Well, it took about two hours, but I went through all of the recruits put into IU coach Bill Lynch's slideshow during his press conference today, summed up their achievements listed on their slides and got a quote from Lynch on each of them. They're even in alphabetical order. Follow the jump for the list, and let us know what you think of this recruiting class by commenting on the thread.
Pete Bachman - Defensive End
Cincinnati
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 240
- All-League Selection
- Picked to play in Big 33 All-Star game
- Recipient of Marines Honor, Courage and Commitment Award
"He's a big, rangy kid. When we had him at camp last summer, he worked out as a defensive end. That's really what we're looking for, but he could go back and certainly play offensive tackle. Elder High School is a tremendous football program down there, and getting two kids from down there is good."
Antonio Banks - Running back
Middletown, Ohio
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 210
- Four-time All-Conference
- Rushed for 2,948 yards and 41 touchdowns in career
- Led team to best record in 15 years
"Tough, physical kid. Has good speed, and, again, he's one of those kids who really fits in with what we're trying to do here."
Cameron Cole - Defensive back
Cincinnati
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 175
- Two-time All-Conference
- All-Southwest Ohio
- State record for longest kick-off return - 104 yards
"He plays in the GCL, the catholic league down there in Cincinnati. That's awful good football, and he was certainly a standout player from La Salle high school."
Jack Denton - Linebacker
Zionsville, Ind.
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 235
- All-Conference selection as a senior
- Led Zionsville to sectional championship in 2008
- Led team in receiving as a junior and senior
"We certainly have a need at linebacker because of all the ones that graduated. Him being here now, going through spring practice, certainly will give him an opportunity to show what he can do before we get to next August.
Cody Evers - Offensive line
Little Chute, Wisc.
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 315
- Won Division II state championship in shot put
- Selected All-Conference, All-Region and All-State as a senior
- Selected for All-Star Shrine Bowl
"Cody is a really good football player. He's played a lot of defense and then, this year, he was a two-way guy. Big, big physical guy who we think can play on either side of the ball. We're going to start him off on offense."
Drew Hardin - Defensive back
Louisville, Ky.
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 190
- All-Conference defensive back
- Four year starter in football
- All-State defensive back
"He's a good athlete. Plays some basketball, too. He'll fit into our secondary."
Marlandez Harris - Defensive line
Springfield, Ill.
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 255
- All-State and All-Conference selection as a senior
- Recorded 14 sacks in senior year
- Led Sacred Heart to a state championship as a junior
"He's a very physical kid. He runs well, and we think he'll be a good down guy for us inside. He could also go over and be a pretty darn good center, as well."
Leneil Himes - Tight end
Plymouth, Ind.
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 245
- 2009 Mr. Football award winner at tight end position
- All-time leading receiver in Plymouth history
- Two-time All-State and All-Conference selection
"He's only the second Plymouth high school grad to sign a Big Ten scholarship. He reminds you of Jammie Kirlew, but he's already 245 pounds. He's a mature, physical guy that we're going to start out on offense knowing he can play either way."
Chase Hoobler - Linebacker
Orrville, Ohio
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 225
- Two-time first team All-Ohio
- Two-time Defensive Player of the Year
- Finished career with 433 tackles (school record)
- Selected to Big 33 All-Star game
"We think he's going to be one heck of a football player. He's a big, strong guy. There's a lot of places he could play. Early on, this time last year, when we were watching his junior tape, we could tell this guy was a really good football player, so we're glad to have him."
Kofi Hughes - Quarterback/Athlete
Indianapolis
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 200
- 2009 Indiana Gatorade Player of the Year
- IFCA All-State quarterback
- Passed for 1,584 yards with 19 touchdowns
- Rushed for 1,552 yards with 22 touchdowns
"From a football standpoint, he's really good when he gets the ball in his hands. He's played quarterback and he can throw it, he can run it, he just makes things happen with the ball in his hands. He's going to be a big guy. He really is."
Bill Ivan
Charlevoix, Mich.
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250
- Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team
- Rated No. 29 on Detroit News Blue Chip list
- National Honor Society
"He's going to be a really big guy. He's in the mold of the kind of offensive linemen - big guys that got good height that will grow in and be big offensive linemen for us."
Shaquille Jefferson - Defensive back
Lexington, Ohio
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180
- All-Ohio as a junior
- Track and field standout
- Older brother Jamarlo O'Neal played at Ohio State
"He got hurt early in the season, so he only played three or four games this year. Committed during the summer, but didn't get to finish his senior year. But we think he has a great future."
