Azusa Pacific head coach Rudy Carlton announced 21 signees to the Cougar football program during the 2020 National Signing Day on Wednesday. The class is a mix of prep starts and junior college transfers, with 13 on the offensive side of the ball and eight defensive players. Learn more about the newest Cougars below:
 
Xzavier Ford | RB| 6'0"| 210 lbs | Glendora, Calif. | Glendora High School

Coach Carlton on Xzavier: "He has a long stride and breakaway speed, along with an amazing ability to break tackles. He is very similar to one of the Cougar greats, Terrell Watson. He has a similar running style, demeanor and frame as Terrell. The sky is the limit for him and we are very excited to have him."
 

 
John Gill III | OL | 6'5" | 290 lbs. | Redlands, Calif. | Redlands East Valley High School

Coach Carlton on John: "He is incredibly skilled and has prototypical size. He is very physical and has a nastiness about himself. It is not often that you come across a guy this size, but can move as well as he does. We see him as a guy who will play as an interior offensive lineman and come in and compete right away. He's another one who has a lot of potential."
 

 
Max Rice | OL | 6'4" | 260 lbs. | Arcata, Calif. | Arcata High School
 
Coach Carlton on Max: "He is exactly what you want in an offensive tackle at the collegiate level, he is lengthy and has athleticism that really excites us. He is also a wrestler, so he is more than comfortable with hand-to-hand combat. With a couple years in the weight room and learning how to play at the collegiate level, he is going to be a dominant player for us."
 

 
Seth Broussard | DE | 6'4" | 230 lbs. | La Verne, Calif. | Damien High School
 
Coach Carlton on Seth: "He is incredibly versatile and has played on both sides of the ball. At Damien, he played defensive end, tight end, and even at times they would flex him outside. He has an amazing frame and great length, and plays with a lot of physicality. We plan on starting him out on the defensive line."
 


Justin Aletor | DL | 6'3" | 250 lbs. | Avondale, Ariz. | Agua Fria High School
 
Coach Carlton on Justin: "Justin is one of the most dynamic defensive ends that we have signed while I have been here... he can play every position on the defensive line. His size, strength and explosiveness is special, and it will help make him an outstanding player at this level. Throughout our entire camp season, he was one of the most dominant players that we saw. Justin is going to be competing for time right away, as he is college-ready. We believe that he will be the next great Nigerian player here at Azusa Pacific, following in the footsteps of the great Christian Okoye who is known by many football fans as the Nigerian Nightmare."
 

 
Billy Hennessy | OLB | 6'3" | 215 lbs. | San Dimas, Calif. | San Dimas High School
 
Coach Carlton on Billy: "At San Dimas High School, he was a two-time All-CIF player and league champion… he knows how to win and he has done a lot of it. He can play the nose tackle, he can play defensive end, but no matter what position he plays, he is explosive and gets into the backfield quickly. Billy is going to be a dynamic player for us and we are excited to watch his career unfold."
 

 
Michael Malauulu | DL | 6'0" | 285 lbs. | San Diego, Calif. | Morse High School
 
Coach Carlton on Michael: "Mikey has had to overcome a lot in his life, and through it all he is growing into an outstanding young man and football player. He is stout, physical and versatile. He has played on both the offensive and defensive line. Our plan for Michael is to start him at nose guard because of his ability to create a lot of problems for opposing centers. We are excited to have him and we are fortunate to have Mikey join our program."
 

 
Leighton Bateman | OL | 6'3" | 280 lbs. | Camarillo, Calif. | Camarillo High School
 
Coach Carlton on Leighton: "He is a young man who already possesses many leadership qualities. Every great offensive line needs a guy who sets the tone and takes charge, and we can see Leighton as growing into that role. He is a physical player who can run block and pass block, and we are eager to get him on campus and among our team."
 

 
Jaden Khneiser | OL | 6'2" | 305 lbs. | Riverside, Calif. | Arlington High School
 
Coach Carlton on Jaden: "We think that Jayden is a key addition for our program. He is a guy who will succeed academically and athletically here at Azusa Pacific. He has overcome a lot in his life, and his ability to keep moving forward is a reflection of the outstanding character he has. We love his approach to the game, and we were thoroughly impressed by him at our camps this past summer. He has just started to scratch the surface of his potential, and we could not be more excited for him to arrive on campus and get to work."
 

 
Nelson Gonzalez-Hernandez | OL | 6'2" | 315 lbs. | Rancho Mirage, Calif. | Rancho Mirage HS
 
Coach Carlton on Nelson: "He is an extremely intelligent young man, and it shows academically, as well as on the field. He is a smart and cerebral player, along with a great physical skillset. Nelson moves incredibly well for a guy his size, and he has shown the ability to get to the second-level. He can play multiple positions on the line, even showing an ability to play center. Nelson is a valuable addition to our program, and we are looking forward to his arrival this upcoming season."
 

