Malone University head football coach Fred Thomas is pleased to announce the addition of 19 student-athletes who will join the Pioneer program for the 2017 season. Among the initial wave of recruits are 16 high school products and three mid-semester transfers. The class is expected to grow significantly in the upcoming weeks as additional student-athletes make their collegiate choices.
 
2017 Recruiting Class

Name	Pos	Ht	Wt	High School
Tyriq Ellis	RB	6'0"	190	Warren Howland
Marlon Pearson	WR	6'0"	185	Niles McKinley
Erich Sonntag	LB	6'0"	190	Brecksville-Broadview Heights
Nate Sudberry	DL	6'0"	280	Gilmour Academy
Ryan Crews	LB/FB	5'11"	230	Madison (MI)
Jalen Tucker	WR	6'0"	180	Twinsburg
Jaylon Doss	DB	5'9"	170	Copley
Ty West	WR	6'2"	170	Toronto
DaKota Hobbs	Slot	5'9"	165	Youngstown Ursuline
Jovan Diouf	OL	6'4"	270	Nordonia
Jake Steiner	LS	6'1"	165	GlenOak
Darrell Gaddis	DB	5'11"	175	Cleveland Heights
Dalton Jones	OL	6'3"	270	Karns City (PA)
DJ Hancock	ATH	6'0"	185	Alliance
Mike Mathie	OL	6'4"	320	GlenOak
Austin Jewell	LB	6'2"	210	Hamilton Township
Transfers
James Jackson	WR	6'3"	185	Jefferson Area HS/Edinboro University
Xavier Moore	RB	5'8"	185	Grove City HS/Ashland University
James Curry	DB	5'9"	180	East HS (Columbus, OH) (2015 Grad)

Player Bios
 
RB Tyriq Ellis – Ran for over 3000 yards and 50 touchdowns in three years at Howland. Named All-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Northeast Ohio Inland District.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Tyriq is an explosive running back with great speed. He is also a very physical runner who can break tackles. He had a great career for a very successful Warren Howland program. "
 
WR Marlon Pearson – Totaled 95 receptions for 1700 yards and 18 touchdowns during his career. Named First Team All-American Conference and Second Team All-Northeast Ohio Inland District.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Marlon is an outstanding wide receiver. He has great hands, runs really good routes, and demanded consistent double teams which is a tribute to what kind of football player he is."
 
LB Erich Sonntag – Tallied 38 tackles as a senior safety/linebacker for the OHSAA playoff-qualifying Brecksvile-Broadview Heights Bees. Named All-Suburban League Academic
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Erich is a really solid football player. He's very intelligent, runs well, and is a very good tackler."
 
DL Nate Sudberry – Run-stuffing defensive tackle led a Gilmour Academy squad that allowed just 13.2 points per game last fall. Named Second Team All-Northeast Ohio Lakes District
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Nate brings a valued inside presence to our defense. He's a big strong young man who is a great run-stopper in the middle which is something we need more of to make teams one-dimensional."
 
LB/FB Ryan Crews – Standout two-way player ran for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns as a fullback. Named Detroit News All-Metro Honorable Mention and Honorable Mention All-Michigan as a linebacker.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "We liked Ryan right away. We don't know which side of the ball that we're going to play him on yet, but he's very physical and really moves well for a 230-pounder."
  
WR Jalen Tucker - Starred at quarterback at Twinsburg where he led the Tigers to their most wins since 2012 last fall. Named First Team All-Suburban League and Northeast Inland District Honorable Mention.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Jalen is very very fast and has good hands. He had a great career at Twinsburg and can do a number of different things for us in the passing game."
 
DB Jaylon Doss – Gifted free safety tallied 83 tackles and three INTs to lead Copley to a playoff berth. Named First Team All-Suburban League, First Team All-Northeast Inland District, and Special Mention All-Ohio.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "We're excited to have Jaylon. Doss is a big name in Canton, Ohio from a great family. He is extremely aggressive and is a heads-up football player."
 
