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EIU Coach Adam Cushing Video 

CHARLESTON, Ill. – Eastern Illinois first-year head football coach Adam Cushing and his coaching staff made a splash during their first recruiting class as the Panthers landed EIU's biggest recruiting class in recent years with 26 players added for next year's roster including 18 from the State of Illinois.
 
The new additions include 23 players added during today's National Signing Day and three players who signed during the early signing period in December.  The breakdown of the roster includes areas that EIU needed to bolster for next season with seven offensive linemen, four defensive linemen, five linebackers, five defensive backs, two wide receivers, two running backs and a kicker/punter. 
 
"This is a great day for Eastern Illinois football as we build the foundation for this program to win next season and in the years ahead," said Cushing.  "Our staff worked extremely hard in putting this class together showing the type of servant leaders they are by recruiting young men of not only great athletic ability but also great character and great academic ability.  The average GPA for the incoming class is 3.32 with 22 of the players being named team captain for their school.  It is a diverse group with 25 of the 26 playing another sport for their schools.  The group has 30 All-Conference selections, ten conference MVP's, 19 conference championship programs and three state championship programs." 
 
Eastern Illinois opens 2019 spring practice on Tuesday, March 19.  The 2019 season opener will be on August 31 at Chattanooga. 
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Connor Aldrich (Defensive Back, 6-0, 160, Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem HS) – Played wide receiver and defensive back for coach Jim Morrow at Harlem HS… helped team post a 7-3 record advancing to IHSA Class 7A playoffs… caught 22 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns… on defense registered 18 tackle with six interceptions and seven pass break-ups… returned two interceptions for touchdowns… averaged 24.3 yards per kickoff return… as a junior had 30 tackles with two interceptions while catching 16 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns… team captain…
 
Ameer Aqel (Linebacker, 6-2, 205, Tinley Park, Ill./Andrew HS) – Played defensive line for coach Adam Lewandowski at Andrew HS… helped team post a 6-4 record advancing to the IHSA Class 7A state playoffs as a senior… was a second team All-Area selection and first team All-Conference pick… finished with 41 tackles and three sacks… team captain…
 
Joel Barrows (Linebacker, 6-3, 190, Chicago, Ill./Brooks Prep) – Played wide receiver and defensive back for coach Ben McCall at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep in Chicago… helped team post a 7-4 record as a senior advancing to the IHSA Class 5A State playoffs, the first winning season and playoff appearance for the school since 2013… on defense registered 43 tackles with eight sacks and six forced fumbles… was team's top receiving threat finishing with 23 receptions, 315 yards and six touchdowns… was a two-time All-Chicago Public League Illini-Heartland Division selection… team captain…
 
Charlie Brooks (Defensive Line, 6'0, 230, Flossmoor, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor HS) – Played defensive end for coach Craig Buzea at Homewood-Flossmoor HS… helped team reach the IHSA Class 8A quarterfinals as a senior with team finishing 10-2 on the year… finished season with 44 tackles including seven sacks… added four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery returned for a touchdown…
 
Dylan Czerlanis (Offensive Line, 6-4, 290, Antioch, Ill./Antioch HS) – Played center for coach Brian Glashagel at Antioch HS… helped team advance to the IHSA playoffs three straight seasons, twice at the Class 6A level and once at the class 5A level… team advanced to the 6A quarterfinals during senior season finishing with an 11-1 record… named to the Class 6A All-State team as a senior… twice named All-Area… Academic All-Conference and Academic All-State selection… team captain…
 
Ivan Gleyzer (Offensive Line, 6-4, 270, Lincolnshire, Ill./Stevenson HS) – Played offensive line for coach Josh Hjorth at Adlai Stevenson HS… helped team post back-to-back six win seasons advancing to the IHSA Class 8A playoffs as a junior… was named All-Area as a senior offensive guard helping team rush for more than 1,2000 yards on the season… team captain…
 
Brandon Guido (Defensive Back, 5-9, 170, Aurora, Ill./Waubonsie Valley HS) – Played safety and wide receiver for coach Paul Murphy at Waubonsie Valley HS… helped team post a 7-4 record as a senior advancing to the second round of the IHSA Class 8A state playoffs… finished season with 24 tackles including three interceptions and nine pass break-ups… on offense hauled in two touchdown passes... team captain…
 