Andre Kates - Defensive back (JUCO)
Washington, D.C.
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200
- Member of Team USA in Junior College All-American Game
- Named Junior College Player of the Year by Triumphant Sports
"Corner is a position of need for us, so I think he'll come in and really have a chance to compete."
Lenyatta Kiles - Defensive back (JUCO)
Los Angeles
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 190
- All-Conference Cerritos College
- All-Conference Culver City High
- Letter winner: three years football, four years basketball, two years track
"He's quick and a really likeable guy that, I think, this spring will really have a chance to compete."
Tim O'Conner - Wide receiver
Cincinnati
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 190
- Two-time All-State
- Two-time All-Conference
- Finished career with school-record 120 receptions for 1,659 yards and 22 touchdowns
"He got hurt, as well, and he came back later on in the year and played. He had a brother that played baseball here ... It wasn't a real hard sell in terms of Indiana."
Matt Perez - Running back
Park Ridge, Ill.
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 200
- Chicago Sun-Times Illinois Player of the Year
- 208 carries, 34 touchdowns and 2,246 yards as a senior
- Led team to back-to-back state championships in junior and senior year
- 28-0 record
"The numbers he put up carrying the football are amazing. When you watch him play, he's just got a great knack for the game. He's tough. He's got great instincts. Laterally, he's tough to tackle. He'll run you over and he can run away from you."
Paul Phillips - Tight end
Darnestown, Md.
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 225
- First team All-State
- First team All-City
- First team All-Conference
"He's going to be a big guy that fits that need at tight end. A big, physical guy that will really grow into being a Big Ten tight end."
Ryan Phillis - Linebacker
Boardman, Ohio
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 230
- Broke school record for tackles in a season of 160
- First team All-Federal League and All-Northeast Ohio
- Third-team All-Ohio
"When he came and worked out, we thought of him as a defensive end. Then, as we watched him play throughout the fall, we thought we could play him in a lot of different places, but we're going to start him out at linebacker."
Harrison Scott - Defensive end
New Albany, Ohio
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 250
- All-Ohio
- Selected to play in Ohio North/South game
- All-Conference
"Little bit of an under-the-radar kind of guy. When we had him here last summer at camp and then watching him through the fall and where he is now, he's just getting bigger and bigger."
Ishmael Thomas - Linebacker
Detroit
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210
- Rated No. 21 Detroit New Blue Chip list
- All-City
- National Honor Society
"He's a big, tall, rangy guy who will get bigger as he fills out. He really looks the part of an outside linebacker."
Jeff Thomas - Linebacker (JUCO)
Millbrae, Cali.
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 240
- First-team All-American
- Nor-Cal conference Defensive Player of the Year
- 104 tackles, 14.5 tackles for a loss
"He's received a lot of awards as a junior college player out there. He fit everything that we're looking for. He's here, and he has a great chance to compete right away."
Xavier Whitaker - Running back
Brookfield, Wisc.
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 195
- Named Offensive Player of the Year as a junior
- Named All-League, All-Milwaukee Suburban, All-Waukesha County as a junior
- Injured first play of second game as a senior
"He's doing well now and is excited to come join us. I think he's got a great future and is another that's a bit under the radar."
Brian Williams - Defensive back
Lawrenceville, Ga.
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180
- First team All-Region
- First team All-County
- Finished career with nine interceptions and 11 pass breakups
"He's a DB and one of his best buddies is a receiver that's going to Ohio State, so he'll get to cover his buddy as he goes throughout his career here. He runs well. He's an outstanding track athlete at a school that has a great track tradition and has been a state finalist and all that."
Logan Young - Wide receiver
Muncie
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 190
- 2009 Mr. Football award winner at receiver position
- 72 catches, 1,529 yards and 15 touchdowns in senior year
- Two-time All-State and All-Conference
"Just had a fantastic career. He's a three-sport athlete, has three brothers that have all gone on to be college athletes and is a big, rangy guy that will be a physical receiver."
Matt Zakrzewski - Linebacker
Traverse City, Mich.
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220
- Detroit Free Press and News First-team All-State
- Rated No. 22 Detroit News Blue Chip list
- Three-year scholar athlete and honor roll
"It's interesting for us two get two guys from northern Michigan. We've got one from Trevor City and one from Charlevoix. Once we get them on campus, I think we have a great chance because they feel what we have going here and what IU's all about"
