Football Announces Early Signees for 2021 Squad

BOCA RATON, Fla. – Wednesday's early National Signing Day for Florida Atlantic University football saw 13 new Owls sign their name on the dotted line to join the squad for the 2021 campaign, and 18 total players announced thus far as part of the class.

The 13 high school seniors are among those to become part of the FAU program as part of this new class. Additionally, linebacker Keyshawn Greene and quarterback Michael Johnson, Jr. each join the squad as transfers, and freshman wide receiver Kobe Stewart comes to the Sunshine State from the west coast. Stewart is a greyshirt member of the class, alongside two previously-announced signees from February, safety Peter Warrick, Jr. and defensive end Jaden Wheeler.

"All the guys that signed with us, I'm excited about them all, because they're all needs for us (and) it's going to help us from a depth standpoint with what we have already," said head coach Willie Taggart. "A lot of these guys are going to be here this spring, which is going to help us as well. I think we answered a lot of questions with this class ... and we've got to finish up in February."

The group of announced newcomers to this point is made up of 10 recruits from Florida, five from Georgia, and one each from California, North Carolina and Oregon. It is split evenly – nine offense and nine defense – with the biggest position groups represented being four linebackers, three members on the offensive line and three defensive backs (two safeties and a cornerback). The remainder of the class is two defensive linemen, four receivers (two wideouts and two tight ends), a quarterback and a running back.

Seven of the 13 seniors, plus Greene, Johnson Jr., Stewart, Warrick Jr. and Wheeler, are joining the team for the spring semester. More signees will be announced to this class in February.

Coach Taggart's full statement on the incoming class can be viewed here:

Here is the full signing class to this point:

Name	Pos	Ht	Wt	Cl	Hometown / High School (Previous School)
** Julius Barfield	LB	6-4	220	FR	Melbourne, Fla. / Eau Gallie High School
** Justice Cross	LB	6-2	220	FR	Deerfield Beach, Fla. / Deerfield Beach High School
Anthony Earle	OL	6-3	309	FR	Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Cardinal Gibbons High School
** Jahmal Edrine	WR	6-3	190	FR	Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / Fort Lauderdale High School
** William Ford	TE	6-4	225	FR	Saint Pauls, N.C. / Saint Pauls High School
*** Keyshawn Greene	LB	6-3	195	FR	Crawfordville, Fla. / Wakulla High School (University of Nebraska)
*** Michael Johnson, Jr.	QB	6-2	199	R-FR	Eugene, Ore. / Sheldon High School (Penn State University)
Courtney McBride	LB	6-3	215	FR	Conyers, Ga. / Heritage High School
** Jacob Merrifield	DE	6-3	265	FR	Winder, Ga. / Winder-Barrow High School
** Zuberi Mobley	RB	5-10	185	FR	Miami, Fla. / Northwestern High School
** Jacob Pasley	TE	6-4	235	FR	Sebring, Fla. / Sebring High School
Jaden Sandlin	OL	6-6	260	FR	Tampa, Fla. / Tampa Catholic High School
Jordan Sandlin	OL	6-6	295	FR	Tampa, Fla. / Tampa Catholic High School
* Kobe Stewart	WR	6-3	180	FR	Harbor City, Calif. / Narbonne High School
Amari Wansley	S	6-0	175	FR	Buford, Ga. / Buford High School
* Peter Warrick, Jr.	S	5-10	183	FR	Marietta, Ga. / Marietta High School
* Jaden Wheeler	DE	6-3	265	FR	Nashville, Ga. / Berrien High School
Jayden Williams	CB	5-11	180	FR	Valrico, Fla. / Bloomingdale High School

					* - Greyshirt and January Enrollee
					** - Early Enrollee
					*** - Transfer, will enroll in January

And here is a bio of each signee:

Julius Barfield
Freshman | 6-4 | 220 | LB
Melbourne, Fla. (Eau Gallie High School)
Will enroll in January

High School

Posted 30 tackles in six games as a senior, with a sack, six quarterback hurries and 4.0 TFL
Led Eau Gallie to a 7-2 record and two playoff victories, taking them to the regional finals
The year prior, as a junior at Viera High School, had 17.0 TFL and 70 total tackles, six of which went for sacks
Also returned a fumble for a touchdown that season, among three fumble recoveries
Earned Viera's Defensive Player of the Game against Melbourne, with 12 tackles, a sack, and the aforementioned touchdown

Personal

Chose FAU over Miami, Kansas, Coastal Carolina, Colorado State, Charlotte, UAB, UTSA and Marshall, among others
Rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports, and as one of the outlet's top 100 strong-side defensive ends nationally
Also given three stars by ESPN

===

Justice Cross
Freshman | 6-2 | 220 | LB
Deerfield Beach, Fla. (Deerfield Beach High School)
Will enroll in January