David Hardwick (Running Back, 6-0, 195, Roselle, Ill./Lake Park HS) – Played for coach Chris Roll at Lake Park HS… was a starter at running back and linebacker… was a first-team DuKane All-Conference selection as a senior… rushed for over 700 yards as a senior with six touchdowns… during junior season finished with 776 yards and seven touchdowns… team captain…
 
Jaelin Hayes-Benefield (Running Back, 5-10, 170, Pearland, Texas/Pearland HS) – Played for coach Ricky Tullos at Pearland HS… helped lead team to a 10-1 record including Texas Class 6A Region III District 23 championship… team advanced to the Texas 6A state playoffs… rushed for an average of 121 yards per game as a senior finishing season with 1,210 yards and 16 touchdowns in nine games… added 15 catches for 128 yards being named the 23-6A Most Valuable Player of the Year… was a three-time first team All-District selection… team captain…
 
Dylan Hughes (Defensive Back, 5-11, 170, Milford, Ohio/Milford HS) – Played wide receiver for coach Tom Grippa at Milford HS… helped lead team to a 9-3 record and the second round of the Ohio Division I state playoffs… as a senior hauled in 51 passes for 929 yards and ten touchdowns… during junior season had 39 catches for 646 yards and eight touchdowns… as a senior added one rushing touchdown and averaged 22 yards per punt return… first team All-Eastern Cincinnati Conference selection as a senior… team captain…
 
Anthony Imperio (Offensive Line, 6-4, 250, Auburn, Ala./Auburn HS) – Played offensive line for coach Adam Winegarden at Auburn HS… helped team post a 10-2 record as a senior helping team advance to the second round of the Alabama Class 7A state playoffs… blocked for an offensive that averaged 28.9 points per game… was a two-time All-Area selection…
 
Jason Johnson (Linebacker, 6-2, 200, Matteson, Ill./Rich Central HS) – Played linebacker and wide receiver for coach Terrell Alexander at Rich Central HS… helped team reach the opening round of the IHSA Class 5A State playoffs as a senior… finished season with 92 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and three sacks… named second team All-Area… named Southland Football Conference Defensive MVP… first team All-Conference on defense… on offense hauled in 26 catches for 569 yards and four touchdowns… during junior season playing primarily wide receiver as team was 8-3 reaching second round of 5A playoffs… team captain…
 
Cameron Leach (Defensive Line, 6-1, 280, La Grange Park, Ill./Nazareth Academy) – Played defensive line coach Tim Racki at Nazareth Academy… helped lead team to 13-1 record and IHSA Class 7A State Championship as a senior following a 12-2 record and state runner-up Class 6A finish during junior season… finished 2018 state championship game with a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery to go along with three tackles… named All-East Chicago Suburban League selection… team captain…
 
Christiaan Masucci (Kicker/Punter, 5-9, 150, Wildwood, Mo./Lafayette HS) – Played for coach Boyd Manne at Lafayette HS… was 10-of-13 on field goals as a senior and 16-of-17 on extra points… sent 34 of 37 kickoffs for touchbacks averaging 60 yards per kickoff… averaged 38 yards per punt… during junior season was 8-of-12 on field goals and 33-of-34 on extra points… had a five star kicker rating and four star punter rating at the Kohl's Kicking Camps… was a two-time All-Conference selection and St. Louis All-Metro selection… second team All-State as a senior…
 
Dominic Moore (Defensive Line, 6-7, 285, Chicago, Ill./Chicago Perspectives Charter HS) – Played for coach Terry Jones at Chicago Perspectives Charter HS… rated the No. 29 player in the state by Rivals.com… was a dominant force up front for a team that finished with a  5-4 record… posted 14 tackles for loss on the season with 35 total tackles… team captain…
 
McKinley Neville (Defensive Line, 6-3, 280, Batavia, Ill./Batavia HS) – Played defensive line for coach Dennis Piron at Batavia HS… helped team win IHSA Class 7A State Championship with a 13-1 record as a junior… team was 12-1 during senior season losing in Class 7A semifinals… finished senior season with 27 tackles including two sacks and six quarterback hurries… Academic All-Conference…
 
Kirk Pinkston Jr. (Wide Receiver, 5-10, 160, Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central HS) – Played wide receiver for coach John Rodenberg at Lawrence Central HS… finished senior season with 27 catches for 470 yards and five touchdowns… averaged 17.4 yards per reception… as a junior had 36 catches for 444 yards and three touchdowns… finished high school career with more than 1,000 yards receiving in three varsity seasons… as a junior helped team advance to the Indiana Class 6A State playoffs finishing year with a 6-4 record… named first team All-Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference selection as a senior…
 
