NORMAL, Ill. – ISU head coach Brock Spack and his staff announced the February additions to the 2019 Illinois State football signing class at a press conference held at Hancock Stadium Wednesday, as 14 student-athletes committed to play collegiate football for the Redbirds on National Signing Day.
Overall, the 2019 group includes 22 high school freshmen, two FBS mid-year transfers and three junior college signees. Among that group are six linebackers, four with athlete designations, three running backs and offensive linemen, two quarterbacks, tight ends and wide receivers, one fullback, one defensive end and one kicker/punter.
2019 ILLINOIS STATE FOOTBALL SIGNING CLASS BIOGRAPHIES:
Pha'leak Brown | RB | 5-10 | 200 | Chester, South Carolina (Chester HS)
Chester HS: Four-year starter … rushed for over 1,500 yards and accounted for 30 touchdowns as a senior … named an all-state, all-area and all-city selection while helping team to a 15-0 record and a state championship as team captain … as a junior, recorded over 1,000 yards on the ground and scored 16 touchdowns in just eight games … also recorded five interceptions on defense while earning all-area honors and helping team advance to the second round of the playoffs … scored 17 touchdowns and was named the region player of the year as a sophomore while rushing for over 1,000 yards … had 900+ yards as a freshman and scored 15 times, to earn freshman all-America honors and area player of the year plaudits. Personal: Born September 11, 2000, in Rockhill, South Carolina … Tonya Moore … one of four siblings.
Jabari Khepera | WR | 5-10 | 190 | Glenn Heights, Texas (Bishop Dunne HS)
Bishop Dunne HS: Three-year starter at wide receiver … listed as a three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN.com … ranked as the No. 220 wide receiver in the country and the No. 252 overall prospect in Texas, per 247Sports composite rankings … caught 53 passes for 626 yards and 9 touchdowns as a senior, while helping his team win the TAPPS State Championship … named a first-team all-district honoree and a second-team all-state selection in final prep season … as a junior, caught 40 passes for 423 yards and scored four touchdowns … tallied 323 receiving yards and five total touchdowns while playing on the varsity as a sophomore … also a standout on the track, earning state championships in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. Personal: Born July 27, 2001, in Dallas, Texas … son of Mene and Nia Khepera … one of two children … his father, Mene, played football at Memphis … member of the honor roll.
Paul Liseno | OL | 6-3 | 290 | Keansburg, New Jersey (St. John Vianney HS)
St. John Vianney HS: Played for four seasons on offense and defense and started every game of his career … as a senior, named a first-team all-shore selection while also earning all-conference and all-division honors … named a third-team all-state selection on the offensive line, while also recording 45 tackles and five sacks on the defensive line … as a junior, named a first-team all-shore member and an all-state honorable mention selection … also an accomplished wrestler, winning over 100 matches in his career. Personal: Born October 20, 2000, in Red Bank, New Jersey … son of Shaun and Tami Alt … one of eight children.
Cole Mueller | RB | 6-0 | 190 | Wentzville, Missouri (Holt HS)
Holt HS: Started for three seasons during prep career … rushed for 2,448 yards and 32 touchdowns during senior campaign, earning first-team all-state, all-district and all-conference honors … named the conference offensive player of the year and a St. Louis all-metro team pick … also caught six passes for 170 yards with two scores … during junior season, totaled 2,598 yards and 33 total touchdowns while being named a third-team all-state and all-metro selection … set a state record with eight touchdowns in a win over Ft. Zumwalt South … as a sophomore, accounted for over 1,700 yards and 20 touchdowns, while earning first-team all-conference honors as a running back and punter … also a two-time state qualifier in wrestling as a sophomore and junior. Personal: Born August 30, 2000, in St. Louis, Missouri … son of Brent and Janell Mueller … his father, Brent, wrestled at Mizzou and Lindenwood … has one sister, Paige … three-time academic all-conference selection in wrestling and football from 2016-18.
Sean Paradise | ATH | 6-3 | 210 | Alpharetta, Georgia (St. Francis HS)
St. Francis HS: Four-year member of the football team … only played in one game as a senior, before suffering a season ending injury … ran for 1,825 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior, while also grabbing 328 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver to earn first-team all-region honors … also a standout on the basketball court and track for St. Francis.  Personal: Born May 31, 2001, in Englewood, New Jersey … son of Sean and Donna Paradise … his sister, Viveca, played basketball at Alabama A&M … three-year member of the honor roll.
Kirby Peine | OL | 6-5 | 290 | Fresno, California (Central HS / Fresno City College)
Fresno CC: Played two seasons on the offensive line at the junior college. Central HS: Started for final two seasons of prep career … helped team to a 10-2 record and a conference championship as a senior. Personal: Born December 17, 1998, in Fresno, California … son of David and Lisa Peine … has an older brother, Josh … two-year honor roll member in high school and for three semesters in junior college.
Braden Price | ATH | 6-0 | 170 | Wheeling, West Virginia (Wheeling Central Catholic HS)
Wheeling Central Catholic HS: Four-year starter … earned first-team all-state honors as a running back as a senior, while helping team to a state championship … earned second-team all-state honors as a junior, earning another state title on the gridiron … also a standout in basketball, helping the team to a state championship as a junior, and on the track where he was a member of the state title winning 4x400 relay team. Personal: Born November 6, 2000, in Wheeling, West Virginia … son of Brenda Price … one of four children … member of the National Honor Society and a member of the honor roll.
