TicketsThe Cincinnati football program signed 22 high school athletes for the 2026 season on Tuesday.
They are listed below in alphabetical order, with the full roster available here.
"I’m excited about this class," head coach Scott Satterfield said. "We want to start in the state of Ohio. We know some of the greatest coaches in the country are right here. This year we got seven guys that were signing from the state of Ohio, which we're thrilled to have those guys here, and one from Cincinnati.
"We want to start right here in our backyard when we're recruiting, and then we're going to spread out," he said. "We have to find players anywhere in this day and age. When you think about recruiting, it used to be very regional. We're going to hit this region, but then you have to spread out and go get the best players that you think you can get for your program that fit the mold."
General manager Zach Grant, who like Satterfield is entering his fourth year in Clifton, credited
"There's a ton of people who I really thank for their work," Grant said. "I'm very, very, very excited about this class. This is a tremendous class. I think it's going to be the best one we've had since we've been here. When we set out to build a recruiting class, we want length, growth, potential and explosiveness. At every position, we check those boxes."
2026 Football Signee Bios
Luke Collins | OL | 6-5 | 280 | Gahanna, Ohio | Gahanna-Lincoln HS
Consensus three-star prospect and No. 60 overall in Ohio according to 247Sports and On3…Top 120 in his position in the nation according to ESPN…Named First-Team All-Conference his senior year…Chose Cincinnati over Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, and Indiana.
Lance Dawson | DL | 6-4 | 260 | Avon, Ohio | Avon HS
Three-star recruit and No. 26 overall in Ohio according to 247Sports…Ranked as the No. 60 defensive tackle nationally (247Sports)...Blocked two kicks and had three sacks in a playoff win as a senior against top-seeded Highland…Multi-sport athlete in HS and set a school record with a 186-10 discus throw while also excelling in shot put…Also played basketball…Had 27 tackles with five TFL in his junior year while adding three sacks…Helped lead Avon on a 2024 state championship run…Chose Cincinnati over Illinois, West Virginia and Virginia.
Brooks Goodman | QB | 6-2 | 210 | Atlanta, Ga. | Blessed Trinity HS
Consensus three-star prospect and Top 100 quarterback recruit per 247Sports and On3…No. 64 QB prospect in nation according to ESPN… 2024 Georgia Region 6-4A Honorable Mention as a junior…Threw for just over 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns with 13 rushing scores through his junior season…Chose Cincinnati over Ole Miss, Indiana, and California among others.
Luke Grover | OL | 6-5 | 280 | Lewis Center, Ohio | Olentangy HS
Brother of Cincinnati tight end Gavin … Consensus three-star prospect and Top-75 player in Ohio according to 247Sports and On3…Ranked a Top-150 offensive tackle in the country according to 247Sports…Helped lead Olentangy to a combined 27-8 record in his three years…Also played basketball and volleyball…Chose Cincinnati over Iowa State, NC State and Virginia Tech.
Austin Hoane | OL | 6-5 | 270 | Cookeville, Tenn. | Cookeville HS
Consensus three-star prospect and Top-50 player in Tennessee according to 247Sports and On3… Ranked as the No. 79 interior lineman in the nation and No. 34 overall prospect in the state according to ESPN…Named a two-time Class 6A Offensive Team of the year member and a two-time First Team All-State honoree…Grew up in Augusta, Ga., before moving to Cookeville as a sophomore…Chose Cincinnati over Memphis, James Madison, and Coastal Carolina.
Keegan Horn | LB | 6-3 | 225 | Hueytown, Ala. | Hueytown HS
Three-star prospect and Top-100 player in Alabama according to 247Sports…Ranked the No. 137 edge in the nation according to 247Sports…Named team captain both his junior and senior years…Will compete in the AHSAA North/South All-Star Game…Chose Cincinnati over West Virginia and Wake Forest.
Kam Hurst | CB | 6-0 | 170 | St. Louis, Mo. | Lift for Life Academy
Three-star prospect and Top-25 player in Missouri according to 24Sports…Ranked as the No. 152 corner in the nation according to 247Sports…Totaled 74 tackles his senior year, with 58 of them being solo and five being for loss…Had six pass deflections in coverage his senior year…Named First-Team All-State and First-Team All-District his junior year…Also competed in high jump, long jump and hurdles for the track team…Previously committed to Washington State.
H’eij Jackson | WR | 6-4 | 190 | New Orleans, La. | McDonogh 35 HS
Consensus three-star prospect and top-50 player in Louisiana according to 247Sports…Ranked as the No. 37 prospect in the state according to On3…Three-sport athlete, also competing in basketball and track and field events…First-Team All-District as a junior (42 catches, 547 yards, 10 touchdowns)…Played first two seasons at Sarah T. Reed…Chose Cincinnati over Ole Miss, Arkansas and Louisville.
Adam Kirtley | LB | 6-0 | 200 | Cincinnati, Ohio | Taft HS
Three-star prospect and Top-100 player in the state according to 247Sports…Ranked as the No. 60 overall prospect in Ohio and No. 88 linebacker in the nation according to ESPN…Homegrown product out of Taft that totaled 116 tackles his senior year with 69 of them being solo… Recorded 155 stops and 24 TFLs as a junior…Named First Team All-Conference both his junior and senior year…Named Division IV Southwest Ohio Defensive Player of the Year…Named Division IV Southwest Ohio Defensive First Team…Chose Cincinnati over many schools.
Solomon Mathis | OL | 6-5 | 285 | Hephzibah, Ga. | Hephzibah HS
Consensus three star prospect and Top 200 player in Georgia according to 247Sports and On3...Ranked as the No. 123 offensive tackle in the country according to 247Sports…Chosen for Georgia vs. Carolina Border Bowl as a senior … Named Region 4-3A Offensive First Team as a sophomore…Totaled 42 pancake blocks in his career…Had 17 pancakes his senior year in 10 games played… Played both sides of the ball and had 73 total tackles over four years of varsity football…Chose Cincinnati over Florida.
