Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs Sign 19 to Letters of Intent
2/2/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 2, 2005
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State head coach Pat Hill announced the signing of his 2005 recruiting class today as 19 high school players. Among the players who signed with Fresno State, 12 are from the Valley."This is a very good class on paper," Hill said. "I'm very pleased that we were able to get so many great players from the Valley. Recruiting the Valley is always our number one priority. This was a very good year for high school in the Valley and I'm proud that several local players will be wearing Bulldog red in the fall. It's also a great tribute to the coaches in the Valley that the players from here are so heavily recruited. I truly believe that Valley football is competitive with any region in the country."
Hill signed three defensive backs, three defensive linemen and three offensive lineman and three players listed as athletes, whose position is yet to be determined. The class also consists of two wide receivers and linebackers each, with one quarterback, a fullback and a tight end.
Several of the signees earned all-state honors in 2004, including the Sacramento area player of the year Seyi Ajirotutu, Canyon Springs lineman Richard Pacheco, Visalia quarterback Ryan Colburn, Flagstaff, Ariz., center Joe Bernardi, and Fresno High defensive back Lawrence Hood.
"We filled some needs and I think we strengthened our program with bigger and faster players" Hill said. "We signed areas that we needed. It's very hard not to sign the best athletes available, but sometimes we have to do that. Overall, I'm very pleased with our class and the quality of student-athletes we are bringing to campus."
Seyi Ajirotutu
Wide Receiver, 6-3, 190, El Dorado Hills, Calif. (Oak Ridge)
Pronounced: SHAY-ee Ah-JEER-oh tu-tu
One of the premier athletes in the Sacramento area... selected the Most Valuable Player on the Sacramento Bee All-Metro team after leading Oak Ridge to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II championship ... had joins teammate Isaac Kinter in a Bulldog uniform ... caught 77 passes for 1,205 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, leading all divisions in the San-Joaquin section ... an electrifying player, who averaged 15.6 yards per catch ... selected the Sierra Conference co-Defensive Player of the Year with 95 tackles, five interceptions and a blocked punt ... had a 94-yard interception return for a touchdown against No. 1-ranked Grant ... threw a 63-yard touchdown pass against Ponderosa ... was selected first-team all-league as a defensive back during his junior season after making 70 tackles and picked off five passes ... had a monster game in the section championship against Del Oro with six receptions for 194 yards and three touchdowns, and at safety he made 15 tackles, eight of them solo ... two-year varsity letterwinner ... Cal-Hi Sports second-team all-state pick ... first-team All-Nor Cal selection ... also competed in track and field ... also recruited by Boise State and UNLV ... coached by Chris Jones ... "He was an outstanding player for us and his potential is just now being tapped. Seyi is somewhat new to football and new to the game, but I can see him putting up big numbers as a college receiver."
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Seyi has great size, speed and toughness and has an opportunity to become a big part of the Bulldog offense in the near future."
Cornell Banks
Defensive Line, 6-2, 265, Fresno, Calif. (Edison)
A Fresno Bee All-Valley selection ... also named to the All-Central Section team at defensive line ... had 96 total tackles, good for third on Edison's team ... 64 of those tackles were solo, 32 assisted ... had six pass deflections and a fumble recovery ... also logged eight tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks and blocked a field goal his senior year ... selected the defensive MVP of the Central Valley All-Star game ... coached by Tim McDonald ... "Cornell brings an attitude. Once the whistle blows, he can be as dominant as anyone on the field of play," said McDonald.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Cornell Banks was the most dominant defensive linemen I saw in the Valley this year."
Joe Bernardi
Offensive Line, 6-2, 260, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Flagstaff)
A first-team AIA 4A All-State team member as a center ... also named to the All-Arizona team by the Arizona Rebulic ... rated as the second-best lineman in Arizona and the state's top center ... all-region and all-city (Flagstaff), as well ... was the first offensive lineman ever to be named region MVP ... also played defensive line for Flagstaff, recording 45 unassisted tackles, 13 assists, three hurries, three pass deflections and three sacks ... had one forced fumble and one fumble recovery ... son of Gary Bernardi, an assistant football coach who has worked at Arizona, UCLA and Northern Arizona ... coached by Craig Holland ... "A player like Joe doesn't come along very often. He's one of the two best lineman to come along in my tenure here in Flagstaff. Coming in here last year, he was a team leader the day he walked into camp, and was responsible for a lot of the success that we had. I think the best part is that his personality is even better than his ability as a player. He is an exceptional young man," said Holland.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "He has outstanding quickness and intelligence. Joe is a tough player and has the ability to become a central figure in the offense in the future."
