VMI Football coach Danny Rocco, coming off a five-win season in his first year as coach at the Institute, announced a 2024 prep signing class of 18 incoming student-athletes on Wednesday.
Rocco led VMI to a 5-6 overall record in 2023, with a 4-4 mark in the rugged Southern Conference.
“We are very excited to announce our signing class for the 2024 season,” Rocco said. “I want to thank our coaching staff as well as our support staff for their hard work throughout this process. This group of signees will continue to allow us to both upgrade the overall talent on our team as well as continue to add players to our program who share the same core values with the Institute.”
“This particular class includes a significant number of players who we evaluated in our senior evaluation camps last summer, as well as players and families who attended both our Junior Days and a home football game during the fall season. Our focus really shifted to the offensive side of the ball. We wanted to focus on both the offensive line as well as our offensive skill positions. We signed five offensive linemen in this class as well as six players who play either wide receiver or running back.”
“Defensively, our focus was on both secondary players as well as second level linebackers. This class continues to emphasize our commitment to recruiting the state of Virginia with 11 of the 18 signees representing Virginia high school programs.”
VMI Class of 2024
Leo Boehling – Running Back – Richmond, Va. – Benedictine
A shifty running back at 5-foot-11, Boehling helped lead Benedictine to the VISAA Division I State Championship this past fall, throwing a touchdown pass and rushing for 94 yards in the 31-14 victory. Boehling was a force all year, earning VISAA First Team All-State honors. Boehling, who also saw time at linebacker, is a member of the Benedictine Varsity Lacrosse team. @Leoboehling_
Joseph “JoJo” Crump – Quarterback – Oak Hill, Tenn. – Father Ryan
Standing at 6-foot-1, 194 pounds, Crump earned DII-AAA West All-Region honors competing for Father Ryan High School. A dual-threat, Crump’s 40-yard time clocks in at 4.5 and also competed for the varsity lacrosse team. @JoJo_Crump
Ayanle Farah – Offensive Line – Sterling, Va. – Potomac Falls
Bringing some size to the Keydets line will be Farah, who checks in at 6-foot-4, 270 pounds. At Potomac Falls, Farah played both offensive and defensive tackle. @AyanleFarah_
Noah Grievous – Wide Receiver – Charlottesville, Va. – Albemarle
A familiar name to the VMI Football program, Grievous joins his brother Isaiah, who will be entering his second year on post. Noah played a variety of positions for Albemarle High School including wide receiver, running back and cornerback. A 6-0, 190-pound athlete, Noah also plays on the Albemarle Basketball team. @GreviousNoah
Uriah Harris – Defensive Line – Richmond, Va. – Hermitage
Another product of the Richmond area, Harris played defensive line for Hermitage High School, racking up 55.0 tackles, 14.0 sacks and 22.0 tackles for loss in 2023. Standing a 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Harris is also a two-time All-State thrower in the shot put. @UriahHarris42
Aiden Jones – Offensive Line – Chester, Va. – Thomas Dale
Jones is another player familiar with the trenches, earning Second Team All-State and First Team All-Region honors after his senior season at Thomas Dale. A 6-foot-4, 275-pound lineman, Jones was a force on defense this past year, totaling 72.0 tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss. Jones also plays center for Thomas Dale Basketball. @A_Jones2x
DJ Jones – Linebacker – Charlotte, N.C. – Mallard Creek
Jones figures to be a factor up the middle, as he was featured at both middle linebacker and running back at Mallard Creek High School in Charlotte. Clocking in with a 4.51 40-time, Jones was named All-Conference despite missing four games due to an ankle injury. @DJJones980
Gavin Kamody – Defensive Back – Pittsburgh, Pa. – North Catholic
Projecting as a safety, Kamody played both free safety and wide receiver for North Catholic High School, earning First Team All-Conference honors. At 6-foot-1, 185 pounds Kamody has a 4.15 time in the shuttle and runs a sub-4.5 40, registering two receiving touchdowns this past season. @gavinkam7
Thomas Leible – Offensive Line – Bensalem, Pa. – Bensalem
Standing at 6-foot-6, Leible saw time at both offensive tackle and guard while competing for Bensalem High School, serving as a captain this past year and earning two-time 6A All-League honors in the process. Leible is also a member of the Bensalem Track & Field program. @LeibleThomas77
Asa Locks – Defensive Back – Lusby, Md. – Fork Union
Locks started his high school career at Patuxent (691 yards, seven touchdowns as a senior) where he was a member of both the football and baseball teams (outfield). This past season, Locks spent his postgraduate year at Fork Union Military Academy, helping the team go 5-4 against college competition. @asalocks
Malik McNeely – Wide Receiver – Huntington, Va. – Huntington
McNeely figures to be a big target for VMI quarterbacks, standing at 6-foot-4, 185 points. Sporting a 4.0 GPA, McNeely earned First Team All-MSAC honors for Huntington High School where he also plays on the varsity basketball squad. @leeky_mcneely4
Omar McPherson –Wide Receiver – Amherst, Va. – Amherst County
McPherson was both an impact player at wideout and defensive back for Amherst County where he also played basketball as a forward. In his senior year, McPherson had 45.0 tackles, two interceptions and five passes defended, while hauling in 24 catches for 318 yards and two scores. @Omar2Mcpherson
Richard Mulhern – Offensive Line – Centreville, Va. – Mt. Zion Prep
Like his counterparts, Mulhern brings some size to the VMI offensive line at 6-foot-4, 285 pounds. Mulhern began his high school career at Unity Reed High School where he saw time on the defensive end before flipping to the offence and spent 2023 at Mt. Zion Preparatory Academy in Maryland. @RichardMulhern7
Robert “Bobby” Powell –Defensive Back – Morgantown, W. Va. – Morgantown
Playing both defensive back and running back at Morgantown, Powell was named AAA First Team All-State after collecting 35.0 tackles and an interception, amassing 694 yards and two touchdowns on offense. @bobbypowell21
Aslin Shipe – Running Back – Ashburn, Va. – Broad Run
A strong runner, Shipe clocks a 4.38 time in the 40 and a 4.32 shuttle and was named All-Region after totaling 1,411 yards (8.7 ypc) and nine touchdowns on the ground in 2023. During his time at Broad Run, Shipe has also been a member of the track & field program, running the 100 and 200 and throwing discus. @AslinShipe
Owen Sweeney – Wide Receiver – Roanoke, Va. – Cave Spring
While seeing some time on defense (16.0 tackles, 6.0 TFLs), Sweeney was a top target for Cave Spring quarterbacks, finding the back of the end zone four times with an average of 23.6 yards per catch. Possessing good size at 6-foot-3, Sweeney has also played varsity baseball and basketball throughout his high school career and even has punting in his repertoire, with five punts for 183 yards. Sweeney was First Team All-Region as a wide receiver and punter, and honorable mention on defense. @ocsweeney
Camron Watkins – Linebacker – Wingate, Pa. – Bald Eagle Area
Watkins figures to be another versatile player for the Keydets as he was a dominant two-way player for Bald Eagle. On defense, Watkins had 61.0 tackles and 24.0 tackles for loss, totaling 859 yards and eight touchdowns receiving. Watkins, who stands at 6-foot-2, also plays for the Bald Eagle Varsity basketball team. @CamronWatkins6
Britin Witt – Offensive Line – Forest, Va. – Jefferson Forest
A native of Forest, Virginia, Witt helped anchor both the offense and defensive lines for Jefferson Forest, serving as the center and a defensive tackle. The 6-foot-2, 285-pound lineman helped lead his school to a 10-2 record this fall. @BritinW
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Chris Graham
