UTSA announces 15 early signees

SAN ANTONIO — UTSA head football coach Jeff Traylor on Thursday announced that the program has added DJ Allen to the early signing class, which now numbers 15 signees.

The signees include DJ Allen (Gladewater, Texas/Gladewater HS/TCU), Mekhi Anderson (Tampa, Fla./Armwood HS), Briley Brown (Helotes, Texas/O’Connor HS), Caile Hogan (Eltham North, Australia/Marcellin College), Davion Hurth (Mesquite, Texas/Horn HS), CJ James (Springfield, Mass./Central HS/New Mexico), Kenyan Kelly (Denison, Texas/Denison HS), Nate Markiewicz (McKinney, Texas/North HS), Jonah Miller (Tucson, Ariz./ Salpointe Catholic HS/Santa Rosa [Calif.] JC), Elijah Newell (Maumelle, Ark./Maumelle HS), Chidera Otutu (Pflugerville, Texas/Weiss HS), Zechariah Robinson (Brookshire, Texas/Royal HS), JJ Sparkman (Longview, Texas/Pine Tree HS/Texas Tech), Joseph Ugwu Jr. (Katy, Texas/Paetow HS) and Daemian Wimberly (Austin, Texas/Vandegrift HS/SMU).

The group features 10 players from the state of Texas, one apiece from Arizona, Arkansas, Florida and Massachusetts, as well as one from Australia. Of the players from the Lone Star State, three each hail from the Greater Houston Area and Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex/North Texas, two are from Central Texas and one apiece from San Antonio and East Texas.

Nine of the players are slated to play on the offensive side of the ball, five are pegged for the defense and one is a specialist.

Ten of the players are joining the Roadrunners from the high school ranks, while the other five are transfers who were part of FBS programs.

2024 UTSA Football Signing Class 

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown/Previous School(s)
DJ Allen	WR	6-0	205	Gladewater, Texas/Gladewater HS/TCU
Mekhi Anderson	WR	5-11	170	Tampa, Fla./Armwood HS
Briley Brown	OL	6-4	280	Helotes, Texas/O’Connor HS
Caile Hogan	P	6-1	210	Eltham North, Australia/Marcellin College
Davion Hurth	OL	6-5	275	Mesquite, Texas/Horn HS
CJ James	OL	6-4	295	Springfield, Mass./Central HS/New Mexico
Kenyan Kelly	S	6-1	175	Denison, Texas/Denison HS
Nate Markiewicz	TE	6-4	250	McKinney, Texas/North HS
Jonah Miller	OL	6-8	285	Tucson, Ariz./Salpointe Catholic HS/Santa Rosa [Calif.] JC
Elijah Newell	S	5-11	180	Maumelle, Ark./Maumelle HS
Chidera Otutu	DL	6-1	280	Pflugerville, Texas/Weiss HS
Zechariah Robinson	DL	6-3	265	Brookshire, Texas/Royal HS
JJ Sparkman	WR	6-4	225	Longview, Texas/Pine Tree HS/Texas Tech
Joseph Ugwu Jr.	OL	6-4	285	Katy, Texas/Paetow HS
Daemian Wimberly	DL	6-4	260	Austin, Texas/Vandegrift HS/SMU

DJ Allen
WR  •  6-0  •  205
Gladewater, Texas (Gladewater HS/TCU)
Transfer wide receiver from TCU … appeared in three games in 2023 after redshirting the previous season … had a pair of receptions for 10 yards … two-way star for head coach Jonny Louvier at Gladewater High School in East Texas … District 6-3A Division I MVP as a junior and senior … totaled 71 receptions, 1,604 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns and added 1,133 rushing yards and 10 TDs on the ground during his prep career … passed for 741 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 1,008 yards and 10 TDs as a senior … also caught 12 passes for 288 yards and a score … recorded 24 tackles, a sack, eight pass breakups, a forced fumble and fumble recovery in 2021 … a first-team all-district selection at wide receiver as a sophomore … helped lead the Bears to a 10-4 record and a 3A Division I state quarterfinal appearance that season … four-star recruit who was ranked by 247Sports as the No. 28 wide receiver in the nation as a senior … rated the No. 27 player in Texas and No. 161 nationally … also lettered in basketball, baseball and track & field … placed fourth as a junior at the 2021 Texas 3A state meet in the 100 meters (10.92) and eighth in the long jump (20-9) … set personal records of 10.82 in the 100m and 22-8.25 in the long jump at regionals that year.