Qaadir Brown
Athlete, 5-11, 200, Lake Elsinore, Calif. (Lake Elsinore)
Pronounced: kwa-DEAR
An outstanding two-way athlete and student ...graduated from Lake Elsinore in December and enrolled at Fresno State as a full-time student for the Spring semester ... excelled at running back and linebacker ... rushed for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 7.4 yards per carry ... had 24 receptions for 484 yards and eight more touchdowns, averaging over 18 yards per catch ... earned All-Valley, all-league and All-CIF honors ... was selected the team MVP ... had 83 tackles and four sacks ... had 171 rushing yards and two touchdowns plus seven tackles and one sack in a 17-14 upset win over Hemit ... had 206 rushing yards and three touchdowns against Vista del Lago ... best game of the season came against Temescal Canyon, against which he rushed for 176 yards and two touchdowns, caught seven passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns and had 14 tackles on defense ... helped his team win the league title as a senior ... coached by Tony Peralta.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Qaadir is a very versatile athlete who can play multiple positions in our system. I'm looking forward to see what he can do this spring as he has already enrolled at Fresno State as a mid-year graduate."
Todd Chisom
Linebacker, 6-1, 220, Beverly Hills, Calif. (Beverly Hills)
Earned 2004 All-Ocean League defensive accolades ... played outside and inside linebacker, wide receiver, running back and special teams positions over the last two seasons ... also competes in track for Beverly Hills High School ... was the 400-meter freshman and sophomore league champion in 2002 ... also recruited by Boise State, California and San Diego State ... had 87 tackles ... had four games of 10 tackles or more including a season-high of 14 tackles against Torrance ... is expected to continue to develop ... a young, who just turned 17 years old ... coached by Carter Paysinger ... "Todd is a heady, responsible young man. He is always in the right place at the right time and has been a leader in our program the last two years. I am not sure if his leadership can be replaced," Paysinger said.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "He has outstanding speed and showed it on the track. He's a tough young man and type of linebacker who will be multi-positional in our defensive scheme."
Ryan Colburn Quarterback, 6-3, 220, Visalia, Calif. (Central Valley Christian)
Earned 2004 East Sierra League (ESL) MVP accolades ... a 2004 first-team all-county and first-team All-State Small School selection ... honored as the 2004 Channel 47 Player of the Year ... named by Cal-High Sports as one of the top 100 prospects in California ... posted a 31-5 record as a three-year starter and won the last 25 games of his high school career ... guided CVC to a 13-0 record in 2004 and consecutive Central Section Sierra Division titles ... rushed for 481 yards and eight touchdowns ... was the team's kicker and had 32 PATs ... had 29 tackles on defense ... was named first-team all-league (ESL) quarterback in 2003 and ESL Sophomore of the Year in 2002 ... threw for 2,056 yards and 27 touchdowns on 120-of-213 passing in 2004 ... played varsity basketball and baseball, earning all-league honors in both ... was also recruited by Boise State ... coached by Mark Gambini ... "Ryan is a competitor and will try to master the game to the best of his ability," Gambini said.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "I think Ryan has a big future. He's a big-time athlete with a big-time arm. He has great skills and leadership qualities and I really like his toughness."
Jason Crawley
Athlete, 6-2, 170, Pittsburg, Calif. (Pittsburg)
An outstanding athlete who played both quarterback and receiver ... Completed 40-of-72 passes for 845 yards, with nine touchdowns as a senior ... also had some big games a receiver, including 157 receiving yards in a playoff game for the No. 1-ranked Pirates ... guided his team to a 10-1 record ... scored seven rushing touchdowns ... threw for 213 yards and two touchdowns against Liberty ... was a receiver as a junior after playing quarterback as a sophomore ... played both positions as senior ... has great speed and is rangy ... honorable mention all-league as a quarterback and defensive back ... rated as the 12th-best high school receiving prospect in California by one scouting service....recruited by UNLV, Oregon State and San Diego State ... coached by Victor Galli.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Jason is an outstanding athlete. He had to play quarterback last season, but has played receiver and defensive back in his career. He has great speed, size and jumping ability which would make him an excellent receiver or defensive back."
Maurice Graham
Tight End, 6-4, 300, Fresno, Calif. (Washington Union)
A big, physical tight end ... had 16 receptions for 328 yards and three touchdowns as a senior ... faced double coverage all season ... averaged over 20 yards per catch ... recorded 20 tackles as a defensive end ... had one interception, which he returned for 60 yards and a touchdown against Parlier ... was Washington Union's punter and kickoff man ...selected to the all-league team ... an excellent player on the Washington Union basketball team, averaging 7.2 points per game ... coached by Jeff Freitas.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "He is a huge young man. Maurice has great athletic ability and has the size and strength to become a big-time blocker and pass catching tight end."
