NIU’s 2021 signing class and Hammock’s comments on each player

Akanimo Asuquo, 6-1, 215, LB, Forney, Texas, North Forney

Hammock: ”Very dynamic and explosive linebacker. We think he can play both linebacker positions.”

Julius Bolden, RB, 5-11, 190, Wichita, Kansas, Wichita Northwest

"Julius Bolden is an exceptional player in his own right. He's a young man, mom ran track at Michigan State, dad played basketball. Very athletic family. He has a younger sister who is one of the top track stars in the country. He's extremely fast and very physical."

Antario Brown, RB, 5-11, 210, Savannah, Georgia, Beach

Javaughn Byrd, CB, 6-0, 170, Milwaukee, Wis., Rufus King

"He was a young man we had in camp in 2019 and a sophomore at the time. Ran 4.4, 7 at our camp. Very long, athletic, ball skills. He palys safety at his high school but has the ability to play corner. We want to get him in the program and see what develops.

Cade Haberman, DT, 6-3, 275, Omaha, Neb., Westside

"I think we really knocked it out of the park with Cade Haberman. ... He won a state championship, actually won the game against one of our other signees. ... Three-time state qualifier in wrestling. A guy that epitomizes what it means to play like a Huskie."

Elijah Hamm, LB, 6-2, 200, Watkinsville, Ga., Oconee County

"He's a guy I'm not sure what his best position is, but he's a thumper. ... He plays safety. He may be a safety. He may slot down to a linebacker. Be he's a dynamic player who can help us on special teams and compete very early in his career.

Ethan Hampton*, QB, 6-3, 194, Elburn, Ill., Aurora Christian

"The thing about Ethan is he's a young man who's extremely focused and dedicated to being a great quarterback. He's going to be here in January which will give him a chance to go through spring practice and compete. Very high academic young man. He can retain a lot of information. He called the offense multiple times in games. ... His recruiting was a little interesting. I don't think a lot of people were able to go watch him throw. I had the chance to watch him throw. His command of his wide receivers, he had his little brother out there, telling him what routes to run and had it there on time."

Drew Hoth, OT, 6-5, 305, Cedar Falls, Iowa, Cedar Falls

"Young man that really developed his body, really got better as the season went along. Really played his best football as a senior.

Trevon Jordan, DT, 6-4, 235, Sterling, Ill., Sterling

"He has tremendous size. He's a young man who was a basketball player growing up that decided to play football. The thing we like about Travon we had him in camp last year (2019) and really grinded him, worked him, put him through the paces. He was a sophomore at the time and he got a lot of verified information on him. ... Then we got to watch him compete against some guys who were committed to us in the 20 class. He was exceptional."

Wetu Kalomo, CB, 6-1, 173, Wichita, Kansas, Wichita Northwest

"He's teammates with Julius Bolden, the running back that we signed. Very long, physical. We wanted to have corners that can come up and press, come up and tackle. We wanted to have corners that are very physical and have a presence about them."

Blake Kosin*, TE, 6-5, 240, Davisburg, Mich., Clarkston

"Definitely a point-of-attack tight end, someone that can help us in the running game."

Brandon MacKinnon, OT, 6-6, 280, Lakeville, Mass. The Hun School (N.J.)

"Bid kid, team captain. Very versatile player. I think the sky is the limit."

Cyrus McGarrell*, CB, 6-2, 175, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Clearwater Academy International (Fla.)

"He's a young man from Canada, had his season cut short because of COVID, decided to pay his own way to play in Florida. Played exceptional as a senior. ... We couldn't be more excited to coach him and help him develop into what he wants to become."

Ty Myles, CB, 6-0, 182, Blackshear, Ga., Pierce County

"He's a corner that's very physical down there in Georgia. He's also good friends Antario Brown. He's confident/ He's physical. Two-way player. If he wins on Friday, he's going to play Elijah Hamm's team in the state championship.

Makhi Nelson-Douglas, LB, 6-1, 200, Omaha, Neb., Elkhorn South

"He actually lost the state champion to Cabe Haberman. A guy that we saw early, had him on campus. Somebody we think gives us some versatility to play a couple different spots on defense."

Pete Nygra*, C, 6-4, 270, North Indianapolis, Ind., Brownsburg

"He's a young man we identified early as a guy who was important at the center position. He will have the chance to come in and learn from Brayden Patton and have a chance to compete with J.J. Lippe."

Mason Pierre-Antoine, WR, 6-0, 175, Frankfort, Ill., Lincoln-Way East

"He's a route technician. He's a young man because of the team he was on last year, had an excellent team, they got the ball to some other guys. He was maybe the second or third option. We were able to get some video of him running routes, working out, running 40s, vertical jump, different things that we saw enough to feel comfortable and confident about him. The level of detail for him to be able to run routes at such a young age, give us confidence we can plug him into our offense at multiple spots."

Luke Pinnick, OL, 6-4, 291, State Center, Iowa, West Marshall

"The great thing about us is we're so far west we get to see these young men (from Iowa and Nebraska), get them on campus. His dad played college football so he understands what college football is all about."

Liam Rempel, DE, 6-5, 230, Monmouth Beach, N.J., The Hun School

"Very long, athletic, actually teammates with Brandon. He's a young man that we think can play both positions at the defensive end spot. He's athletic enough to handle zone reads."

Trey Urwiler, WR, 5-8, 170, Mooseheart, Ill., Batavia

"Trey is just a football player. Sometimes in the evaluation process you don't want to recruit to the exception. Trey is not the biggest but he is extremely tough, he is extremely competitive, and he's a young man I think can help us in a variety of roles. He can play running back, he can play wide receiver, he's a punt return, he can be a kickoff returner. He's a guy that's very dynamic with the ball in his hands. He's a guy that reminds me of guys that have played here before."

Brian Whitsey, LB, 6-1, 200, Chicago, Ill., Solorio Academy

"Teammates with Messia Travis. Played safety. We think he has the frame and the body type that he can put on a lot of weight. Very long wingspan. Very sure tackler. Good speed. In this conference we play a lot of spread teams so we need guys who can match up and tackle.

Jalonnie Williams, DE, 6-5, 278, Milwaukee, Wis., Greenfield

"He's a big man that we can feel like can be a big presence on the interior of our defensive line."

* - Expected to enroll for January 2021 term