Jamarion McKinney | CB | 6-2 | 175 | Greenville, S.C. | Greenville HS
Three-star prospect and top-30 player in the state according to 247Sports…Ranked as the No. 28 overall prospect in South Carolina…Multi-sport athlete in HS also played basketball and was highly-regarded…Selected for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas…Previously played at Wade Hampton High School…Chose Cincinnati over several schools.
Jaxon Newton | LB | 6-3 | 200 | Anniston, Ala. | Wellborn HS
Had 22 tackles his senior year with 20 of them being solo…Added six tackles for loss and four sacks in his senior campaign…Also saw action at defensive end, safety, running back, tight end and wide receiver…Multi-sport athlete who played both basketball and baseball…Chose Cincinnati over Toledo and Southern Miss.
Jonathan Rulo | DL | 6-1 | 300 | Belleville, Ill. | Belleville East HS
Three-star prospect and No. 27 overall prospect in Illinois according to 247Sports…Ranked as the No. 17 prospect in the state and No. 72 defensive tackle nationally per ESPN…Totaled 204 tackles in his career with 84 solos and 55 tackles for loss…Had 17 sacks in his career, including six his senior year…Named to the 2024 IHSFCA All-State team in the 8A class…Also a national and IHSA 3A State Heavyweight champion in wrestling … Chose Cincinnati over Iowa and Kansas State.
Darrius Simmons | DL | 6-2 | 335 | Cairo, Ga. | Gadsden County (Fla.) HS
Three-star prospect and Top-150 player in Florida according to On3…Ranked as the No. 129 defensive tackle nationally by ESPN…Chose Cincinnati over South Carolina, Kansas State and Houston.
Joshua Smith | WR | 6-5 | 195 | Columbus, Ohio | Africentric HS
Consensus three-star prospect and Top 100 player in Ohio according to 247 Sports and On3…Was a quarterback in high school, totaling 4,425 yards in the air and throwing 59 touchdowns while adding 777 yards on the ground with 13 rushing scores…Accounted for 34 touchdowns and 2,228 total yards through the first eight games of his senior year…Multi-sport athlete while earning All-City, All-District, and All-State honors in both basketball and football…Also named All-State in track…Chose Cincinnati over Iowa State.
Xavier Starks | S | 5-11 | 190 | Birmingham, Ala. | Clay-Chalkville HS
Three-star recruit and top-75 player in Alabama according to 247Sports…Ranked as the No. 93 safety nationally and No. 43 overall prospect in the state according to ESPN…Totaled 109 tackles in his career with 78 of them being solo…Had 21 pass breakups his final two years and added one fumble recovery…Chose Cincinnati over Arkansas and Mississippi State.
Markell Taylor | DB | 5-11 | 200 | Dallas, Ga. | North Paulding HS
Three-star prospect and top-50 safety in the nation according to 247Sports and ESPN…Ranked No. 49 safety in the nation and No. 72 overall prospect in Georgia…Also ran track…Earned First-Team All-Region and First-Team All-Area awards his senior year…Led team to conference championship and runner-up in region… Chose Cincinnati over Miami (FL), Kansas State and Wake Forest.
Dadrien Waller | WR | 6-3 | 200 | Guntersville, Ala. | Guntersville HS
Consensus three star prospect and Top 50 player in Alabama according to 247Sports and On3..Ranked as the No. 200 receiver in the nation by ESPN…Totals 874 receiving yards with 7 touchdowns in his high school career…Averaging 17 yards per reception his senior year… Totals over 900 all-purpose yards…Chose Cincinnati over Mississippi State.
Evan Weinberg | LB | 6-3 | 220 | Springboro, Ohio | Springboro HS
Three-star recruit and top-150 edge in the nation according to 247Sports…Ranked No. 111 overall in Ohio according to 247Sports…Named Honorable Mention All-Conference his junior year…Named First Team Division I Southwest All-District defensive team his senior season, racking up 78 tackles, 11.5 sacks and an interception in his final campaign.…Chose Cincinnati over West Virginia.
Jalen Williams | TE | 6-5 | 220 | Bloomington, Ind. | Bloomington South HS
Consensus three-star prospect and No. 9 player in Indiana according to ESPN…Ranked as the No. 48 tight end prospect in the nation according to ESPN…Recorded 947 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior…Sixth tight end signee for UC in the last three classes…Chose Cincinnati over Alabama, Indiana, and Pittsburgh and was previously committed to South Florida.
Jaidon Windom | S | 6-1 | 180 | Detroit, Mich. | Martin Luther King HS
Three-star prospect and top-15 player in Michigan according to 247Sports…Ranked as the No. 14 overall prospect in the state and No. 54 safety nationally by 247Sports…Multi-sport athlete in HS and was a five-time USA national boxing champion…Attended same high school as Bearcats legend Sauce Gardner…Chose Cincinnati over Bowling Green, Kent State, and Miami (OH).
Nathan Zappitelli | OL | 6-3 | 280 | Mentor, Ohio | Lake Catholic HS
Consensus three star prospect and Top 100 player in Ohio according to 247Sports and On3… Ranked as the No. 96 interior lineman in the nation and No. 68 overall prospect in the state according to ESPN…Named the Division IV Ohio Offensive Player of the Year in 2025…Named Division IV First Team All-State as a junior in 2024…Named First-Team All-Conference both his junior and senior years…Interested in studying finance…Chose Cincinnati over Wake Forrest, Pittsburgh and West Virginia among several others.