Matt Ross (Defensive Back, 6-0, 185, Lombard, Ill./Montini Catholic HS) – Played wide receiver for coach Mike Bukovsky at Lombard Montini Catholic HS… helped team post a 12-2 record as a senior as the team was the IHSA Class 5A state runner-up… caught 20 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns during season for an offense that averaged 34.5 points per game and 342.3 yards per game… was an Academic All-Conference selection… team captain…
 
Dylan Scaggs (Offensive Line, 6-6, 265, West Plains, Mo./West Plains HS) – Played offensive tackle for coach Steve Ary at West Plains HS… helped team post a 12-1 record advancing to the Missouri Class 4 state quarterfinals… paved the way for an offense that scored 83 touchdowns during the season averaging 372.4 yards per game with 260.5 per game on the ground… was a second team All-Ozark Conference selection…
 
Anthony Sottosanto (Offensive Line, 6-0, 270, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln-Way East HS) – Versatile offensive lineman that played for coach Rob Zvonar at Lincoln-Way East HS… played all five positions in prep career as a three-year starter… named All-State selection as a senior as team was ranked No. 1 in IHSA Class 8A for a portion of the season… helped team advance to three straight IHSA Class 8A playoffs with a 14-0 State Championship run as a junior… set school record for pancake blocks as team averaged 408 yards of offense per game…Academic All-State selection… team captain…
 
Chad Strickland (Offensive Line, 6-5, 270, Smiths, Ala./Smiths Station HS) – Played offensive tackle for coach Mike Glisson at Smiths Station HS… recorded 41 pancake blocks helping team score 22 or more points in five games as the program posted its first winning season since 2015… was the Alabama Class 7A State Champion in the shot put… holds a 3.95 G.P.A… team captain…
 
Elkhanan Tanelus (Offensive Line, 6-2, 295, Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) – Played offensive and defensive line for coach Mark Jackson at Barron Collier HS… helped team post a 7-5 record as a senior helping team advance to the Florida Class 6A state playoffs… blocked for an offensive unit that rushed for an average of 197.9 yards and 24.7 points per game… earned first team All-Area honors… on the defensive line finished year with 18 tackles and two sacks… team captain…
 
Jordan Williams (Defensive Back, 5-9, 185, Oswego, Ill./Oswego East HS) – Played defensive back for coach Tyson LeBlanc at Oswego East HS… helped team post an 7-3 record as a senior reaching the IHSA Class 8A playoffs for a third straight season… was an All-Area selection as a senior with four interceptions and ten pass break-ups… scored two defensive touchdowns during season… versatile player that stepped in to play quarterback for on Oswego East win, throwing two touchdown passes in the win… team captain… Academic All-Conference…
 
EARLY DECEMBER SIGNEES
 
Grant Edwards (Linebacker, 6-1, 240, Springfield, Ill. / Sacred Heart Griffin HS) – Played at Sacred Heart Griffin HS in Springfield for legendary coach Ken Leonard, the winningest football coach in Illinois history.  Edwards played both defensive end and linebacker during his time at Sacred Heart Griffin and was rated at Top 50 FCS Recruit by Hero Sports.  Edwards earned All-Conference honors finishing the season with 51 tackles and eight tackles for loss.  He helped lead Sacred Heart Griffin to the second round of the IHSA Class 6A playoffs finishing the year with an 8-3 record… team captain…
 
Donovan Perkins (DB/WR, 5-10, 170, Winnetka, Ill. / New Trier HS) – Was a two-way player at New Trier HS in Winnetka for head coach Brian Doll.  Perkins played both defensive back and wide receiver earning All-Area honors as a senior.  He registered six pass break-ups as a defensive back and six touchdown catches as a wide receiver.  Perkins helped New Trier post a 7-3 record as a senior as they advanced to the IHSA Class 8A playoffs… team captain…
 
Anthony Shockey (Linebacker, 6-1, 220, Lombard, Ill. / Glenbard East HS) –Played linebacker at Glenbard East HS in Lombard for head coach John Walters, an Eastern Illinois alumnus.  As a senior Shockey was named the Upstate Eight Defensive Player of the Year after recording 81 tackles with 17 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks.  He was a two-time first-team All-Conference selection after making 72 tackles as a junior.  Shockey was an honorable mention Class 7A All-State selection as a senior as the team posted a 10-1 record advancing to the second round of the IHSA Class 7A playoffs… team captain…