High School

So far during the current abbreviated season, the team is 4-0, outscoring opponents 153-35, and has the Class 8A Tri County championship game next on the schedule
Last time out, in the team's semifinal comeback win over Western, had a key interception with a 25-yard return
Played in nine games his junior year for a 10-4 squad, posting 28 tackles, four sacks and 9.0 TFL
Also added three quarterback hurries
That season, the Bucks won three playoff games to advance all the way to the Class 8A Final Four

Personal

Chose FAU over other interested schools such as Maryland, Toledo and Colorado State
Three-star by both ESPN and 247Sports

===

Anthony Earle
Freshman | 6-3 | 309 | OL
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons High School)

High School

Paves the way for a Cardinal Gibbons offense that is ranked No. 3 in the state of Florida by MaxPreps, with a 7-1 record, and 234-91 point differential (or 29.3 points per game against just 11.4 given up)
Starts alongside his twin brother, Michael, on the Chiefs' line
The team is scheduled to play in the Class 4A state championship on Dec. 17
Last season, the Chiefs were 10-3 and made a regional finals appearance

Personal

Picked the Owls over Kentucky, Indiana, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, Marshall and Boston College
Rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN

===

Jahmal Edrine
Freshman | 6-3 | 190 | WR
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Fort Lauderdale High School)
Will enroll in January

High School

The Flying L's have posted a 2-2 mark so far on the abbreviated season
He began the year with 109 yards receiving and two touchdowns against Dillard

Personal

Chose FAU over many other interested schools, including: Wake Forest, Vanderbilt, NC State, Liberty, Charlotte, WKU and Utah State
Ranked by 247Sports as the No. 118 overall player in the state of Florida
Given three stars by that outlet, as well as by ESPN

===

William Ford
Freshman | 6-4 | 225 | TE
Saint Pauls, N.C. (Saint Pauls High School)
Will enroll in January

High School

St. Pauls squad is scheduled to play their football season in the spring
As a junior, got into the end zone three times among 17 catches, and 351 receiving yards
Also has suited up on the Bulldogs' basketball and track teams

Personal

Is rated by ESPN as the No. 29 tight end nationally, and No. 70 recruit from the state of North Carolina
247Sports has him as its No. 83 tight end and No. 65 North Carolina recruit
Both have him at three stars
Chose FAU over Coastal Carolina, Liberty, Akron, Boston College, Old Dominion, UAB and WKU

===

Courtney McBride
Freshman | 6-3 | 215 | LB
Conyers, Ga. (Heritage High School)

High School

Patriots went 3-2 in this shortened season; in those five games, he posted 10.0 TFL and 23 total stops
Additionally, he had 3.5 sacks and five quarterback hurries, a forced fumble, a recovered fumble and a blocked kick
His sophomore and junior campaigns, he combined for 19.5 sacks (10.0 and 9.5, respectively), 41.0 TFL (19.0 and 22.0) and 30 QB hurries (14 and 16)
All told over the three years, he recorded 139 total tackles – 51.0 for loss – with two defensive touchdowns (both on fumble returns) and six forced fumbles

Personal

Chose FAU over Navy, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Akron, Samford and Eastern Michigan
247Sports placed him among its top 100 weak-side defensive ends nationally
Three stars by 247 and ESPN

===

Jacob Merrifield
Freshman | 6-3 | 265 | DE
Winder, Ga. (Winder-Barrow High School)
Will enroll in January

High School

Finished his four-year career with 182 total tackles, 42.0 for loss, and 12.0 sacks
Posted 56 tackles during his senior season, including 15.0 behind the line of scrimmage
Also forced two fumbles and recovered one for a score
As a junior, those totals were 66 tackles and 19.0 TFL, with six sacks
Also played basketball for the Bulldogs

Personal

Three-star recruit by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN
Other interested schools included Cincinnati, Navy, Liberty, Georgia State and Nevada

===

Zuberi Mobley
Freshman | 5-10 | 185 | RB
Miami, Fla. (Northwestern High School)
Will enroll in January

High School

Finished up the shortened season 3-2 with a playoff appearance in his first year playing for the Bulls
The year prior, suited up for Miami Norland High School, recording 10 rushing touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards
Was named to the Miami Herald All-Dade Third team on offense after that output
Previously played at South Shore High School in Brooklyn, New York, where he was a New York State All-USA Today Second Team selection as a freshman
That season included a game where he picked up 305 rushing yards in a win over Tottenville

Personal

Also considered Indiana and Utah State
Three stars by ESPN and 247Sports, the latter ranking him as the No. 114 running back nationally

===

Jacob Pasley
Freshman | 6-4 | 235 | TE
Sebring, Fla. (Sebring High School)
Will enroll in January

High School

Led the Blue Streaks to a 8-0 regular season mark as a senior, and playoff appearance
In four games, caught 15 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown
Earned First Team All-District honors on offense
Team improved from 6-5 mark the year prior
As a junior, in eight games, caught 11 passes for 132 yards

