NSU lands 38-player class to fill many needs

Norfolk State coach Dawson Odums continued to reconstruct his football roster after a disappointing two-win season with a massive haul as the second national signing period began Wednesday.

The Spartans welcomed 38 signees — the largest NSU class in recent memory — including a host of mid-year additions and players from the transfer portal. NSU had 10 signees on signing day in December.

“The biggest thing you need to address is needs,” Odums said in a statement. “We were able to address many positions on both sides of the football during that early signing period. We did a good job finding the necessary student-athletes to fill those positions.”

NSU finished 2-9 in Odums’ second season, including 2-3 in the MEAC.

Odums signed 17 transfers out of the portal, including three former ODU players: defensive ends Taevion Clarke and Keshawn Lynch (Menchville High) and wide receiver Aaron Moore. Clark and Lynch did not play at ODU, while Moore played in 14 games during the 2019 and 2021 seasons.

Defensive back Josh Austin, a former walk-on at Alabama, also signed along with fellow transfers Robert Rhem III (linebacker, Southern), Cameron Sapp (quarterback, Florida A&M) and quarterback Mark Wagner II (Virginia). Wagner is a redshirt freshman who threw for more than 3,400 yards and 44 TDs as a senior at Phoebus High.

Linebacker Kamari Reynolds, who played at Tallwood High in Virginia Beach, joins the Spartans from Wagner.

The signees coming in as freshmen include seven players from Hampton Roads: offensive lineman Jayden Chappell (Western Branch High); defensive linemen Isaiah Coley (Tallwood), Grant Gaffney (Salem) and Dantey Menard (Oscar Smith); wide receiver Jordin Cooper (Cox); quarterback Nolan James (Phoebus) and linebacker Richard Martin Jr. (Warwick).

James was the starting quarterback for Phoebus last season through the state semifinals before suffering a broken leg. He guided the Phantoms to a 12-0 record and threw for 2,368 yards and 33 touchdowns while rushing for 727 yards and 10 TDs.

Nearly half the signees hail from Virginia, North Carolina or Maryland.

“We just wanted to hone in on a few areas with Virginia and North Carolina being the targeted area for us this season,” Odums said.