Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The early signing period for college football is here and the Troy Trojans are expected to have a big day as many players in the 2023 Recruiting Class officially become Trojans.

The Messenger will be updating right here live as Troy receives letters-of-intents from incoming freshmen and transfers throughout the day.

Troy coach Jon Sumrall is expected to give comments at 2 p.m., as well.

Jordan Lovett – RB – 6’0”, 185 lbs. – Statesboro High School (Statesboro, Ga.)

Lovett comes to Troy straight out of Georgia Southern’s backyard and signed with Troy over offers from Georgia Southern, Charlotte, Liberty, Coastal Carolina, Georgia State, Massachusetts, Middle Tennessee, Jackson State, Tulane, The Citadel and more.

He tallied 1,035 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior at Statesboro High School and was also a member of the Statesboro track and field team.

Ethan Conner – TE – 6’3”, 220 lbs. – East Mississippi Community College (Columbus, Miss.)

Conner is another junior college (JUCO) singing for the Trojans and is one of the more versatile players in the signing class. The 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pounder played both receiver and quarterback at EMCC. He caught 16 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown this past season. He also scored six rushing touchdowns as a freshman.

In high school, Conner was a Class 5A All-State second-team athlete. He signed with Troy over offers from Texas State, ULM, McNeese State and Southeastern Louisiana.

Deshaun Batiste – DL – 6’2”, 250 lbs. – John F. Kennedy High School (New Orleans, LA)

Known as “The Reaper,” Batiste is a two-time All-State defensive lineman that signed with Troy over offers from ULM, South Alabama, Southern Miss and Tulane.

The three-star rated prospect is also a three-time All-District selection, two-time District MVP and two-time District Defensive Player of the Year. As a senior, Batiste racked up 71 tackles and 18 sacks for JFK High School. He also had 22 sacks as a junior and is a three-sport athlete, playing baseball and basketball, as well.

Timothy Roberson – DB – 5’11, 180 lbs. – Valdosta High School (Valdosta, Ga.)

Roberson earned First-Team All Region honors as a senior at Valdosta and he ended the season with 22 tackles, 10 pass breakups and seven interceptions.

Roberson signed with Troy over offers from Coastal Carolina, Middle Tennessee State, Kennesaw State, Mercer, Charlotte, Jacksonville State, Ohio, UAB, Grambling State, Illinois State, Eastern Kentucky, Air Force and more.

JD Sherrod – QB – 6’1”, 205 lbs. – Briarcrest Christian High School (Memphis, Tenn.)

Sherrod is rated as a three-star quarterback by 247Sports and is as the No. 88 overall quarterback in the country. He selected Troy over offers from other schools like Western Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Miami (Ohio), Southeast Missouri State and others.

As a junior, Sherrod earned First-Team All-State honors and threw for 2,847 yards and 30 touchdowns. Sherrod is expected to enroll at Troy early and be available for spring practices.

Chris Lewis – WR – 6’4”, 202 lbs. – University of Kentucky (Pleasant Grove)

Lewis comes to Troy after two years at Kentucky, where he redshirted in 2021 and caught two passes for 22 yards and a touchdown in 2022.

Lewis may have started his collegiate career in the SEC at Kentucky, but he is an Alabama native and was an All-State receiver at Pleasant Grove High School. He was rated as a four-star prospect coming out of high school by 247Sports and earned 70 catches for 1,235 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior.

Lewis also has a winning pedigree, helping lead his high school team to back-to-back state championships in 2019 and 2020. Lewis also earned First-Team Birmingham All-Region and Sports Illustrated First-Team All-American honors in high school. He had over 40 offers coming out of high school, from schools like Ole Miss and Notre Dame.

Malaki Pegues – BANDIT – 6’4”, 225 lbs. – Oxford High School (Oxford, Miss.)

Pegueus is ranked as a three-star defensive lineman at both 247Sports and On3.com and will play the “Bandit” hybrid outside linebacker/defensive end position at Troy.

Pegeus chose Troy over offers from schools like Memphis, Middle Tennesse, Southern Miss, Tulane and South Alabama.

As a senior, Pegeus earned 60 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss, six sacks and tow forced fumbles, while earning First-Team All-State honors.

 

Billy Gilmore – OL – 6’4”, 285 lbs. – Alma Bryant High School (Bayou La Batre)

Gilmore is rated as a three-star interior offensive lineman by On3.com and he played both center and offensive tackle in high school. As a senior, Gilmore earned First-Team Class 7A All-State honors.

 

TJ Thompson – LB – 6’0, 210 lbs. – East Central Community College (Bolton, Miss.)

Thompson was a star running back in high school at Warren Central High School, earning Vicksburg Daily News’ Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 after rushing for 1,055 yards and 10 touchdowns. He converted to linebacker at East Central Community College (ECCC) and led the team with 87 tackles, 5.5 tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles. He signed with Troy over offers from schools like Old Dominion.

 

Chris Rodgers – LB – 6’2”, 207 lbs. – Corinth High School (Corinth, Ga.)

Rodgers originally committed to Southern Miss in the summer but flipped to Troy this week and has now signed with the Trojans over offers from Southern Miss, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Northwest Community College and Coahoma Community College.

Rodgers earned Clarion Ledger Large School All-State honors as a senior and was a member of Team Mississippi in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game. On defense, Rodgers recorded 109 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, three sacks and five forced fumbles as a senior. He also rushed for 653 yards and 13 touchdowns.

