The Youngstown State football program welcomed 12 newcomers to the roster for the spring semester. The group includes student-athletes from the junior college, Division II, High School, Group of Five and Power Five levels.
The bulk of the additions come on the offensive side of the football with three offensive lineman, two wide receivers and two tight ends among the group. On defense, the Guins added two members to the secondary, two to the defensive line and a linebacker.
Jaelen Crider
6-2 | 305 | Defensive Lineman
Stow, Ohio
Stow-Munroe Falls/Toledo
TOLEDO: Was a member of the program in 2020 and 2021...played in one game in 2021...did not play in 2020.
HIGH SCHOOL: Three-star prospect according to 247 Sports...four-time letterwinner at Stow-Munroe Falls High School...earned OPSWA All-District honors as a senior in 2019...his pick six helped Stow-Munroe Falls to an upset victory over sixth-ranked Barberton in one of the team's biggest wins of 2019.
Nate Damron
6-4 | 240 | Tight End
Elyria, Ohio
Elyria Cathloic High School/Independence CC
INDY CC: In lone season with the program, had seven receptions for 69 yards and three touchdowns...Pirates finished the year with an 8-2 record...coach was Jason Martin.
HIGH SCHOOL: Was a standout two-way player at Elyria Catholic...as a senior, had 109 tackles, including 64 solo stops, and 10.5 sacks...had seven rushing touchdowns and 497 yards on 62 carries...caught 14 pa$$es for 207 yards and a score...as a junior, had 86 tackles and 8.5 sacks.
Dominick Fiscelli
5-9 | 180 | Wide Receiver
Utica, Mich.
Henry Ford/Saginaw Valley State
SAGINAW VALLEY STATE: Was a member of the program from 2016-19...in 2018, caught 28 pa$$es for 332 yards and a touchdown...had six rushing attempts for 21 yards...caught a season-high six pa$$es for 63 yards against Ashland...in 2019, had 10 receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown...caught a season-long pa$$ of 51 yards against Davenport...had a best of three receptions vs. Michigan Tech.
HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Henry Ford II High School.
Latrell Fordham
6-4 | 185 | Wide Receiver
Davison, Mich.
Davison High School/St. Thomas More Prep/Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan: In 2021, had eight receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown in seven games played...had a high of four receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown against Texas State...had receptions in four games.
High School: Helped Davison win the 2019 Division I state football championship...as a senior, had 49 receptions for 954 yards and 12 touchdowns...caught a 74-yard TD pa$$ in a 35-25 victory over Brighton in the state championship game...ranked as one of the top-25 players in the state of Michigan as a senior.
Keon Freeman
6-0 | 230 | Defensive Lineman
Whitehall, Ohio
Whitehall-Yearling High School/Monroe College
Charleston: In 2021, led the team with 85 total tackles, including 48 solo stops...credited with 13 TFLs and four sacks...had 16 tackles against Glenville State... Mountain East Conference first-team selection...in 2019, finished the season with 26 tackles (16 solo), 6.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks and two pa$$ breakups... posted eight tackles in each game against Concord and West Liberty.
High School: First-team Division II All-Ohio selection in 2018 as a defensive lineman...as a junior, was a second-team All-Ohio pick.
Trenton Gillison
6-4 | 250 | Tight End
Pickerington, Ohio
Pickerington Central H.S./Michigan State
Michigan State: Was a member of the program from 2018-21...played in 25 games, making six starts during career...in 2019, played in 12 games to earn his first letter, including three starts (Arizona State, Northwestern, Wake Forest)...had 12 catches for 147 yards...had a career-high four catches for 88 yards against Wake Forest, including a 64-yard reception...hauled in three catches for 34 yards at Ohio State...in 2020, played in four games with three starts (Rutgers, Iowa, Indiana), snaring five receptions for 49 yards...had two receptions against Indiana...in 2021, had one catch for five yards...redshirted in 2018.
High School: Named to the Rivals250 (No. 133) as one of the best players in the nation...also listed among the top players in the nation by 247Sports (No. 290)...ranked the top tight end prospect in the state of Ohio by Rivals.com, ESPN.com and 247Sports...listed as one of the top 10 best tight ends in the nation by Rivals.com (No. 7), ESPN.com (No. 8) and 247Sports (No. 10)...rated the No. 2 tight end in the Midwest by ESPN.com and No. 27 prospect overall...listed among the top overall players in the state of Ohio by Rivals.com (No. 6), 247Sports (No. 10) and ESPN.com (No. 13)...two-time first-team all-state selection (a$$ociated Press in 2016; OPSWA in 2017)...had a dominant performance in the state championship game victory over Mentor, recording six tackles, including a 17-yard sack and forced fumble, while also hauling in a 19-yard reception, as Pickerington Central capped a 14-1 season with a state title...named to Columbus Dispatch All-Metro Team...first-team All-Central District selection...named to All-Ohio Capital Conference (Ohio Division) First Team...had 17 receptions for 191 yards and three touchdowns his senior season...named to the 2016 ALL-USA TODAY Ohio Second Team as a junior...coach was Jay Sharrett.
Joey Groeber
6-3 | 330 | Offensive Line
Williamsburg, Ohio
Clermont NE/Cincinnati Christian/Cincinnati
Cincinnati: Was a member of the program in 2020 and 2021...in 2021, saw action in six games for the Bearcats...played in the CFP semifinals against Alabama.
High School: Named Second-Team Ohio Prep Sportswriters a$$ociation Southwest All-District V in 2017...also tabbed First-Team All-Southern Buckeye Athletic/Academic Conference...coach was Jeremy Fishback...played two seasons at guard and center before CCU ceased operations ahead of the University's shutdown in December 2019.
Andrew Hardin
6-2 | 200 | Defensive Back
Woodbridge, Va.
Woodbridge H.S./Monroe College
Monroe: Had 36 total tackles, including 16 solo stops...intercepted three pa$$es and had four pa$$ breakups in 2021.
High School: Helped Woodbridge tie the school record for wins with 12 in 2017...played wide receiver and defensive back.
Van Keen
6-3 | 305 | Offensive Lineman
Stow, Ohio
Stow High School
High School: Third-team Division I All-Ohio honoree...first-team All Northeast Inland Division I selection...first-team All-Suburban League National Division selection...helped Stow win the Conference title in 2021...Bulldogs finished the year 9-3...Coach was Tom Phillips.
Devin Lee
6-3 | 315 | Defensive Lineman
Clyde, Ohio
Clyde High School/Coffeyville
Coffeyville: Was a member of the Coffeyville program from 2019-21...in fall of 2021, was an Honorable Mention KJCCC All-Conference selection...recorded 32 total tackles, including 19 solo stops...had eight TFLs and five sacks...in spring of 2021, played in six games...was credited with 25 tackles and 6.5 TFLs...in 2019 was credited with 23 tackles, 4.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks...had a high of five tackles against Fort Scott...coach was Jeff Leiker.
High School: Was a third-team All-Ohio selection as an offensive lineman as a senior in 2018.
Errol Walker
6-3 | 330 | Offensive Lineman
Bronx, N.Y.
Herbert H. Lehman High School/Monroe/Grambling
Grambling: Was a member of the Grambling program in 2021.
Monroe: Was a member of the program in 2019.
