NORMAL, Ill. – ISU head coach Brock Spack and his staff announced the 2019 Illinois State football early signing class at a press conference held at Hancock Stadium Wednesday, as 11 student-athletes signed National Letters of Intent on National Signing Day and three transfers were added to the roster.
2019 ILLINOIS STATE FOOTBALL SIGNING DAY BIOGRAPHIES:
Jack Baltz | QB | 6-5 | 190 | Frankfort, Illinois (Lincoln-Way East HS)
Lincoln-Way East HS: Three-year varsity letterwinner … took full advantage of his senior season, after serving as a backup on the 2017 IHSA Class 8A state title team ... set school single-season records for passing yards and passing touchdowns … finished senior season with 2,532 passing yards with 31 touchdowns through the air … added 594 yards and four touchdowns on the ground … recorded a five- touchdown effort against St. Charles East in the playoffs … earned first-team all-state and all-conference honors … finalist for the Chicagoland Player of the Year … earned player of the week honors during the season from USA Today, Chicago Sun Times and Chicago Tribune … also earned academic all-conference honors, while leading the team to the 2018 IHSA Class 8A semifinals … New Orleans Elite 11 finalist. Personal: Born November 3, 2000, in Greenville, North Carolina … son of Gary and Sarah Baltz … one of four children ... member of the National Honor Society and the honor roll.
Chris Bement | TE | 6-5 | 240 | Braceville, Illinois (Dwight Township HS)
Dwight Township HS: Three-year starter … recorded 23 receptions for 273 yards with three touchdowns as a senior … helped lead team to the playoffs for the first time in 12 seasons … first-team all-conference selection at tight end and defensive line … on defense, recorded 23 tackles, 4.5 sacks and six tackles-for-loss … as a junior, tallied 20 catches for 378 yards with five touchdowns … added a sack and 12 tackles on defense that season, while earning first-team all-conference plaudits at tight end … played guard on the offensive line as a sophomore. Personal: Born January 17, 2001, in Joliet, Illinois … son of Chris and Jennifer Bement … has one sister, Lillian ... will graduate cum laude in the spring.
Cade Campos | LB | 6-1 | 190 | Lemont, Illinois (Lemont HS)
Lemont HS: Three-year letterwinner … earned Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 6A All-State honors after senior season … also earned all-conference honors, after recording 104 total tackles and helping team to the playoffs … credited with 51 solo stops, three sacks and 20 tackles-for-loss … during junior season, helped team to an 11-2 record while tallying 109 total tackles, two sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss … posted 98 tackles and three sacks playing as a sophomore at the varsity level. Personal: Born September 13, 2000, in Ann Arbor, Michigan … son of Lou and Kathy Campos … one of three children … his father played four years of collegiate football at Illinois … member of the honor roll.
Jalen Carr | ATH | 5-9 | 175 | Orlando, Florida (Orlando Christian Prep HS)
Orlando Christian Prep HS: Three-year letterwinner … rushed for nearly 1,110 yards and scored 20 touchdowns as a senior, while helping team win a state championship … averaged 11.4 yards per catch and also caught 13 passes for 300 yards … also recorded 28 tackles on defense … named the Florida Athletic Coaches Association 2A Player of the Year and the Florida Dairy Farmers Independent Football Player of the Year ... played in nine games as a junior in 2017, with 60 carries for 554 yards and 12 touchdowns … named to the all-district team … during sophomore season in 2016, rushed for 295 yards and two touchdowns, with 29 tackles and six interceptions on defense … also a standout on the track, finishing in the top 16 in the 100 meter dash at the 2A state championships … was part of the World Association of Kickboxing USA Junior Gold Medalist team in 2016. Personal: Born June 23, 2001, in Orlando, Florida … son of Vick and Tonia Carr … member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars.
Dallas Culpepper | DE | 6-3 | 275 | Greenwood, Indiana (Beech Grove HS)
Beech Grove HS: Four-year member of the football program … missed senior season due to an injury, after a strong junior campaign in 2017 … ranked as the No. 25 prospect in the state of Indiana and given a three-star rating by Scout.com … named the team's defensive captain and MVP … recorded 44 tackles as a sophomore, while also being named a defensive captain … also played three seasons of baseball and one of basketball during prep career. Personal: Born July 10, 2000, in Indianapolis, Indiana … son of Joseph Culpepper and Courtney Hamilton … one of two children … his father, Joe, played football at Ball State.