Mekhi Anderson
WR  •  5-11  •  170
Tampa, Fla. (Armwood HS)
Speedy offensive weapon for head coach Evan Davis at Armwood High School in Tampa, Florida … piled up more than 1,200 all-purpose yards over his final two prep seasons … caught 33 passes for 668 yards and 10 touchdowns and averaged 20.2 yards per reception as a senior … also rushed for 103 yards and a TD on 15 attempts and had a kickoff return for a touchdown to help lead the Hawks to a district championship and playoffs … had 21 catches for 381 yards and three scores his junior year … also a state qualifier in the 100 meters, 200m and 4x100m relay … has clocked personal bests of 10.70 in the 100m and 21.35 in the 200m.

Briley Brown
OL  •  6-4  •  280
Helotes, Texas (O’Connor HS)
Three-year starter in the offensive line for head coach David Malesky at San Antonio O’Connor High School … two-time first-team all-district performer … selected to play in the San Antonio All-Star Game … rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which ranks him as the No. 6 center in the state … also competes for the track & field team … won the district title in the shot put and advanced to the area meet, where he finished second, and the regional meet, placing in the top 10 as a junior … owns a personal-best mark of 50-5 in the shot put … member of the National Honor Society … two-time first-team academic all-district in track & field and three-time second-team academic all-district in football … brother, Brady, played offensive line for UTSA in 2011 … brother, Baylen, played football for Texas Tech in 2013-16 … brother, Brannon, played football for TCU in 2019-22 … grandfather, Bobby Maples, played football at Baylor and in the NFL for 14 seasons with the Oilers (1965-70), Steelers (1971) and Broncos (1972-78).

Caile Hogan
P  •  6-1  •  210
Eltham North, Australia (Marcellin College)
Product of Prokick Australia, which produced UTSA record-setting punter Lucas Dean … played Australian Rules Football for Marcellin … attended Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne, Australia.

Davion Hurth
OL  •  6-5  •  275
Mesquite, Texas (Horn HS)
Standout offensive lineman for head coach Courtney Allen at Mesquite Horn High School in the Metroplex … named first-team All-District 10-6A as a senior … voted Team Offensive MVP in 2023 … three-star prospect by 247Sports and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which rated him as the No. 14 offensive guard in the state … also competed for the track & field team … advanced to the area round in the shot put … owns a personal-best mark of 46-11.5 in the shot put … also a member of the “A” Honor Roll.

CJ James
OL  •  6-4  •  295
Springfield, Mass. (Central HS/New Mexico)
Transfer offensive lineman from New Mexico … made the start at center in all 12 games in 2023 for the Lobos … started the first seven games at center in 2022 before getting injured early in the first quarter against New Mexico State … returned to the starting lineup at right guard for a pair of games before moving back to center for the final two … played one season (2020) at Abilene Christian, where he served as the starting center for an offense that averaged nearly 400 yards of offense per game, including 180 yards on the ground … redshirted for one season at Lackawanna Junior College … starred at Springfield Central High School for head coach Valdamar T. Brower … helped his team win the 2019 Massachusetts state championship

Kenyan Kelly
S  •  6-1 •  175  •  Fr.-HS
Denison, Texas (Denison HS)
Athletic defensive back who starred at Denison High School for head coach Brent Whitson … first-team All-District 7-5A Division II selection at safety as a senior … posted 82 total tackles, 54 solo stops, four tackles for loss, an interception and two fumble recoveries in 2023 … four-star prospect by 247Sports and a three-star prospect by Rivals and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which ranks him as the No. 16 safety in the state … registered 92 total tackles, three tackles for loss, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries as a junior … also competes for the track & field team … owns personal bests of 22.91 in the 200 meters and 42-11 in the triple jump.

Nate Markiewicz
TE  •  6-4  •  250
McKinney, Texas (North HS)
Three-time first-team all-district tight end for head coach Kendall Brewer at McKinney North High School … had 23 receptions for 320 yards and six touchdowns as a senior to help lead the Bulldogs to the playoffs … caught 14 passes for 136 yards as a junior … rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which ranks him as the No. 8 tight end in the state … ranked as the No. 3 tight end in Texas and 28th in the nation by ESPN. 