WR Ty West - Speedy wideout led Toronto to consecutive postseason berths. Named Second Team All-Eastern District. Also earned All-Ohio in track as a junior, finishing 2nd in the 200 meters (22.20 s).
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Ty is one of the fastest kids in the state of Ohio and he can really run. He gives us speed at the receiver spot which will help offset double teams on Ashton (Dulin)."
 
Slot Dakota Hobbs – Played slot receiver, corner, and returned kicks at Ursuline. Named Honorable Mention Northeast Inland District. Multi-sport athlete was also a state qualifier in the long jump.
 
Coach Thomas' Comment: "Dakota had a great career at Ursuline and his quickness is his best attribute. He's not really big but he's very elusive and runs really well."
 
OL Jovan Diouf – Big and physical lineman played guard and tackle for a Nordonia squad that produced over 33 points a game the last two seasons and reached the regional semifinal in 2015.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Jovan is a terrific athlete for a lineman. We are bringing him in as an offensive lineman but he's quick enough and has good enough feet where he could play on either side of the ball."
 
LS Jake Steiner – Special teams ace also played linebacker for a Canton GlenOak squad that reached the OHSAA playoff in consecutive seasons. Named Honorable Mention All-Federal League.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Jake is as good a long snapper that I've seen in high school football in a long time. His father was a very close friend of mine and he would be very proud of Jake today."
 
DB Darrell Gaddis – Shutdown corner was left on an island at Cleveland Heights. Named All-Lake Erie League and Honorable Mention All-Northeast Lakes District.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Darrell has been one of the top players on our board from day one. He is an outstanding defensive back coming from a great program at Cleveland Heights and we are excited to have him."
 
OL Dalton Jones – Athletic guard helped pave the way for a Karns City squad that averaged 39 points per games and reached the PIAA Quarterfinal. Named All-Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "Dalton is going to help provide us depth along the offensive line which is something we need. He has the ability to get bigger and he will."
 
ATH DJ Hancock – Excelled at wide receiver, corner, and kick returner at Alliance where he scored 18 career touchdowns. Named First Team All-Northeastern Buckeye Conference, First Team Northeast Ohio Inland District, and Special Mention All-Ohio. Standout athlete is also an All-Ohioan in basketball.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "DJ is an outstanding all-around athlete with a great vertical. We don't know yet where we are going to put him because he can help us at so many different positions."
 
OL Mike Mathie – Powerful right tackle was part of a Canton GlenOak squad that reached the OHSAA Division I playoffs in consecutive seasons. Named Second Team All-Federal League.
 
Coach Thomas' comments: "Mike is another big strong kid that gives us more strength and size on the offensive line. He's a very physical football player."
 
LB Austin Jewell – Hard-hitting outside linebacker starred on the defensive unit for a Hamilton Township team that reached the Regional Final. Named All-Mid State League and First Team All-Central District.
 
Coach Thomas' comments: "Austin is a tremendous linebacker out of Hamilton Township. He's another very physical football player and we are fortunate that he chose us."

WR James Jackson – Started three games as a true freshman wide receiver at Edinboro, where he caught six passes for 101 yards. He was an All-Conference receiver in high school.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "James is a skilled receiver with experience at the DII level. He has two years of eligibility remaining and we were fortunate to get him to transfer to Malone."
 
RB Xavier Moore – Redshirted for one season at Ashland University after a standout prep career in which he lettered three times at Grove City high school.
 
Coach Thomas' Comments: "We recruited Xavier out of high school before he decided to go to Ashland. He's a steady and physical running back."
 
DB James Curry – Named Special Mention All-Central District as a quarterback at East High School in Columbus in 2014. Has been out of football for the past two seasons.
 
Coach Thomas' Comment: "James has been away from the game for a couple years but was very aggressive on his high school film."