DayJure Stewart | ATH | 6-0 | 200 | York, Pennsylvania (William Penn HS)
William Penn HS: Helped program to its best season in 30 years … averaged 11 yards per carry for a team that went 11-2, shared the Division I title and advanced to the District 3 semifinals … selected to play in the East/West all-star game … named an all-state selection and Division I first-team all-star … Division I Offensive Player of the Year, ending the 2018 season with 3,045 rushing yards and 40 total touchdowns … the 3,045 yards set a new single-season Y-A League rushing record … also broke the District 3 single-game rushing record with a 468-yard performance against Northern York … finalist for the Mr. Pennsylvania Football Award and the school's all-time rushing leader. Personal: Born February 19, 2000, in York, Pennsylvania … son of Stephen Stewart and Victoria Greer … one of three children … member of the honor roll.
Nigel White | RB | 5-9 | 165 | Lauderhill, Florida (St. Thomas Aquinas HS)
St. Thomas Aquinas HS: Listed as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN.com … ranked as the No. 113 running back in the country and the No. 230 overall prospect in Florida, per 247Sports composite rankings … ran for 407 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior, while earning honorable mention honors  and helping team to a district championship and state runner-up finish … as a junior, racked up 439 yards and five touchdowns in 12 games … earned honorable mention honors once again and helped STA to another district title. Personal: Born July 27, 2001, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida … son of Chandler and Kim White … has one sister, Amaya … his father, Chandler, played football at Boston College … member of the honor roll.
2019 ILLINOIS STATE FOOTBALL WALK ON BIOGRAPHIES:
Jake Bellizzi | LB | 6-0 | 225 | Des Plaines, Illinois (Maine West HS)
Maine West HS: Four-year contributor for Maine West … had an area best 1,538 rushing yards, including 306 in one game, and scored 26 times on the ground as a senior … earned first-team IHSFCA Class 7A all-state honors at running back and a was an all-area team captain … also earned all-conference honors and was the league's offensive MVP, as Maine West earned its first playoff win in school history and won a conference title … returned a fumble 75 yards for a score in the second round of the state playoffs … scored a pair of defensive touchdowns and recorded 64 tackles at linebacker … as a junior, recorded 98 tackles and was a second-team all-state selection at linebacker … was the team's leading tackler as a sophomore as well … was also a state qualifier in wrestling twice.  Personal: Born July 6, 2001, in Des Plaines, Illinois … son of John and Sheila Bellizzi … has an older brother, Joseph … his father, John, played football at Northern Illinois.
Jason Meeks | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Brownsburg, Indiana (Brownsburg HS)
Brownsburg HS: Three-year starter on the offensive line … voted team captain and was an academic all-state selection as a senior, while helping the team to a 10-1 overall record and a No. 2 ranking in the state … also a four-year member of the basketball team.  Personal: Born August 23, 2000, in Monroe, Michigan … son of Von and Kelly Meeks … one of two children … member of the Beta Club.
Britton Morris | QB | 5-11 | 185 | Poplar Grove, Illinois (North Boone HS)
North Boone HS: Three-year starter at quarterback … threw for 7,755 yards and 84 touchdowns in his career, while also rushing for 1,822 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground … ranks in the top 5 in the IHSA record books in career touchdowns (113) and touchdowns in a season (49) … also ranks in the top 10 for career points scored (678), career total offense yards (9,577) and most points in a season (294) … threw for 3,131 yards and 36 touchdowns as a senior, while rushing for over 500 yards and 13 yards on the ground … earned IHSFCA Class 3A first-team all-state honors at quarterback and was a News Gazette special mention all-state pick … named the Beloit Daily News Area Player of the Year and the WTVO Offensive Player of the Year … passed for 2,442 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushed for 886 yards and 13 scores as a junior, while earning all-conference and all-area honors … recorded 2,182 yards through the air with 23 touchdowns and scored three more times on the ground as a sophomore … also played basketball and baseball at North Boone. Personal: Born December 8, 2000, in Rockford, Illinois … son of Bill and Amy Morris … has an older sister, Madison … his father, Bill, played football at Western Illinois, and his mother, Amy, played volleyball at WIU … member of the National Honor Society and a high honor roll member.
Jack Takerian | K/P | 6-1 | 190 | Franklin, Wisconsin (Franklin HS)
Franklin HS: Three-year starter as a kicker and punter for Franklin … named a Stemke Award Finalist as one of the best kickers in the state of Wisconsin … earned all-conference, all-area, and all-state honors as a kicker/punter following senior season … averaged 39.9 yards per punt, with nine put inside the 20 yard line in final prep season … made 9-of-11 field goal attempts with a career long make of 44 yards and made 50-of-51 extra point attempts … as a junior, earned all-conference and all-state honors and was named the punter of the year in the region … averaged 38.3 yards per punt that season, with five inside the 10 yard line … made 6-of-6 field goal tries and was 52-of-54 on extra point attempts … posted an average of 39.2 yards per punt as a sophomore, with 10 placed inside the 20 … also a three-year starter in tennis. Personal: Born August 25, 2000, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin … son of Jack and Melanie Takerian … is a quadruplet with siblings Emily, Payton and Taylor … his father, Jack, played football for Team USA and the Racine Raiders … member of the national honor society and a four-year honor roll member.
Brannon Webb | DB | 5-10 | 185 | Gilmer, Texas (Gilmer HS)
Gilmer HS: Played four seasons of football at Gilmer … First-Team All-District All-East Texas and All-State selection … rushed for 1,307 yards and 24 touchdowns and also added 264 yards and three touchdowns on 16 receptions as a junior … had two interceptions, five passes defended, and one forced fumble for the Buckeyes that season … played first two seasons at Aledo High School, helping them to a perfect 16-0 record and a state championship as a sophomore in 2016 … also a standout on the track and on the baseball field. Personal: Born January 9, 2001, in Longview, Texas … son of Brannon and Mioshi Johnson … has one older sibling, La'Kryshna … named an academic all-district selection.
Â
