Note: This story has been updated to include an additional signing from Dec. 22.
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 21, 2022) – Adding 10 players to the Northern Arizona football program, Lumberjacks head coach
Chris Ball and the rest of the team's coaching staff hit the recruiting trail since the season came to a close a month ago.
Among the 10 signees for Wednesday's early national signing period, five arrive from within the state of Arizona while three join the Lumberjacks from Texas and two head to Northern Arizona from California. The Lumberjacks brought in nine from high school with one transferring to Flagstaff from a junior college in Mississippi.
Six players will join
Jerry Partridge's defense in Flagstaff, as two arrive for the defensive line, two at linebacker and two in the secondary.
Aaron Pflugrad's offense added four on the first day of the signing period, with one at quarterback and three at receiver.
Additionally, Northern Arizona added another in-state signee on Dec. 22 as Hamilton defensive back Alex McLaughlin joined the Lumberjacks out of Chandler, Ariz.
The rest of Northern Arizona's 2022-23 signing class will be announced on Feb. 1, 2023, the first day of the regular signing period.
2023 NAU Football Early Signing Class
Brandon Boateng
6-4 – 195 – Wide Receiver
Santa Clarita, Calif./Valencia High School
Caught 39 passes for 488 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior for the Vikings… Returned 10 kickoffs for 372 yards… Finished the regular season 5-5, reaching the CIF Southern Section Division 4 State Tournament… Named All- Foothill League First Team as a receiver following his senior season.
Myseth Currie
6-2 – 175 – Wide Receiver
Laveen, Ariz./Cesar Chavez High School
Caught 55 passes for 1,068 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior for the Champions... Reached the 6A State Tournament with Cesar Chavez, the school's first postseason appearance since 2019... Caught 13 passes for 223 yards and two scores in a victory against Desert Vista... Named the 6A Central Region Offensive Player of the Year, All-Region First Team as a punt returner and All-Region Second Team as a kick returner and defensive back following his senior season... Also caught 29 passes for 414 yards and six touchdowns as a junior... Finished his career with 30 total tackles and one interception on defense.
Adam Damante
6-2 – 180 – Quarterback
Gilbert, Ariz./American Leadership Academy Gilbert
Threw for 4,769 yards and 59 touchdowns as a senior for the Eagles... Finished 8-2 in the regular season, winning the 4A Conference East Sky Region and entered the state tournament as the No. 1 seed... Threw for 285 yards while completing 33 of 46 passes and adding three touchdowns in the 4A State Championship game against Snowflake... Named All-Region First Team and East Sky Region Player of the Year... Named a finalist for the Ed Doherty Award, given to the top high school football player in Arizona... Totaled nearly 9,000 passing yards in his high school career, throwing for 109 touchdowns and a 67.5 completion percentage... Added 1,047 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns... Also ran track and reached the Division III State Championships in the 100 meters.
Jonathan Jones
6-4 – 255 – Defensive Line
McKinney, Texas/Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Recorded 17 tackles, including 8.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks, for the Bulldogs... Redshirted at Missouri during the 2021 season... Finished with 55 tackles, including 16.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks during his junior season at McKinney High School in Texas... Earned All-State Honorable Mention as a junior... Listed on the ballot for the 2020 Whataburger Super Team.
Braeden Kaczmarek
6-4 – 260 – Defensive Lineman
Mesa, Ariz./Red Mountain High School
Finished the regular season 6-4 with a 6A East Valley Region championship... Reached the 6A Conference State Tournament semifinals... Mountain Lions also finished the 2021 regular season 9-2 and reached the 6A Conference semifinals... Finished with 29 tackles in 12 games as a junior in 2021, including 9.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks and an interception returned for a touchdown... Also plays baseball and competes in track and field.
Blaise Nelson
5-11 – 165 – Wide Receiver
Surprise, Ariz./Valley Vista High School
Finished his senior season with 51 receptions for 661 yards and seven touchdowns... Helped the Monsoon finish the regular season 7-3 overall with a 6A Conference West Valley Region Championship and a berth in the 6A State Tournament... The 6A Tournament appearance was the first for the Monsoon since 2019... Named All-Region First Team as a receiver and as a kick returner following his senior season... Finished his high school career with 134 catches for 1,564 yards and 13 touchdowns, earning All-Region Second Team honors as a junior and sophomore.
