Rose Hill HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 41 guard nationally and No. 2 in the state of Kansas … the 10th-ranked overall recruit in Kansas … a 4A first-team all-state and all-league selection on the offensive and defensive lines as a senior and junior … did not allow a sack his final two seasons ... totaled 101 pancake blocks his senior year as Rose Hill rushed for 3,500 yards ... totaled 21 tackles on defense with a sack and an interception return for a touchdown … team captain and most valuable player ... a Wichita All-Metro selection and a member of the Wichita Eagle Top 22 ... a four-year letterman in football who also lettered three years in basketball and track and field ... younger brother of current TCU offensive guard Blaize Foltz … his father, Roger Foltz, played football at Wake Forest ... his mother, Heidi Foltz, was a basketball player at Fort Hays State ... chose TCU over Air Force and Colorado State.

Travoskey Garrett (CB, 6-1, 186, Lufkin, Texas; Lufkin HS)
Named to the 5A Division 14 first-team defense … totaled 75 tackles and three interceptions as a senior … also lettered in track and field and was a district champion in the triple jump.

Deryck Gildon (LB, 6-2, 205, Arlington, Texas; Martin HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 34 outside linebacker and No. 4 in the state of Texas … the 66th-best prospect for all positions in Texas … recorded 50 tackles with a sack and interception as a senior … added 338 receiving yards and four touchdowns at tight end … chose TCU over Baylor, Colorado, Iowa and Texas Tech.

Chazten Gonzales (QB, 6-2, 185, Del City, Okla.; Del City HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 15 recruit in the state of Oklahoma … listed as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in Oklahoma ... completed 56.6 percent (159-of-281) of his passes for 2,455 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior … rushed for 432 yards and five touchdowns … chose TCU over Oklahoma State.

Kolby Griffin (CB, 5-11, 176, Houston, Texas; St. Pius X HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 51 cornerback nationally and No. 8 in the state of Texas … has a No. 96 ranking in the Texas Top 100 … first-team all-district and first-team 5A TAPPS All-State as a junior and senior ... returned the lone interception of his junior season for a touchdown … chose TCU over Arkansas, Baylor and Texas Tech.

Chris Hackett (S, 6-1, 185, Tyler, Texas; John Tyler HS)
A Rivals.com first-team All-American and a second-team Parade All-American ... ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 38 safety nationally and No. 2 in the state of Texas … listed No. 49 in the Texas Top 100 … a first-team all-state selection ... was also first-team All-East Texas and a first-team 4A District pick … named the East Texas Defensive Player of the Year … also selected to the East Texas Dream Team ... totaled 62 tackles, 12 interceptions, 12 pass breakups and four forced fumbles as a senior … was also a three-year letterman in basketball … chose TCU over Utah.

Chuck Hunter (DT, 6-1, 294, West Monroe, La.; West Monroe HS)
A Rivals.com four-star recruit … ranked as the No. 27 defensive tackle in the nation and No. 3 in the state of Louisiana ... the No. 15 overall player in Louisiana … a 5A first-team All-State selection … named Louisiana's Outstanding Defensive Player of the Year … was also the 5A District 1 Defensive Most Valuable Player … totaled 82 tackles, including 18 for loss with five sacks as a senior ... added three forced fumbles, one recovery and two pass breakups … recorded a game-high nine solo stops, including a 12-yard sack, in the 5A championship game ... chose TCU over Baylor, Illinois, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri and Oklahoma State.

Jon Lewis (DT, 6-2, 265, Spring, Texas; Klein Oak HS)
A 5A District 13 second-team selection … totaled 89 tackles with 13 sacks as a senior … chose TCU over Alabama, Arizona, Baylor, California, Michigan, Oklahoma State, Oregon and Texas Tech.

Dominic Merka (ATH, 6-4, 220, Crosby, Texas; Crosby HS)
A 4A District 19 first-team selection at quarterback … totaled 3,096 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior … ran for 995 yards and 12 scores … passed for 2,101 yards and 12 touchdowns … rushed for 1,009 yards and nine scores his junior year … added 1,320 yards passing and 10 touchdowns with just five interceptions … his total offensive output was 2,329 yards and 19 touchdowns … recipient of Newcomer of the Year honors ... also lettered in track and field ... chose TCU over Baylor and Utah.

Jamelle Naff (OG, 6-4, 311, Del City, Okla.; Del City HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 21 guard nationally and No. 1 in the state of Oklahoma … listed as the fourth-best overall prospect in Oklahoma … a first-team all-state selection … chose TCU over Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Kansas State and Missouri.

David Porter III (WR, 6-0, 185, DeSoto, Texas; DeSoto HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 45 wide receiver nationally and No. 9 in the state of Texas … listed as the No. 61 prospect in Texas … a 5A District 11 first-team selection as a sophomore, junior and senior … was third-team all-state his junior and senior years ... totaled 70 receptions for 905 receiving yards and seven touchdowns as a senior … had 63 catches for 1,033 yards and nine scores his junior year ... recorded 31 receptions for 255 yards as a sophomore ... DeSoto's Most Valuable Player his senior year ... named the Wide Receiver of the Year as a junior ... a three-year football letterman who also lettered three years in track and field ... an honorable-mention academic all-state honoree his senior year ... a member of the National Society of High School Scholars ... chose TCU over Cincinnati, Iowa State, Virginia and Wake Forest.

Laderice Sanders (LB, 6-1, 220, Arlington, Texas; Arlington HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 36 inside linebacker nationally and No. 9 in the state of Texas ... rated as the No. 95 overall prospect in the state of Texas … a first-team 5A All-District 4 selection … chose TCU over Minnesota.

Austin Terry (LB, 6-2, 221, Lago Vista, Texas; Lago Vista High School)
A 2A second-team All-State selection … the District 13 Defensive Most Valuable Player … chose TCU over Rice.

Bobby Thompson (OT, 6-7, 285, Midland, Texas; Midland Christian)
The 37th-ranked offensive tackle nationally by Rivals.com and No. 6 in the state of Texas … also listed as the No. 62 overall prospect in Texas … a TAPPS first-team All-State selection … was also a TAPPS District 1 first-team pick … chose TCU over Baylor, Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

Jason Verrett (CB, 5-10, 180, Santa Rosa, Calif.; Santa Rosa JC)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the sixth-best junior college defensive back ... also listed 35th nationally for overall JC players ... chose TCU over Boise State.

Carter Wall (OT, 6-5, 263, Richmond, Texas; Travis HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 79 offensive tackle in the nation and No. 13 in the state of Texas … a 5A District 23 first-team selection … chose TCU over Arizona State, Baylor, Kansas, Mississippi State, Missouri, Utah and Virginia.

Cameron White (WR, 6-2, 185, DeSoto, Texas; DeSoto HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 50 wide receiver nationally and No. 10 in the state of Texas … the 72nd-ranked player in Texas … a 5A District 11 second-team selection as a junior and senior … recipient of Wide Receiver of the Year accolades ... totaled 45 receptions for 700 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior … had 59 catches for 729 yards and 10 scores as a junior … a two-year letterman in football who also lettered in track and field ... chose TCU over Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Vanderbilt and Virginia.
 

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