Ferris State Football Lands Elite & Loaded Recruiting Class On National Signing Day

Signing Day Central

Big Rapids, Mich. - The Ferris State Bulldogs, who have reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs a nation-leading nine consecutive years, have landed a stellar and loaded 2024 recruiting class filled with highly-talented student-athletes displaying impressive credentials along with championship experience. The class was unveiled Wednesday (Feb. 7) on National Signing Day by FSU head coach Tony Annese.

The Bulldogs reloaded yet again by assembling a deep and talented recruiting class featuring 37 individuals, including 25 from right here at home in the state of Michigan. FSU also continued its highly-successful pipeline to Florida by landing an outstanding group of 11 signees from the Sunshine State in addition to one from Ohio.

The class was announced during an afternoon press conference by reigning two-time D2Football.com National Coach of the Year Tony Annese. Nearly all of the student-athletes who joined the Bulldog program earned all-state honors this past season with a large majority helping lead their respective teams to state playoff appearances and championship success. A large majority also received significant NCAA Division I interest or scholarship offers.

Overall, the class is again projected to be one of the country's best and features a huge dose of players with high-level experience.

"This is a class full of championship experience and highly-talented individuals," said Annese, who ranks as the nation's winningest active head coach at any level. "Our staff did an awesome job of finding players who have the skills and ability to become great and we look forward to having them on campus and working with them to achieve their full potential both on and off the field."

Ferris State, which captured back-to-back NCAA Division II National Championships in 2021 and 2022, signed 20 individuals on the defensive side of the ball along with 15 on the offensive side in addition to a kicker.

The Bulldogs placed a heavy focus on the state of Michigan at schools that competed deep into the state playoffs this past fall, including Belleville, Muskegon, Corunna, Warren De La Salle and others. FSU also went back to the metro Detroit area and the southeast side, landing talent from schools such as Detroit Cass Tech, Detroit King and Southfield A&T among others.

Additionally, the Bulldogs also continued recruiting in their own backyard in West Michigan, drawing in players from Rockford, Muskegon, Grand Rapids Union, East Lansing and Forest Hills Northern. Ferris State also inked standouts from other locations such as Linden, Roseville, Richmond, Flint Kearsley, Carleton Airport, Mason and Grand Blanc, covering large portions of the lower peninsula.

This year also marks the 13th consecutive year in which the Bulldogs have generated interest and found signees from the state of Florida, drawing in 11 Sunshine State representatives featuring athletes from various talent-right areas near Orlando, Miami and Tampa Bay.

Overall, Ferris State tallied 15 players expected to begin their collegiate careers on the offensive side of the ball along with 21 on the defensive side. The offensive group includes one quarterback, three running backs, six wide receivers or slot receivers along with five offensive linemen. Defensively, the Bulldogs signed 10 potential defensive backs, six defensive linemen and five linebackers along with a kicker in a balanced class. Many of the individuals in the class are talented performers with the ability to play multiple positions.

Over the past three seasons of action, the Bulldogs own a 36-4 overall record and FSU has reached the NCAA Division II Playoffs nine consecutive years and counting. Ferris State has also reached the NCAA Division II National Semifinals five times in the past seven seasons of action and ranks as the country's winningest program over the past nine full seasons in D2 Football. FSU is 63-6 over the last four seasons of on-field action.

Ferris State also holds the GLIAC's best mark and the best overall record of all collegiate programs in Michigan at 123-20 (.860) overall since the arrival of Annese as head coach in 2012.

For complete coverage of the 2024 football signing day class, stay tuned to FerrisStateBulldogs.com.
*Note: Please click on player name for biographical information & highlights