Sac State, UC Davis boost football rosters on Signing Day. How their classes rank in FCS
Sacramento State and UC Davis announced the addition of a combined new 45 players to their football programs on National Signing Day, including those from the Sacramento area and from out of state.
Sacramento State signed 17 players Wednesday, and the Hornets were rated by Hero Sports as having the top FCS recruiting haul for high school students in the country. Hero rated UCD at No. 8.
Factoring in both high school and transfer signings, Sacramento State was rated first by Hero and UCD at No. 9.
Both local programs have a lot to prove and play for, with recruiting the lifeblood of college athletics. UCD is coming off its finest Division I season, reaching the FCS quarterfinals and a top five FCS rankings finish in 2024. Coach Tim Plough and staff signed 19 incoming freshmen; 18 of them secured during the early signing period on Dec. 4.
New Sacramento State coach Brennan Marion and staff are set to welcome 57 new players to the program, including 11 signed during the December early signing period and transfers prior to the spring semester.
The new Hornets include the highest-rated FCS quarterback prospect in Jamar Malone of Warren High School in Los Angeles, and the top-rated FCS incoming receiver prospect in Drey Garner of University High in San Diego.
Sacramento State signees include those from six states, as Marion vowed to recruit California hard while also extending the reach across the country.
Most of the new Hornets are from California, including two-time Sacramento Bee first-team All-Metro safety/receiver Lono Chouteau of Inderkum High School and one-time Bee All-Metro running back Elias Brown of Rocklin High in Placer County who earned junior college All-American honors at American River College in 2024.
Linebacker Jackson Cahoon of St. Francis High of Mountain View in Santa Clara County becomes a second-generation Hornet, following his father, J.B. Cahoon, who led the Hornets in tackles his final season with the Hornets in 1994. The elder Cahoon was an honorary Hornets captain when Sacramento State played at Stanford in 2023, where the Hornets registered their greatest regular-season victory.
Sacramento State starts spring practice March 17.
For UC Davis, the incoming freshmen include four quarterbacks, three wide receivers, one tight end and one running back.
UCD’s graduate transfers include defensive backs Ty Richardson, a Division III All-American from Tufts University in Massachusetts; Khalani Riddick of Elk Grove and Southeast Missouri State; Josiah Allen of UTEP by way of Elk Grove; Cole Batson of Boston College; linebacker Nate Rutchena of Cal in Berkeley; and defensive lineman Darrell Porter of Dartmouth, a 2024 All-Ivy League performer.
Among UCD’s incoming freshman class is Bee All-Metro defensive back Kam Totton of regional powerhouse Folsom.
Sac State’s spring class
(with position and hometown)
▪ Jordan Atkinson, DL, Dallas
▪ Trey Bass, WR, St. Louis
▪ Elias Brown, RB, Rocklin
▪ Jackson Cahoon, LB, Mountain View
▪ Lono Chouteau, WR/DB, Sacramento
▪ Trey Fernandez, WR, Sherman Oaks
▪ Drey Garner, WR, San Diego
▪ Jamal Hood, DB, Kettering, Maryland
▪ Karvon Jefferson, DB, St. Louis
▪ Malachi Kindle, DL, Los Angeles
▪ Jamar Malone, QB, Los Angeles
▪ Naytel Mitchell, DB, Pittsburg
▪ Tye Nickens, WR, Petaluma
▪ DeAnthony Sheffield, OL, Los Angeles
▪ Jaquail Smith, RB, Orlando
▪ Jeremiah Stallworth, OL, Palo Alto
▪ Mike Taylor, LB, East St. Louis
UC Davis transfer class
(with position, hometown and previous college)
▪ Josiah Allen, DB, Elk Grove, UTEP
▪ Cole Batson, DB, San Clemente, Boston College
▪ Trey Carr, DB, Fresno JC
▪ Ike Ikegbu, DL, American River College
▪ Darrell Porter, DL, Dartmouth, Pittsburgh
▪ Jacob Psyk, DL, Harvard, Sugarland, Texas
▪ Ty Richardson, DB, Tufts University, Menlo
▪ Khalani Riddick, Southeast Missouri State, Elk Grove
▪ Nate Rutchena, LB, Cal, Danville
UC Davis freshman class
▪ Marquis Bradley, WR, Glendora
▪ Treynor Cleeland, QB, Vancouver, Washington
▪ Drew Cofield, DB, Thousand Oaks
▪ JJ Cravin, DB, Murrieta
▪ Axel Eason, QB, Agoura Hills
▪ Jaden Few, DL, Ventura
▪ Luke Givens, LB, San Diego
▪ Xzavior Guess, QB, Huntington Beach
▪ Tyler Hennessy, WR, Garden Grove
▪ Devin Huegel, DL, Redding
▪ Aden Jackson, RB, El Cajon
▪ Edward Khutsishvili, TE, Anaheim
▪ Christian Knoos, LB, Thousand Oaks
▪ Cory McEnroe, LB, Thousand Oaks
▪ Ty Miller, QB, Sanger
▪ Tyler Parker, DL, Watts
▪ Albert Richardson, DB, Hanford
▪ Owen Scott, WR, Danville
▪ Kam Totton, DB, Folsom
This story was originally published February 6, 2025 at 1:41 PM.