Aggies sign 20-player recruiting class, including trio of Cache Valley talent


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LOGAN — Utah State's fourth recruiting class under head coach Matt Wells unveiled 20 players, including 16 high school seniors, including a former NFL All-Pro's son and three recruits from the Cache Valley.

Eight signees are already enrolled in classes in Logan, including returned missionary freshman defensive end Caden Andersen. The former Logan High standout was a Class 4A first team all-state pick by the Deseret News as a junior and tabbed Region 5 defensive line MVP. Andersen racked up 94 tackles, 3.0 sacks, three fumbles and a 4A state championship for the Grizzlies before serving a two-year mission for the LDS Church in Detroit.

Wells' class also features Sky View's Bryce Mortenson and Logan's Troy Murray. Mortenson was a first-team Class 5A all-state honoree from the Deseret News at wide receiver and will make the move to tight end at Utah State. Murray, who played defensive end at Logan, could also see time at outside linebacker with the Aggies.

A 3AA first-team honoree, he tallied 127 tackles, 14 sacks and 38 tackles for loss as a senior on the 11-2 Grizzlies team that won the 3AA state title, and picked Utah State over Mountain West rivals Air Force Nevada and Wyoming, as well as Idaho.

"Every one of those in-state guys were in camp, whether it was our camp in Salt Lake City or on campus at Utah State," Wells said of the locals. "Those are very valuable and that's where you really fall in love with those guys from a competitive nature and how coachable they are. Troy and Bryce are extremely competitive and extremely coachable. There is a lot of upside with those two guys and I'm excited about those two Cache Valley guys."

Photo: Chris Samuels, Deseret News
Photo: Chris Samuels, Deseret News

The class also includes Rayshad Lewis, a 5-foot-10 wide receiver and the son of former Baltimore Ravens all-time great Ray Lewis.

But make no mistake: Wells recruited Rayshad Lewis on his own merits, the coach clarified Wednesday.

"We signed Ray Lewis' kid for who Rayshad is, because if Rayshad couldn't play and help us win a Mountain West championship, we wouldn't recruit him," Wells said. "That goes for any kid on there and for that matter, we recruited him just like we did any other kid. He just happened to have an All-Pro dad who was here on the visit in Logan, and was really a tremendous support for him. It's neat to see, being a dad myself."

Wells acknowledged Ray Lewis' potential lift for future recruiting classes — and even on the current team. But the Bishop Moore High graduate from Orlando has plenty of his own merits, as a Class 5A first-team all-state honoree as a senior on a 14-1 squad that won the school's first state title since 1970.

Rayshad Lewis was the No. 11-ranked player in the Orlando Sentinel's Central Florida Super60 and No. 55-ranked player in the state's Top 100 by the same newspaper. A defensive back during the regular season, he grabbed seven interceptions before moving over to offense in the playoffs, when he caught seven touchdown passes in five games, inclduing a 7-catch, 94-yard, two-touchdown effort in the state championship.

Rayshad Lewis' brother Ray III plays football at Coastal Carolina.

See the complete signing day roster below.

Utah State 2016 Recruiting Class

Name Pos Previous school
Demytrick Ali'ifua OL San Leandro HS (Calif.)
Caden Andersen DE Logan HS
Alex Byers WR Antelope Valley JC (Calif.)
Antonio Cole CB Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (Okla.)
Makiah Gilmer CB Juanita HS (Wash.)
Rayshad Lewis WR Bishop Moore HS (Fla.)
Jordan Love QB Liberty HS (Calif.)
Simian Matagi LB Bingham HS
Viliamu McMoore OL Kapolei HS (Hawaii)
Tre Miller RB Dixie HS
Bryce Mortenson TE Sky View HS
Troy Murray OLB/DE Logan HS
Craig Rucker WR Edgewater HS (Fla.)
Ty Shaw OL Herriman HS
Zach Swenson S East HS
Ron'Quavion Tarver WR Fort Scott CC (Fla.)
Sean Taylor OL Laney College (Calif.)
Justus Te'i LB Mission Hills HS (Calif.)
Morian Wakler RB Valley Christian HS (Calif.)
David Woodward LB Olympia HS (Wash.)

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