Jeremiah Jordan | LB | 6-2 | 215 | Chicago, Illinois (Madison [Wis.] Memorial HS)
Madison Memorial HS: Four-year varsity starter … played in 10 games during senior season, recording 87 tackles while helping team win a conference title and advance to the playoffs … averaged eight tackles per contest and added two sacks and five tackles-for-loss … both interceptions on the season were returned for touchdowns … earned all-state, all-region and all-conference honors in final season … tallied 116 tackles, two sacks and 10 tackles-for-loss during junior season … named all-area and all-conference at linebacker … led the team in stops with 92 in 11 games as a sophomore … also added 10 tackles-for-loss while earning second-team all-conference honors and all-area plaudits … played on special teams, averaging 17 yards per return, and earned freshman of the year honors while helping team to the second round of the playoffs. Personal: Born December 2, 2000, in Chicago, Illinois … son of Jermaine Jordan and Charesse Johnson … has eight siblings (four brothers and four sisters) … former NFL quarterback Steve McNair (deceased) is a third cousin.
Jack Kelly | FB | 6-1 | 230 | Plover, Wisconsin (Stevens Point HS)
Stevens Point HS: Three-year varsity starter … rushed for 832 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, on way to being named an honorable mention all-state selection … unanimous first-team all-conference selection at running back and defensive line … named the conference defensive lineman of the year and player of the year … as a junior, recorded over 60 tackles, five sacks and 15 tackles-for-loss while helping team to the second round of the playoffs … unanimous first-team all-conference pick at defensive end … tallied 45 tackles, four sacks and eight tackles-for-loss as a junior, earning second-team all-conference honors … team was 11-2 that season, won a regional championship and advanced to the state playoff semifinals … also a three-year starter on the baseball diamond, earning first-team all-conference honors. Personal: Born October 26, 2000, in Waukesha, Wisconsin … son of Tim and Ranae Kelly … one of four children … his brother, Regan, played football at Minnesota State and his dad, Tim, wrestled at Iowa State.
Luke McCall | TE | 6-5 | 250 | Zirconia, North Carolina (East Henderson HS / Ellsworth CC)
Ellsworth CC: Saw action in six contests for Ellsworth in 2018, mostly as a blocking tight end … caught four passes for 15 yards on the season with one touchdown … earned Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Honorable Mention All-Region honors last season … also spent time at Independence Community College in Kansas and Pierce College in California. Personal: January 15, 1999, in Hendersonville, North Carolina … son of William and Charlene McCall … has a younger sister, Sara.
Jeffrey Proctor | RB | 5-8 | 185 | Munster, Indiana (Munster HS/San Bernardino Valley College)
San Bernardino Valley College: Played in 21 games over the past two seasons, after transferring from Iowa State in 2016 … recorded 2,064 all-purpose yards for the Wolverines over that time as a running back and kick returner … rushed for 1,154 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2018, while averaging 38.2 yards per kick return … rushed for over 100 yards in three contest, including a 100-yard and three-touchdown performance in a win over Mt. San Jacinto … ended the 2017 season with 369 rushing yards on 88 carries with three scores … added 15 receptions for 152 yards and four more trips into the end zone … took back three kicks for 184 yards, one being for an 89-yard score.  Munster HS: Three-year starter  … was hampered by a high ankle sprain during senior season, but rushed for 665 yards on 95 carries with eight touchdowns while also catching nine passes for 126 yards with an additional touchdown … was a game-changer on special teams, with six kick returns for 127 yards … during junior season, rushed for 720 yards on 114 carries with seven scores and hauled in three passes for 125 yards with two more trips to the end zone … took six kicks back for 289 yards with a long of 84 yards on special teams … also a standout on the track for the Mustangs. Personal: Born July 17, 1999, in Chicago, Illinois … son of Jeff and Tiffany Proctor … one of three children.
