RUSTON – Head football coach Sonny Cumbie announced the singing of 16 new players during the early signing period.
 
Cumbie and company added six new faces on offense and 10 on defense. All 16 signees are three-star recruits.
 
The Bulldogs signed seven players out of Louisiana, seven from Texas, one from Mississippi and one from Colorado.
 
Brady Vodicka | QB | 6-2 | 215 | Cherry Creek HS | Englewood, Colo.
High School: Chose LA Tech over UNLV, Marshall and others … Rated as the 20^th best player in Colorado and as the 95^th best quarterback in the class of 2026 … Has led his team to two state titles and will play for a third this weekend … Earned honorable mention all-state honors in 2024 … Has led Cherry Creek to a 46-3 record as a starter … Has passed for 8,938 yards and 99 touchdowns … a three year team captain.

Kenny Thomas | RB | 5-9 | 170 | North DeSoto HS | Stonewall, La.
High School: Chose LA Tech over Southern Arkansas … Rated as the 51^st best player in the state of Louisiana and as the 107^th best running back in the class of 2026 … Holds the all-time North DeSoto HS rushing record … Has ran for 4,761 yards and 69 touchdowns across four seasons … Tallied 1,269 yards and touchdowns as a sophomore, 1,932 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior and 1,403 yards and 20 scores as a senior … Was named the District 1-4A Offensive MVP, first team All-Area, first team Class 4A All-State by the state's coaches, and honorable mention Class 4A by the Louisiana Sports Writers Association after his stellar junior season … Ran for 318 yards and three touchdowns in a playoff win over Franklinton on November 28 … Runs a 10.81 100-meter dash.

Johnny Casey Jr. | WR | 5-9 | 165 | Evangel Christian Academy | Shreveport, La.
High School: Chose LA Tech over Troy, Georgia State and others … Rated as the 52^nd best player in the state of Louisiana and as the 293^rd receiver in the class of 2026 … Has tallied 105 receptions for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns across three seasons … Caught 45 passes for 1,002 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior … Recorded 58 receptions for 1,170 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior … Primarily played defense as a sophomore, collecting 31 tackles … Runs a 22.87 in the 200-meter dash.

William Mayes | TE | 6-6 | 240 | Tompkins HS | Katy, Texas
High School: Chose LA Tech over Memphis, North Texas, Tulane, Texas State, UTEP, Arkansas State and others … Rated as the 300^th best player in Texas and as the 133^rd best tight end in the class of 2026 … Was named first team all-district 19-6A tight end … Holds the single season record for receiving yards by a tight end at Tompkins High School … Caught 22 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns as a senior.

Tadan Bingham | OL | 6-4 | 290 | Terrebonne HS | Houma, La.
High School: Chose LA Tech over Grambling, McNeese, Nicholls and Southeastern … Rated as the 69^th best player in Louisiana as the 235^th best offensive tackle in the class of 2026 … Led Terrebonne to a 9-4 (4-2) record as a senior … Earned first team all-district 8-5A honors in 2024 and 2025 … Earned LSWA 5A all-state honorable mention honors as a junior.

Jacob McRae | OL | 6-5 | 285 | Allen HS | Allen, Texas
High School: Chose LA Tech over Colorado State, Memphis, Tulane, UNLV, James Madison, Tulsa, UTEP and others … Rated as the 358^th best player in Texas and as the 270^th best interior offensive lineman … Earned first team all-district 6-6A honors as a junior … Led his team to a 13-1 record in 2024 … His team is currently 13-0 in 2025 … His father was an offensive lineman at Baylor (1995-2000).

Za'Qwaun Nunn | DT | 6-1 | 285 | North Shore Senior HS | Houston, Texas
Rated as the 222^nd best player in Texas and as the 159^th best defensive lineman in the class of 2026 … Played two seasons at Clear Springs High School where he tallied 151 tackles and nine sacks … Earned District 24-6A Defensive MVP honors as a junior after collecting 90 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and eight sacks … Recorded 54 tackles, 13 sacks and 10 tackles for loss during the regular season at North Shore … Won the 6A state wrestling title in the 285-pound weight class as a sophomore.

