TAMPA, FLA. – The University of South Florida football program welcomed five four-star recruits among a talented 2016 signing class of 18 players that was ranked among the top two in the American Athletic Conference. The Bulls have now corralled 11 four-star rated recruits in the last two classes.

Head Coach Willie Taggart received National Letters of Intent from 15 student-athletes Wednesday as he welcomed a new crop of Bulls on National Signing Day. They joined three 2016 signees who enrolled at USF in January and are currently on campus participating in the team’s winter conditioning program. Two members of the 2016 class originally signed with the Bulls in February of 2015.

Taggart’s fourth USF recruiting class was once again rated among the best in The American. As of 5:00 p.m. Wednesday 247Sports and had the USF class ranked No. 2 in The American, giving the Bulls three-straight classes rated No. 1 or No. 2 in the conference. The Bulls class was ranked No. 61 nationally by 247Sports, ahead of eight “Power 5” conference programs and with more four-star rated players than 24 “Power 5” programs. Thirteen Bulls earned a three-star rating.

Wide receiver Darnell Salomon (Miami), one of the five Bulls recruits rated four-star by at least one recruiting service, was ranked in the ESPN 300 as the No. 28 player at his position nationally. Defensive end Tramal Ivy (Muskogee, Okla.), also an ESPN four-star, was ranked in the ESPN JC50 as the No. 4 junior college defensive end in the nation.

The Bulls welcomed five players to the roster that hail from the Bay Area, bringing Taggart’s total of Bay Area recruits to 22 in the last three seasons. The Bulls added 15 players from the state of Florida as well as players from Alabama (1), Oklahoma (1) and Mississippi (1).

USF added nine players on the defensive side of the ball and nine on offense to its roster.

On defense, the Bulls added four-star recruits at three positions including defensive backs Josh Dunn (Lake Wales) and Craig Watts (St. Petersburg), defensive end Tramal Ivy (Muskogee, Okla.), linebacker Andre Polk (Fort Myers). The Bulls also added LaDarrius Jackson (Birmingham, Ala.) and Frank Johnson (Woodville, Miss.) on the defensive line, Michael Hampton (Tampa) and Armunz Mathews (Tallahassee) in the secondary and Mi’Cario Stanley (Cape Coral) at linebacker.

On offense, the Bulls added a pair of receivers in Salomon and Devontres Dukes (Tampa), running backs Elijah Mack (Punta Gorda) and Trevon Sands (Miami), quarterback Chris Oladokun (Tampa) and four offensive linemen in Glen Bethel (Miami), Christion Gainer (Panama City), Logan McDonald (Davenport) and Michael Wiggs (Lakeland).

Chris Oladokun played this past January 9th at Raymond James Stadium in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl.  RSEN’s Rick Sassone was the play by play voice.

2016 USF Football Recruiting Class

Total Class: 18                 4 Star Rated: 5                   3 Star Rated: 13

Current Class Ranking: #2 in American Conference

Mid-Year Enrollees (3)

                                                                                                                                                              Star Rankings

                                      POS. HT      WT.  YR     HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL                   Scout ESPN Rivals 247     

Glen Bethel                   OL      6-6     300  Jr.      Miami, Fla./Champagnat Catholic HS/Arizona Western C.C.            3        3        3      3     

LaDarrius Jackson         DE      6-4     243  So.     Birmingham, Ala./Parker HS/Hinds C.C.                2        3        3      3     

Trevon Sands                RB     5-11   170  Fr.      Miami, Fla./Southwest Miami HS                         3        3        3      3     

February Signees (15)

                                      POS. HT      WT   YR     HOMETOWN/HIGH SCHOOL                   Scout ESPN Rivals 247     

DeVontres Dukes          WR    6-4     203  Fr.      Tampa, Fla./Wharton HS                                       2        3        2      3 

Josh Dunn                      S        6-0     195  Fr.      Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Wales HS                           3        4        3      3

Christion Gainer            OL      6-6     310  Fr.      Panama City, Fla./Bay Senior HS                           3        3        3      3

Michael Hampton         CB      6-1     180  Fr.      Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough HS                                 3        3        3      3

Tramal Ivy                     DE      6-4      243 Jr.      Muskogee, Okla./Muskogee HS/Butler CC            3        4        3      3

Frank Johnson               DE      6-5     235  So.     Woodville, Miss./Wilkinson Cty HS/Hinds C.C. –             3        2       –

Logan MacDonald         OL      6-4     270  Fr.      Davenport, Fla./Ridge Community HS                   2        3        2      3

Elijah Mack                   RB     6-0     215  Fr.      Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS                             3        3        3      3

Armunz Mathews         CB/S  6-0     190  Fr.      Tallahassee, Fla./North Florida Christian              3        3        3      3

Chris Oladokun              QB     6-2     184  Fr.      Tampa, Fla./Sickles HS                                          3        2        3      3

Andre Polk                     LB      6-4     215  Fr.      Fort Myers, Fla./South Fort Myers HS                   3        3        2      4

Darnell Salomon           WR    6-3     210  Fr.      Miami, Fla./Miami Central                                    4        4        4      4

Mi’Cario Stanley           MLB   6-2     225  Fr.      Cape Coral, Fla./North Fort Myers HS                   3        3        3      3

Craig Watts                   S        6-0     190  Fr.      St. Petersburg, Fla./Admiral Farragut Academy   4        4        4      4

Michael Wiggs              OL      6-3     290  Fr.      Lakeland, Fla./Lake Gibson HS                               2        3        2      3