Kacper Rutkiewicz | WR | 5-8 | 165 | Mount Prospect, Illinois (John Hersey HS)
John Hersey HS: Two-year varsity starter … all-state special mention selection as well as an all-area and all-conference selection as a senior … selected as the Mid-Suburban League Offensive Player of the Year, after recording 70 receptions for 1,247 yards and tallying 18 total touchdowns … carried the ball 28 times for 300 yards to finish with over 1,900 all-purpose yards on the year … helped team to a 9-2 record and a conference runner-up finish … posted 28 catches for 557 yards and over 800 all-purpose yards as a junior, while finding the end zone six times … helped team to a conference championship and a state playoff appearance that season as well … also ran track, running the 100 and 200-meter dash as well as competing in the pole vault. Personal: Born November 19, 2000, in Chicago, Illinois … son of Tomasz and Kinga Rutkiewicz … has an older sister, Victoria … earned the all-conference academic award during the fall season.
Matthew Wedig | LB | 6-4 | 225 | Beloit, Wisconsin (Beloit Memorial HS)
Beloit Memorial HS: Played four seasons … named a first-team all-state selection by the Associated Press … also earned all-region and all-conference honors as a running back and outside linebacker as a senior … selected to play in the prestigious for the Blue Grey Football All-American Bowl at Dallas Cowboys' AT&T Stadium … earned all-state honorable mention honors as a punter during junior season, while also being named a first-team all-region selection at linebacker … was a first-team all-conference performer as a sophomore as a wide receiver and punter … earned all-conference honors as a freshman as a punter … also ran track for three years.  Personal: Born October 30, 2000, in Stevens Point, Wisconsin … son of Rodney and Tammy Wedig … one of five children … his older brother, Gus, played football at Minnesota-Duluth ... member of the honor roll.
2019 ILLINOIS STATE FOOTBALL MID-YEAR FBS TRANSFER BIOGRAPHIES:
Trey Creamer | DB | 6-1 | 195 | Cartersville, Georgia (Cartersville HS / Iowa)
At Iowa: Redshirted in 2017 and was a member of the practice squad in 2018. Cartersville HS: Three-year letterwinner in football as a running back and defensive back … led team in rushing as a senior … helped team post undefeated records as a junior and senior, winning back-to-back state championships with consecutive 15-0 seasons … rushed 123 times for 711 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, along with 37 receptions for 538 yards and four touchdowns … carried 59 times for 440 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior, with 13 receptions for 195 yards and two touchdowns … went to state in track in senior and junior year as well.
Blake Fehrmann | LB | 6-4 | 225 | Brookfield, Wisconsin (Brookfield HS / New Mexico)
At New Mexico: Redshirted his freshman season in 2018. Brookfield HS: Named first team all-state by the Wisconsin Journal Sentinel as a senior … helped Brookfield Central to six shutouts his senior season leading them to the state championship game … rated the No. 3 defensive end in Wisconsin by Wissports.net … earned first team all-conference his junior year.
Aaron Mends | LB | 6-0 | 230 | Kansas City, Missouri (Winnetonka HS / Iowa)
At Iowa: Missed the entire 2018 season due to injury and was granted a sixth year waiver by the NCAA …  saw action in 37 games over three seasons from 2015-17, tallying 13 total tackles and 1.5 sacks … redshirted in 2014. Winnetonka HS: Earned first team all-conference and all-state honors as a senior . . . first team all-conference, second team all-metro and third team all-state as a junior . . . first team all-conference and first team all-district as a sophomore … recorded career 210 tackles on defense, with 1,790 rushing yards and 140 receiving yards and 29 total touchdowns during prep career . . . recorded 50 tackles as a senior, with 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks, with one forced fumble and a pass break-up . . . rushed 69 times for 285 yards and five touchdowns, while collecting six receptions for 28 yards . . . collected 74 tackles as a junior, including 38 solo and 36 assists, with 7.5 sacks, 5.5 tackles for loss, one forced fumble, one pass break-up and one blocked kick . . . rushed 131 times for 758 yards and 14 touchdowns . . . as a sophomore collected 60 tackles, including 30 solo and 30 assists, with six tackles for loss and three sacks, with one forced fumble . . . rushed 125 times for 747 yards and nine touchdowns . . . collected 26 tackles as a freshman . . . team captain as a junior and senior.
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