Marvin Haynes
Defensive Back, 6-1, 185, Fresno, Calif. (Central)
A 2004 All-Conference (TRAC) linebacker and Central High School Coaches' Award recipient ... recorded 1,287 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns as a running back in 2004 ... rushed for 841 yards, averaging 8.4 yards per carry, and 12 touchdowns ... had 12 carries for 227 yards and three touchdowns against Hoover ... threw a 21-yard touchdown pass against Sunnyside ... had three interceptions as a defensive back ... also played at the receiver position ... played basketball for Central as a freshman and sophomore, and ran track his sophomore through senior years ... has a current GPA of 3.5 and earned high honors as a freshman and sophomore ... was also recruited by Washington, Arizona State, Nevada, Oregon State and Washington State ... coached by Wayne Koligian ... "Marvin is one of the most exciting players to play for Central High School. He has made a great deal of offensive and defensive plays. It has been fun to watch him grow and mature into a great student-athlete," Koligian said.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Marvin is a big-time athlete who played many positions for Central. He has a bright future in his Fresno State career."
Moses Harris, Defensive Back, 5-11, 200, Stockton, Calif. (Lincoln)
Had 128 tackles as a linebacker for the Trojans ... had 91 solo tackles ... recorded two quarterback sacks ... had more than 10 tackles is seven of 11 games ... a first-team all-league and second-team all-area selection ... an outstanding athlete who has excelled in the track ... as a junior, posted a 14.2 time in the 110 high hurdles ... posted a season-high 18 tackles in a 49-14 win over Tracy ... led Lincoln High to an 8-4 record ... coached by Mike Byerly.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "He is built in the mold of (former Bulldog) Bryce McGill. He is strong, fast, tough and physical. He has excellent speed, as he has shown as a hurdler on the track team."
Lawrence Hood
Defensive Back, 5-10, 170, Fresno, Calif. (Fresno)
An All-CIF and all-state selection as a senior ... also named all-league and all-section in 2004 ... had four interceptions and 48 tackles ... had 29 catches for 587 yards while playing wide receiver ... had 14 offensive touchdowns as well as a punt return, kick return and fumble return for touchdowns ... played basketball and ran track at Fresno High School ... coached by Ray Reyes ... "Having coached a lot of great defensive backs, I've never had a cornerback that had as many big hits as Lawrence. He is a very physical, tough kid, and he hits with the best of them," said Reyes.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Lawrence is an outstanding athlete who I think has a great future as a cornerback at Fresno State. He can run and is very quick and played multiple positions for Fresno High."
Isaac Kinter
Linebacker, 6-1, 220, El Dorado Hills, Calif. (Oak Ridge)
Listed among the nation's top 100 linebackers by rivals.com ... named to the Sacramento Bee's first-team offense as a receiver ... made 51 catches for 955 yards (18.7 yards per catch) and 12 touchdowns ... helped lead Oak Ridge High School to a section championship ... has great speed ... joins Oak Ridge teammate Seyi Ajirotutu as an incoming freshman ... as a linebacker, had 93 tackles, eight sacks and recovered three fumbles ... played exceptional in big games, with 10 tackles and three sacks, plus five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown, against top-ranked Grant ... an amazing athlete who also returned punts and kicks, averaging over 26 yards per kickoff return ... had eight receptions for 198 yards against Union Mine ... chose Fresno State over Oregon State and Boise State ... coached by Chris Jones.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "I love the way Isaac can run. He ran a 4.6 40-yard dash in our summer camp and played both linebacker and receiver very well in high school. He will be a great fit into our linebacker scheme."
James Meeks
Offensive Lineman, 6-5, 260, Oakland, Calif. (Bishop O'Dowd)
Two-year varsity letterwinner ... first-team All-HAAL (Hayward Area Athletic League) selection as a senior ... second-team All-HAAL pick his junior year ... ANG (Alameda Newspaper Group) first-team All-East Bay honoree ... Contra Costa Times "Cream of the Crop" selection ... named to the San Francisco Chronicle All-Metro first-team ... a young player who just turned 17-years old and is expected to continue to develop ... also played defensive end during his senior year, recording 30 tackles, four sacks and one fumble recovery ... played basketball and competed in track and field all four years ... coached by Paul Perenon ... also recruited by San Diego State, Colorado State and California ... "He's been a joy to coach and be around. He has strong moral fiber and is a very energetic and emotional player. James has put in his time, followed the plan and is now reaping the benefits."
Head Coach Pat Hill: "James is one of the best young tackles we have ever recruited. He just turned 17 and has a large frame. He's an outstanding athlete and I think will become an big-time player for the Bulldogs."
