DT: Cam Cunningham 6-3; 305 Kalamazoo, Michigan (Portage Northern/Fayetteville State/Saginaw Valley State/ Youngstown State) (G/Sr.)
Offers from SFA, North Texas, Ball State, Southern Mississippi, Howard, Tennessee Tech, Florida A&M, NC A&T, Morgan State, Monmouth, Albany, Indiana State, East Texas A&M, Prairie View A&M, EKU, Jackson State

Visit to SFA

DT: Jeremiah Sandiford 6-0; 270 Colorado Springs, Colorado (Falcon/Tennessee Tech) (Sr.) *** #145 DL
Offers from SFA, Minnesota, UMass, Wyoming, Buffalo, Florida A&M, Montana, Austin Peay, UIW, Samford, North Dakota, Northern Arizona, Prairie View A&M, Long Island, Murray State

GP:31;TKL:45;TFL:2.5;SCK:1.5;PBU:1

LB: Jake Penny 6-0; 205 Sparks, Nevada (Spanish Springs/Fort Lewis College) (Sr.)
Offer from SFA

GS:28;TKL:352;TFL:24.0;SCK:4.5;FF:5

- NFFCC DPOY
- 1st team All RMAC
- 2nd team All super region 4
- Nations leading tackler
- D2 Elite 100
- One of the premier defenders in all of D2 football.
- SFA Visit

DB: Lanar Kelly Jr. 5-10; 192 Jacksonville, Florida (Trinity Christian/Sierra College/New Mexico State) (G/Sr.)
Offers from SFA, Lamar, Murray State, Central Connecticut State

committed to Lamar

Jacks seem to be going for a lot of seniors and/or grad students. Going for quick fixes to address the current situation?

SFA Jack Fanatic said:

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Jacks seem to be going for a lot of seniors and/or grad students. Going for quick fixes to address the current situation?

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I have the same question. Looked like our traditional recruits were HS dominant. Maybe a balance between the 2 recruit time frames ?

I agree, SFA needs to attempt to maintain this level by all means.

𝒮𝐼𝒢𝒩𝐸𝒟 ✍️

Welcome to the Piney Woods @1dhawk!#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/47LWJbJNSE

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 7, 2026

CB: Davonta Morgan-Collins 6-0; 175 Dallas, Texas (Madison/Weber State) (So.)
Offers from SFA, ACU, Idaho State

GP:10;TKL:13;PBU:3 (2025 season as a true freshman)

Officially a Lumberjack 🪓

Welcome to the 936 @Micah_Johnson56!#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/qg9YICrFiY

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 7, 2026

They are rolling in now big pick-up here with a starting OL man and one of the best in the LSC...

Getting tougher up front 🦾

Welcome to SFA @kanyonives20!#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/gnFCLv1Q69

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 7, 2026

OL: Kanyon Ives 6-5; 305 Dension, Texas (Sr.) (West Texas A&M)
Offers from SFA, Murray State, UTRGV, Lamar, Gardner Webb, UIW

2025:
Named to the Lone Star Conference Preseason Players to Watch List...

2024:
Played in all 10 games for the Buffaloes in 2024... The Buffs rushed for 2,077 yards and 16 touchdowns... West Texas A&M averaged 173.1 yards per game on the ground with 105 rushing first downs... Earned Honorable Mention All-Lone Star Conference honors on the offensive line...

2023:
Saw time in nine games on the offensive line for the Buffs in 2023... WT rushed for 1,603 yards and 13 touchdowns... Average of 139.6 yards per game and 4.1 yards per carry... Ranked 7th in the LSC in rushing...

Team Captain
2x All-Conference LSC
1st Team All-LSC
2nd team All-Region
2nd Team Non-FBS All-Texas

10,000 prospects in the portal…

The data says around 6,500 will never be on a roster again.

Classes start soon at most institutions..

We will see a surge of HS prospects being recruited starting last week of Jan.