 
Josh Castro | OL | 6'3" | 315 lbs. | Los Angeles, Calif. | Santa Monica Community College
 
Coach Carlton on Josh: "Josh is exactly the player you look for when you need a pass blocker. He is one of the best vertical pass setters that I have seen in a very long time. He has the kind of length and frame that we need to be successful. He is a mature player and has an opportunity to step-in right away and be an impact player."
 

 
Jackson Clements | OL | 6'4" | 288 lbs. | Silverton, Oreg. | Silverton High School
 
Coach Carlton on Jackson: "He is another guy with an ideal frame for an offensive lineman. In our time recruiting him, we believe that he has a bright future ahead of him and he will work hard to reach it. I was impressed by his foot speed and agility for his size, and that is going to be a great tool for him in the coming years."
 

 
Wilson Cal | DB | 6'0" | 185 lbs. | Fullerton, Calif. | Sunny Hills High School
 
Coach Carlton on Wilson: "He is a winner and possesses a championship mindset. In high school, he played all over the field on both sides of the ball, which has allowed him to become a versatile player with a diverse skillset. His experience on both offense and defense gives him a greater understanding of the game as a whole, and we are excited to get him on campus."
 

 
Tony Tedesco | ATH | 6'4" | 195 lbs. | Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. | Los Osos HS
 
Coach Carlton on Tony: "Tony is one of the most versatile players I have come across in quite a while. He has played tight end, wide receiver, outside linebacker… our plan is to bring him at wide receiver but we are well aware of the many positions he is capable of playing. He has a long frame, with a great wingspan. We believe that he is going to be an amazing player at whatever position he ends up at."



Shawn Martin | DB | 5'11" | 200 lbs. | Corona, Calif. | Eleanor Roosevelt High School
 
Coach Carlton on Shawn: "Shawn is a hybrid defensive back and a dynamic player. He can do a number of different things, whether it be coming off of the edge, rushing the passer, playing on the hash, man coverage, Shawn will be able to fit multiple positions and play within any scheme and be successful."


 
Ty Virgin | RB | 6'2" | 195 lbs. | San Diego, Calif. | Mt. Caramel High School
 
Coach Carlton on Ty: "We have been able to see Ty in person quite a bit, as he has attended a number of our camps. He loves the game of football and we love the way he conducts himself on the field. He is a physical, down-hill runner, and he is going to fit into our offense very well as a power running back. I think that he has the potential to become a dominant rusher at this level and I am excited to watch him develop."
 

 
Ashton Thomas | DB | 5'9" | 155 lbs. | Newhall, Calif. | Hart High School
 
Coach Carlton on Ashton: "He is a guy who has had a lot of success in his career so far as a defensive back, receiver and returner. We plan on starting him as a cornerback, where he is going to be called upon to take on the challenge of man coverage. He is a young man who fits our culture well, and he is going to be a presence on the team that we are eager to have."
 

 
Titus Maunakea | TE | 6'3" | 200 lbs. | Honolulu, Hawai'i | Kaehameha High School
 
Coach Carlton on Titus: "He is an athletic, lengthy young player that does a great job of high pointing the football. His senior season was cut short due to injury, so he will be eager to get back on the field and start playing again. Titus has scratched the surface of the player that he can be, and we know that he is going to excel here at Azusa Pacific."
 

 
Ala Mikaele | QB | 5'11" | 190 lbs. | Corona, Calif. | Centennial High School
 
Coach Carlton on Ala: "Centennial quarterbacks are always well coached and cerebral, and Ala is no exception to that. I love the leadership intangibles that he possesses, and he is a tough kid. He is a dual threat player who runs it well and throws it well, which allows us on offense to do a whole lot more. He is a great fit, and we are really excited to have him join us."
 

 
Keniko Parham | DB | 5'11 | 185 lbs. | San Dimas, Calif. | San Dimas High School
 
Coach Carlton on Keniko: "Even though he had his senior season cut short by injuries, we saw all that we needed to see from him to know that he is a great fit at the collegiate level. His potential and versatility is limitless. We love to bring in guys like Niko who are able to do a lot of different things on the field. He is a hard-worker and he loves the weight room, and so we are excited to get him on campus and start going to work with him."
 

 
Ethan Campbell | WR | 6'0" | 185 lbs. | Wilsonville, Oreg. | Wilsonville High School
 
Coach Carlton on Ethan: "We are going to start Ethan out at receiver, but I know he is capable of playing at a variety of spots for us. We are excited for him to come in and compete at the receiver position, which is a very deep and talented group."
 

 
Azusa Pacific will open the 2020 season on Saturday, September 5 against West Texas A&M at home. The Cougars will play one of the toughest schedules in the country, as the 11-game schedule features four games against Lone Star Conference opponents, six Great Northwest Athletic Conference games, and a meeting with former GNAC member Dixie State, who is in the process of joining the NCAA Division 1-AA level."