Marlin Moore
Athlete, 6-0, 170, Sacramento, Calif. (Natomas)
A versatile and fast athlete ... had 11 catches for 348 yards and four touchdowns this year on offense ... on defense, he had 39 tackles ... against Rio Linda High this year, he displayed his football and athletic ability by scoring three times - once on an 18-yard reception, another on an 80-yard catch and yet another on a 76-yard run ... had three carries last season for 107 yards, averaging over 35 yards per carry ... had 39 tackles as a defensive back ... selected all-league in basketball as a junior ... played in just six games before a season-ending injury ... has been recruited as an athlete but played receiver in high school ... could see time in the Bulldog secondary ... coached by Mike Dimino.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Despite being injured most of his senior season, we really like his athletic ability. He's extremely quick as a high school point guard and I think can play either receiver or cornerback."
Richard Pacheco
Offensive Lineman, 6-3, 275, Canyon Springs, Calif. (Canyon Springs)
A first-team all-league and all-county selection ... rated as one of the top 100 players in the West by scouting services ... a PrepStar Magazine all-region selection ...selected to the CIF all-state team ... selected to the Los Angeles Times All-Inland Empire first-team ... had 40 pancake blocks last season ... had four sacks, recovered three fumbles and forced two fumbles as a defensive tackle his senior season ... a strong and tenacious player who fits the mold of the Bulldog program ... selected Fresno State over Colorado ... coached by Doug Dubois.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "He is what we are looking for in a Bulldog football player. He is similar to Ryan Wendell and Cole Popovich with his explosiveness and toughness. He plays the game very hard."
Devin Packard
Defensive Lineman, 6-6, 235, Santa Monica, Calif. (Santa Monica)
A dominating defensive presence ... a physical player ... had 68 tackles last season and 10 quarterback sacks for 74 yards ... had 40 solo tackles ... best game of the season came against Hawthorne, when he had 13 tackles ... had five tackles and three sacks in the season opener against West High ... played offense and defense ... also played basketball ... coached by Michael Burnett.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Devin as the speed and size to be a big-time rush end. He has all of the measurable attributes to excel in our scheme."
Frank Padilla
Fullback, 6-0, 240, Clovis, Calif. (Clovis East)
A powerful local product ... selected to the all-league team ... as a junior, rushed for more than 200 yards in Clovis East's win over Long Beach Poly ... a very strong player who can bench press 400 pounds ... was the primary blocking fullback in the Clovis East system and expected to be a fullback in the Bulldog system ... played in the Central Valley All-Star game ... a physical and punishing blocker, cut in the mold of former Fresno State fullback Lorenzo Neal and current fullback Roshon Vercher ... coached by Tim Murphy.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "A tough, hard-nosed football player. He understands his role in our system. I love the way he plays. He's very physical and likes contact and will be a valuable cog in the Bulldog offense."
Wilson Ramos
Defensive End, 6-4, 230, Woodland, Calif. (Woodland)
A member of the Sacramento Bee's first-team defensive squad ... had 52 tackles and 11 sacks for Woodland High despite mainly being avoided by opposing offenses ... his high school team was a participant in Fresno State's summer football camp last year ... a first-team All-Metro Conference selection ... played on the same high school team as Fresno State starting quarterback Paul Pinegar's brother, Dan ... had a monster game against Roseville with 11 tackles and four sacks ... had another four-sack performance against Ponderosa ... a two-year starter on the basketball team ... was effective on special teams at blocking punts and kicks ... coached by Mike Gimenez.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "I expect Wilson to be an excellent pass rusher for the Bulldogs. He has great quickness and I think can become an outstanding defensive lineman and put a lot of pressure on opposing quarterbacks."
Chastin West
Wide Receiver, 6-1, 195, Moorpark, Calif. (Moorpark)
Pronounced: CHAS-tin
Led Moorpark HS in receiving yards ... as a senior, tallied 27 receptions for 497 yards and six touchdowns ... averaged 11.5 yards per carry on five rushes including a 23-yard touchdown ... a big-play receiver who averaged 18.4 yards per reception ... best game of the season was against Ventura when he had eight receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns ... return 10 kickoffs for 215 yards ... played in a running offense and missed a couple of games due to an injury ... had two interceptions as a defensive back ... recruited by Arizona State ... a three-year starter who had 80 receptions in his career, second all-time at Moorpark ... an All-Ventura County selection and was a two-time All-Mira Monte League first-team selection .. was selected to the Los Angeles Times all-star team as a junior ... selected the team captain and MVP of team ... two-way starter at wide receiver and cornerback and also was a return specialist ... first player in Moorpark history to get a Division I-A scholarship offer ... coached by Tim Lins.
Head Coach Pat Hill: "Chastin is a big-time, big-play receiver. He has great size and speed and I think will develop into another of the many outstanding receivers we have had here at Fresno State."