Jonah Miller
OL  •  6-8  •  285
Tucson, Ariz. (Salpointe Catholic HS/Santa Rosa [Calif.] JC)
Transfer offensive lineman from Santa Rosa Junior College in California … earned first-team National Division All-NorCal League honors … four-star prospect and the top-ranked JUCO interior offensive lineman in the nation by 247Sports … four-star recruit and ranked No. 6 nationally among all JUCO players by Rivals … started his collegiate career at Oregon in 2021 … did not appear in any games … out of high school, was a consensus four-star recruit and top-300 player nationally … a top-20 offensive guard by 247Sports (No. 15) … was in the top 30 among tackles by ESPN (No. 24) and Rivals (No. 28) … consensus top-five player from Arizona by Rivals (No. 4), 247Sports (No. 5), ESPN (No. 5) and the 247 composite (No. 5) … No. 1 offensive guard in the state by 247Sports and the 247 composite, and the second-ranked tackle in Arizona by ESPN and Rivals … played freshman through junior seasons at Salpointe Catholic High School before opting out of his senior year during the COVID-19 pandemic … selected to All Sports Tucson’s All-Decade team at the end of 2019 … first-team 4A all-state selection as a junior … earned first-team All-Kino League honors … also competed for the track & field team.

Chidera Otutu
DL  •  6-1  •  280
Pflugerville, Texas (Weiss HS)
Three-time first-team all-district defensive lineman for head coach Vernon Hughes at Pflugerville Weiss High School … registered 192 total tackles, 80 solo stops, 43.0 tackles for loss, 10.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup during his three-year career … logged 66 tackles, 25.0 TFLs and 6.5 sacks as a senior … posted 73 tackles, 10.0 TFLs and a sack as a junior … named team’s Defensive MVP twice … voted as Weiss’ top defensive lineman as a sophomore … three-star prospect by 247Sports and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which rates him as the No. 8 defensive end in the state  … also competes for the track & field team … Class 6A regional qualifier in the discus … owns a personal-best throw of 142-5.

Zechariah Robinson
DL  •  6-3  •  265
Brookshire, Texas (Royal HS)
Standout defensive lineman for head coach Theadis Reagins at Brookshire Royal High School … named District 10-4A Defensive MVP as a senior … registered 66 total tackles, including 35 tackles for loss and five sacks in 2023 … helped lead the Falcons to the playoffs in each of his last two seasons … first-team all-district selection as a junior after racking up 44 total tackles, 25 TFLs, 10 sacks and a forced fumble … three-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which ranks him as the No. 6 defensive tackle in the state … also competed for the track & field team … has posted personal bests of 46-6.5 in the shot put and 114-5 in the discus.

JJ Sparkman
WR  •  6-4  •  225
Longview, Texas (Pine Tree HS/Texas Tech)
Transfer wide receiver from Texas Tech … played in 32 games with the Red Raiders during the 2021-23 seasons … totaled 23 receptions for 245 yards and three touchdowns during his time in Lubbock … had 14 catches for 150 yards and a TD in 2022 … two-time first-team All-District 9-5A selection at Pine Tree High School in Longview … caught 39 passes for 725 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior to help lead the Pirates to the playoffs … averaged 18.6 yards per catch … recorded more than 700 receiving yards as a junior and scored 10 touchdowns through the air … also notched 475 receiving yards and two touchdowns during his sophomore year … also played basketball and competed in the high jump and 400 meters for the track & field team … three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals.

Joseph Ugwu Jr.
OL  •  6-4  •  285
Katy, Texas (Paetow HS)
Standout offensive lineman for head coach David Hicks at Katy Paetow High School … honorable mention All-District 19-6A selection as a senior … leader on an offensive line that helped the Panthers average 463.0 yards of offense per game in 2023 … three-star prospect by 247Sports and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, which rates him as the No. 10 offensive guard in the state … also competes for the track & field team … owns personal bests of 45-11 in the shot put and 151-5 in the discus. 

Daemian Wimberly
DL  •  6-4  •  260
Austin, Texas (Vandegrift HS/SMU)
Transfer defensive lineman from SMU … appeared in one game in 2023 for the Mustangs … first-team all-state, All-CenTex and All-District 25-6A selection as a senior at Vandegrift High School … posted 85 tackles, 17 sacks, five forced fumbles and six pass breakups to help lead the Vipers to a 14-2 record and a Class 6A D-II state runner-up finish in 2022 … logged 18 total tackles, including 15 solo stops, three tackles for loss and two sacks in a 30-22 victory over Round Rock and was named Austin Area Player of the Week by the Austin American-Statesman … helped Vandegrift to a 12-2 record and the Class 6A D-II regional finals as a junior … three-star prospect by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football, Rivals and 247Sports, who ranked him as the nation's No. 91 defensive lineman.

 -UTSA-