— Josh Straughan (@JoshStraughan1) January 7, 2026

LB: Marte Russell 6-0; 210 Denver, Colorado (Cherry Creek/Emporia State) (Jr.)
Offers from SFA, Upper Iowa, Norfolk, Colorado State Pueblo, East Central

GP:18;TKL:45;TFL:11.0;SCK:4.0;PD:1;FF:1;FR:1 (started 9 games)

CB: Benjamin Bruce 5-10; 180 Lubbock, Texas (Trinity Christian/Texas A&M) (So.)
Offers from SFA, Murray State, Lindenwood, Stetson, Georgetown, Wagner, Campbell

- 4.4 spd.

DB/LB: Jamel Acosta-Lewis 6-1; 205 Amarillo, Texas (Caprock/Colorado Mesa/West Texas A&M) (Sr.)
Offers from SFA, UTEP, UIW, Tennessee Tech, East Texas A&M, ACU, Stony Brook, Towson, UCA, Southern Illinois, SEMO, Bryant, HCU, North Alabama

TKL:63;TFL:2.5;INT:2;PBU:16;BLK:1

- 1st Team All-American
- 1st Team LSC All Conference Nickel Back
- 1x LSC defensive player of the week (7 tkls, 2 ints, 3 pbus vs Kingsville)
- Team Captain

Hmmmm how we feelin? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/A5fOPFIIaZ

— batman. (@jamel_acosta) January 9, 2026

QB: Kaden Anderson 6-4; 230 Southlake, Texas (Southlake Caroll) *** #78 QB
Offers from SFA, Wyoming, Bowling Green, Texas State, HCU (2023)

GP:22;CMP:259;CMP%:0.57;ATT:456;YDS:2,926;TD:18;INT:13;RTD:2

Career Passing yards in a game - San Jose State throwing for 304 yards
CMP % - 79.3% at Air Force 23 of 29

Offers from SFA, Tarleton (2026)

DB: John Smith 6-3; 205 Baytown, Texas (Sterling/Colorado State) *** #69 ATH (R/Fr.)
Offers from Colorado State, Texas A&M, UTSA (2024)

Offers in the portal SFA, Texas State, UIW, Lamar, Northwestern State

- 4.5 spd.

DT: Jaydon Eason 6-0; 290 North Augusta, South Carolina (So.) (CatawbaCollege/Newberry College)

Preseason All-SAC DT
All-SAC DT
SAC Champion
Regional Champion

2025 Season Stats:
70 Tackles
9.5 TFLs
27 QB Pressures
3 Sacks

More DL men!



Signed...
DT: Jaydon Eason 6-0; 290
DE: Micah Johnson 6-3; 245
DE: Landon Williams 6-4; 248

DT: Lamarian Hatcher 6-1; 310 Harker Heights, Texas (Harker Heights/Tyler JC/Alcorn State) (Jr.)
Offers from SFA, HCU, Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, Bryant

TKL:15;SCK:2.0

SFAXE93 said:

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More DL men!

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It all starts upfront.. you saw that with our Defense this year.. Our line was dominant..

Playmaker 🎮

Welcome to Nacogdoches @boobamturner! #AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/ek4Z178gdf

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 8, 2026

RB: Lontrell Turner 5-11; 180 Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville/UIW) *** (Jr.)
Offers from UIW, Arizona, Baylor, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Utah, SMU, Bowling Green, Toledo (2023)

2024: Turner played in 14 games for the Cardinals, racking up 562 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. His best game came in the playoffs when Turner rushed for a career high 120 yards in the win over Villanova.

GP:24;ATT:143;YDS:723;AVG:5.1;TD:3/REC:27;YDS:164;TD:1 (Career)

Had 118 yards rushing against ACU in 2025.