He was also MAC Region 1-4A Defensive MVP this season. He is rated as a three-star linebacker by both 247Sporst and On3.com.

 

Colton Walls – ATH – 6’3”, 215 lbs. – Stanhope Elmore High School (Millbrook)

Walls is an all-state infielder in baseball and was an all-state tight end in football this past season at Stanhope Elmore. He caught 18 passes for 228 yards and five touchdowns as a senior. During his high school career he played tight end, long snapper, quarterback, receiver and punter.

Walls will play both baseball and football at Troy and both his parents are Troy graduates. Walls’ father, Lee Walls, played football at Troy in the 2000s. While Walls is expected to serve as long snapper at Troy, he’s listed as an “athlete.”

Ty’Quarius Perry – DE – 6’2”, 265 lbs. – Jackson-Olin High School (Birmingham)

Perry is rated as a three-star prospect by On3.com and is the No. 71-ranked player in the State of Alabama. Perry chose Troy over offers from Georgia Tech, Austin Peay, Alcorn State, Georgia Southern, Coastal Carolina, Southern Miss, South Alabama, Marshall and Arkansas.

He tallied 62 tackles, 24.5 tackles-for-loss and 13.5 sacks as a senior. Perry, nicknamed “Suga Wolf,” earned All-Region honors in 2022, as well.

 

Steven Cattledge Jr. – LB – 6’3”, 205 lbs. – East Mississippi Community College (Columbs, Miss.)

Cattledge is ranked as a four-star linebacker by On.30 and is the No. 10 overall JUCO prospect, according to the recruiting service. Cattledge committed to Troy over offers from East Carolina, Louisiana-Monroe, Washington State, McNeese State, Southeast Louisiana and Central Arkansas.

Cattledge was a star at Columbus High School in Mississippi, where he earned Class 5A All-State honors as a senior. He went on to play two years at EMCC, one of the premier junior college programs in the country, and earned All-MACCC honors in 2022. Cattledge led the entire country in tackling with 120 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss, 10 sacks and one interception in 2022.

 

Tyler Bell – OL – 6’2”, 305 lbs. – Lausanne Collegiate School (Memphis, Tenn.)

Bell earned TSWA All-State honors at Lausanne Collegiate School as a senior this past season and is rated as a three-star prospect by both On3.com and 247Sports. He also earned all-region and all-metro honors as a senior. Bell signed with Troy over offers from schools like South Carolina, Arkansas Sate, Fordham, Georgia State, Middle Tennessee State, Tulane, UT-Martin and Western Kentucky.

 

Markendrick Beall – OL – 6’4”, 340 lbs. – Tyler Junior College (Tatus, Texas)

Bell is rated as a three-star interior offensive lineman by 247Sports and is rated as the No. 7 JUCO interior offensive lineman in the country. He signed with Troy over an offer from Incarnate Word. Beall was a two-year starter at Tyler Junior College in Texas. He was Preseason JUCO All-American going into his sophomore season.

 

 

Keyshawn Campbell – LB – 6’0”, 200 lbs. – Vero Beach High School (Vero Beach, Fla.)

Campbell is rated as a four-star linebacker by 247Sports and signed with Troy over offers from other schools like Georgia State, Florida Atlantic and Mississippi State.

Campbell was a leader for Vero Beach in 2023, tallying 83 tackles, 22.5 tackles-for-loss, seven sacks and one interception. As a junior, he earned 49 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss and 1.5 sacks.

Jackson Worley – TE – 6’4”, 225 lbs. – West Palm Beach, Fla. (King’s Academy)

Worley committed to Troy back in August, the Florida native played both tight end and defensive end for King’s Academy. As a junior, he earned 28 catches for 380 yards and five touchdowns along with four tackles-for-loss and two sacks on defense.

As a senior, Worley earned All-County honors at tight end. He caught 19 passes for 280 yards and five touchdowns.

Jack Tchienchou – CB – 5’10”, 176 lbs. – Saint Pius X High School (Atlanta, Ga.)

Tchinchou is rated as one of the top cornerbacks in the State of Georgia and a Top 100 cornerback in the entire country. He’s rated as a three-star prospect by 247sporrts and earned Class 4-AAAAAA Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. As a junior, Tchienchou earned All-Region honors with 33 tackles, two interceptions and 10 pass breakups. He also played running back for Saint Pius X.

Tchienchou signed with Troy over offers from Duke, Miami (Fla.), Louisville, Nebraska, Minnesota, Boston College, Wisconsin, Connecticut and Tennessee State.

Raymond Cutts – DE/LB – 6’3”, 260 lbs. – Garden City Community College (Orlando, Fla.)

Cutts was the first newcomer to send in his letter-of-intent on Wednesday morning and will likely be considered one of the “crown jewels” of this signing class.

Cutts was a star player at Jones High School in Florida, earning all-state honors with 125 tackles and 10 sacks in his senior season. Cutts signed with Central Florida over offers from other schools like Auburn, Baylor, Clemson and Kentucky. In 2020, Cutts transferred to Garden City Community College in Kansas and become one of the top edge rushers in all of junior college (JUCO) football.

Cutts earned back-to-back NJCAA First-Team All-American honors and All-Conference honors in both 2020 and 2021. He tallied 23 tackles, three sacks and eight tackles-for-loss in 2021 and earned 58 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss and 11 sacks this past season.