Amari Wilks | DE | 6-3 | 240 | Pearland HS | Pearland, Texas
High School: Chose LA Tech over San Diego State and UTEP … Rated as the 335^th best player in Texas and as the 259^th best defensive lineman in the class of 2026 … Led his high school to the district title while being named first team all-district as a senior … Tallied 57 tackles and one sack in 2025 according to max preps … Collected 43 tackles and six sacks as a junior in 2024.

Jeremiah Smith | LB | 6-1 | 220 | Katy HS | Katy, Texas
High School: Chose LA Tech over Pittsburgh, Southern Miss, Tulsa and Arkansas Sate … Rated as the 340^th best player in Texas and as the 243^rd best linebacker in the class of 2026 … Earned first team all-district honors as both a junior and sophomore … Was named the district newcomer as a sophomore … Posted 68 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks, one interception and four pass breakups as a senior … Tallied 62 stops, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks during his junior campaign … Collected 50 tackles, eight tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception and two touchdowns during breakout sophomore season … Runs a 10.87 100-meter dash.  

Grayson Hardy | LB | 6-3 | 215 | Sulphur Springs HS | Sulphur Springs, Texas
High School: Chose LA Tech over Dartmouth … Rated as the 337^th best player in Texas and as the 239^th best linebacker in the class of 2026 … Posted 364 tackles, 18 pass breakups, six fumble recoveries, four interceptions, three tackles for loss and two forced fumbles across four seasons … Earned first team all-district 7-4A honors and honorable mention all-state honors after recording 178 stops, two interceptions and two tackles for loss as a junior … Played in the secondary for three seasons before moving to linebacker in 2025 … Father Stephen played football at Texas Tech and was a teammate of head coach Sonny Cumbie.

Ayden Combs | LB | 6-2 | 220 | Cypress Ranch HS | Cypress, Texas
High School: Chose LA Tech over North Texas, ULL, Air Force, Arkansas State, Army, Nevada, Utah State, Sam Houston, UTEP and others … Rated as the 298^th best player in Texas and as the 207^th best linebacker in the class of 2026 … Was named first team all-district 16-6A as a senior … Earned first team all-district 16-6A honors as a junior after finishing with 109 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks … Earned first team all-district honors as a sophomore.

Franklin Morgan Jr. | CB | 5-10 | 170 | Amite HS | Amite, La.
Rated as the 64^th best player in Louisiana and as the 217^th best cornerback in the class of 2026 … Earned first team all-district 8-3A honors as a defensive back and kick returner during his senior season …

Damien Richard II | CB | 6-0 | 170 | Destrehan HS | Destrehan, La.
High School: Chose LA Tech over Nicholls and Lafayette … Rated as the 72^nd best player in Louisiana and as the 240^th best cornerback in the class of 2026 … Earned first team all-district 8-5A honors as a defensive back in 2025 … Tallied 50 tackles, two tackles for loss, 12 pass breakups and one interception as a junior in 2024 … Has a 23'7" long jump and a 46'10" in triple jump.

AJ "John" Tarvin | CB | 6-1 | 175 | Hattiesburg HS | Hattiesburg, Miss.
High School: Chose LA Tech over Jacksonville State, Southern Miss, Sacramento State, Jackson State and Central Arkansas … Rated as the 32^nd best player in Mississippi and the 93^rd best cornerback in the class of 2026 … Recorded 43 tackles and two interceptions as a senior according to max preps … Tallied 31 stops, two tackles for loss, three interceptions and 18 pass breakups as a junior

Nathan Green | S | 5-11 | 175 | Huntington HS | Shreveport, La.
High School: Chose LA Tech over Baylor, Mississippi State, Texas State, Troy, Tulsa and others … Rated as the 48^th best player in Louisiana and as the 148^th best safety in the class of 2026 … Tallied 810 all-purpose yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions as a senior … Earned second team all-district 1-5A honors as an athlete during his senior year.

Emanual Collins | S | 5-11 | 170 | Southside HS | Youngsville, La.
Rated as the 55^th best player in the state of Louisiana and as the 190^th best safety in the class of 2026 … Earned first team all-district 3-5A honors as a senior.

In addition to its 16 signees, the Bulldogs have also added Jackson Speer, preferred walk on offensive lineman from Evangel Christian Academy in Shreveport.  
 
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