Home🪓💜 @SFA_Football #AxeEm pic.twitter.com/kaohwTFjBy

— Marté “Tay” Russell (@MarteRussell1) January 9, 2026

LB: Marte Russell 6-0; 210 Denver, Colorado (Cherry Creek/Emporia State) (Jr.)
Offers from SFA, Upper Iowa, Norfolk, Colorado State Pueblo, East Central

GP:18;TKL:45;TFL:11.0;SCK:4.0;PD:1;FF:1;FR:1 (started 9 games)

SFAXE93 said:

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Playmaker 🎮

Welcome to Nacogdoches @boobamturner! #AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/ek4Z178gdf

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 8, 2026

RB: Lontrell Turner 5-11; 180 Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville/UIW) *** (Jr.)
Offers from UIW, Arizona, Baylor, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, Texas Tech, Utah, SMU, Bowling Green, Toledo (2023)

2024: Turner played in 14 games for the Cardinals, racking up 562 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. His best game came in the playoffs when Turner rushed for a career high 120 yards in the win over Villanova.

GP:24;ATT:143;YDS:723;AVG:5.1;TD:3/REC:27;YDS:164;TD:1 (Career)

Had 118 yards rushing against ACU in 2025.

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I'm wondering if SFA will use Turner at RB or at WR. The majority of his playing days in HS and at UIW were at receiver, only being switched to running back this last season.

The tackling machine...

Lucky Penney 🪙

Welcome to SFA @JakePenney24!#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/syX0IKMxVC

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 9, 2026

LB: Jake Penny 6-0; 205 Sparks, Nevada (Spanish Springs/Fort Lewis College) (Sr.)
Offer from SFA

GS:28;TKL:352;TFL:24.0;SCK:4.5;FF:5

- NFFCC DPOY
- 1st team All RMAC
- 2nd team All super region 4
- Nations leading tackler
- D2 Elite 100
- One of the premier defenders in all of D2 football.

Looking strong at LB for 2026

LB: #33 MALACHI WILLIAMS 6-1; 220 (SR.) (1st Team All-SLC)
LB: #00 JAKE PENNY 6-0; 205 (SR.) (1st Team All-RMAC)
LB: #00 GARY SEIDENBERGER 6-1; 225 (SR.) (2nd Team All-RMAC)
LB: #42 MICHAEL WOODS 6-2; 221 (SO.)

Texas portal QB Trey Owens has committed to Arkansas State, his family tells @InsideTexas.

The 6-foot-5, 235-pounder has three years of eligibility. pic.twitter.com/F23tmUFbjs

— Justin Wells (@justinwells2424) January 9, 2026

OLB: Kaden McIvor 6-3; 233 Oakland, California (Bishop O'Dowd/Diablo Valley College) (Jr.)
Offers from SFA, Louisiana Tech, East Texas A&M, Texas Southern, Southern Utah, Alabama A&M, Southern

GP:19;TKL:46;TFL:12.0;SCK:7.0;FF:1;FR:1;INT:1

Unanimous First Team All Conference
Bay 6 Sack Leader
All State EDGE

Committed to Louisiana Tech

OLB: AJ Thomas 6-2; 230 Zachary, Louisiana (Zachary/Tulane/McNeese) *** (Jr.)
Offers from SFA, Arkansas State, Southern Miss., FIU, Tulane, Southern Alabama, App. State, Memphis, Louisiana Tech, ODU, Costal Carolina, San Jose State, New Mexico State, Liberty, Temple, Louisiana, UIW, Tarleton, Jackson State

TKL:62;TFL:8.5;QBH:20;FF:3 (2025)

Explosive energy 💥

Welcome to the 936 @MarteRussell1! #AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/1JfxkDhiGo

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 9, 2026

West Texas ➡️ East Texas

Welcome to the Piney Woods @HensleeSpencer!#AxeEm x #EastTexasTough pic.twitter.com/Bl9E3drjFl

— Lumberjack Football (@SFA_Football) January 9, 2026

TE: Spencer Henslee 6-5; 242 Humble, Texas (Atascocita/Arkansas/West Texas A&M) (Jr.)