Dustin Reynolds
6-2 – 225 – Linebacker
Apple Valley, Calif./Apple Valley High School
Recorded 88 tackles in 10 games for the Sun Devils in 2022, adding 21.0 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and two interceptions... Also finished with 397 rushing yards on 38 carries, scoring six touchdowns on the ground... Caught two touchdown passes... Apple Valley finished the season 8-3 overall and reached the CIF Southern Section Division 2 Tournament... Finished with 133 tackles, including 19.0 tackles for loss and 10.0 sacks as a junior... Rushed for 498 yards and five touchdowns as a junior in 2021... Finished the regular season 7-3 overall and reached the CIF Southern Section Division 3 Championship game.
Porter Reynolds
6-0 – 225 – Linebacker
Queen Creek, Ariz./Queen Creek High School
Finished the 2022 season with 115 total tackles, including 7.0 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, five quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles... Bulldogs finished 6-4 in the regular season and reached the 6A Conference State Tournament... Named the Co-Region Defensive Player of the Year in the 6A East Valley Region... Recorded 107 total tackles as a junior, with 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks... Named All-Region First Team and All-6A Conference First Team as a junior... Added 245 rushing yards and 23 receiving yards during his high school career, scoring seven touchdowns on the ground.
David Spruiells
5-9 – 170 – Defensive Back
Dallas, Texas/South Oak Cliff High School
Capped off his high school career with 69 total tackles, six interceptions and four passes defended for the Golden Bears... Finished 13-3 overall and 6-0 in district play... Won back-to-back state titles with a 34-24 victory against Port Neches-Groves in the 5A-D2 State Championship game... Finished with 76 tackles, two interceptions and two passes defended as a junior.
Kyler Wilson
6-0 – 180 – Defensive Back
Montgomery, Texas/Montgomery High School
Finished his senior season with 52 total tackles, including 4.0 tackles for loss... Intercepted two passes with 12 total passes defended... Also blocked a field goal... Returned five kicks for 102 yards and four punts for 100 yards, including one for a touchdown... Named 10-5A All-District First Team at safety and Second Team as a returner... Recorded 56 tackles as a junior with three fumble recoveries, two fumbles recovered, two interceptions and 10 passes defended... Earned First Team All-District and All-County as a junior... Finished with 45 tackles, four interceptions and five passes defended as a sophomore... Returned two interceptions for touchdowns in his sophomore season... Tied the school record with eight interceptions.
Alex McLaughlin
6-2 – 190 – Defensive Back
Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton High School
Finished with 107 tackles as a senior, including 17.0 tackles for loss and 8.0 sacks... Added 11 quarterback hurries, seven passes defended, three interceptions, three blocked punts, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery... Named First Team All-6A Premier Region as a senior... Hamilton finished 8-2 in the regular season to earn a berth in the Arizona Open Division State Tournament... Totaled 80 total tackles with 8.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks... Added 14 quarterback hurries, four passes defended, a blocked punt and a blocked field goal... Earned All-6A Premier Region First Team and All-6A Conference Honorable Mention honors as a junior... Finished 10-0 with the Huskies and reached the Open Division State semifinals... Brother Trenton plays basketball at Northern Arizona.
2023 NAU Football Early Signing Class
| Player |
Position |
Height | Weight |
Hometown/Previous School(s) |
| Brandon Boateng |
WR |
6-4 | 195 |
Santa Clarita, Calif./Valencia HS |
| Myseth Currie |
WR |
6-2 | 175 |
Laveen, Ariz./Cesar Chavez HS |
| Adam Damante |
QB |
6-2 | 180 |
Gilbert, Ariz./ALA Gilbert |
| Jonathan Jones |
DL |
6-4 | 255 |
McKinney, Texas/Mississippi Gulf Coast CC |
| Braeden Kaczmarek |
DL |
6-4 | 260 |
Mesa, Ariz./Red Mountain HS |
| Blaise Nelson |
WR |
5-11 | 165 |
Surprise, Ariz./Valley Vista HS |
| Dustin Reynolds |
LB |
6-2 | 225 |
Apple Valley, Calif./Apple Valley HS |
| Porter Reynolds |
LB |
6-0 | 225 |
Queen Creek, Ariz./Queen Creek HS |
| David Spruiells |
DB |
5-9 | 170 |
Dallas, Texas/South Oak Cliff HS |
| Kyler Wilson |
DB |
6-0 | 180 |
Montgomery, Texas/Montgomery HS |
| Alex McLaughlin |
DB |
6-2 | 190 |
Chandler, Ariz./Hamilton HS |