Personal

ESPN slots him as No. 60 tight end in the country
Is ranked No. 99 among tight ends by 247Sports, and three stars by both
FAU topped list of many others, including Cincinnati, UCF, USF, Appalachian State, Georgia State, Temple, Southern Miss, Marshall and Tulane

===

Jaden Sandlin
Freshman | 6-6 | 260 | OL
Tampa, Fla. (Tampa Catholic High School)

High School

Along with his brother, was part of an offensive line that led the Crusaders to a 7-3 record in 2020, and two playoff victories on the way to a Class 4A region finals appearance
The squad outscored their opponents 311-169 on the season and averaged nearly 200 yards per contest on the ground (and 11.1 yards per carry) with 21 rushing scores
He had one of those rushing touchdowns, a six-yard carry

Personal

Rated by 247Sports as the No. 100 offensive guard nationally
Three stars by 247 and ESPN
Twin brother of fellow offensive line signee Jordan
Other schools considered included West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, Liberty, Georgia State, Bowling Green, Toledo, Tulane, Troy, UAB, Southern Miss and Marshall

===

Jordan Sandlin
Freshman | 6-6 | 295 | OL
Tampa, Fla. (Tampa Catholic High School)

High School

Along with his brother, was part of an offensive line that led the Crusaders to a 7-3 record in 2020, and two playoff victories on the way to a Class 4A region finals appearance
The squad outscored their opponents 311-169 on the season and averaged nearly 200 yards per contest on the ground (and 11.1 yards per carry) with 21 rushing scores

Personal

Rated by 247Sports, nationally, as the No. 161 offensive tackle
Three stars by both ESPN and 247Sports
Considered a host of other schools, including Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, Liberty, Georgia State, Bowling Green, Toledo, Tulane, Troy, UAB, Southern Miss and Marshall
Twin brother of fellow offensive line signee Jaden

===

Amari Wansley
Freshman | 6-0 | 175 | S
Buford, Ga. (Buford High School)

High School

Has led his powerhouse Buford squad to an 11-1 season so far in 2020 and a current No. 5 ranking in Georgia by MaxPreps
The Wolves – Class AAAAA champions in 2019 – moved up a class for this season, and will appear in the Georgia Class AAAAAA semifinals on Dec. 18, with the championship game set for Dec. 29 should they win
They have outscored their opponents 491-80 (an average win of 41.0 to 6.7), and are currently on an 11-game winning streak
For the '19 state champs, he had 45 total tackles, 3.0 for loss, recovered a fumble and had four pass breakups
He also plays wide receiver for the Wolves, and is a member of the school's track team

Personal

Chose FAU over Arizona State, Syracuse, UCF, Iowa, Indiana, Maryland, Louisville and Georgia State
Three-star recruit, No. 99 safety nationally and No. 95 state of Georgia recruit by 247Sports; three stars, No. 106 safety and No. 143 recruit in Georgia by ESPN
Also rated three stars by Rivals

===

Jayden Williams
Freshman | 5-11 | 180 | CB
Valrico, Fla. (Bloomingdale High School)

High School

Posted 33 tackles this year, and led the team with three interceptions, returning one for a score
Totaled 480 all-purpose yards, with the majority coming as a fantastic punt returner
Had two punt return scores, and averaged 18.3 yards per return (16 for 293)
Offensively, had a carry for 52 yards, and four catches for 80 yards
Also recorded a punt block
Squad finished 12-1 on the season, suffering its first loss in the state semifinal round, as one of the final four teams standing in Class 7A
The Bulls outscored their opponents on the year, 423-201
In three years on varsity, part of a combined 32-6 record (9-3 as a junior, 11-2 sophomore season)
As a junior had 42 total tackles, two picks and a fumble recovery – for a touchdown; recorded 15 tackles with a fumble recovery and blocked field goal as a sophomore, along with a 43-yard touchdown reception
Also played basketball for the Bulls

Personal

Chose FAU over USF, WKU, Akron, Toledo, Bowling Green, Austin Peay, Rhode Island, Campbell and FIU
Three-star recruit by ESPN and 247Sports

===

-- GREYSHIRTS --
All three will enroll in January

Kobe Stewart
Freshman | 6-3 | 180 | WR
Harbor City, Calif. (Narbonne High School)

High School

Finished up his prep career at Narbonne High School, near Los Angeles
Previously played his high school ball at Marietta High in Georgia
His junior year there, caught 33 passes for 472 yards and six touchdowns

Personal

Chose FAU over Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Syracuse, Appalachian State, Louisville and Arizona State, among many others
Rivals rated him as three stars, as the No. 86 wide receiver in the nation, and No. 52 player in the state of California regardless of position
Also rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN

===

Peter Warrick, Jr.
Freshman | 5-10 | 183 | S
Marietta, Ga. (Marietta High School)

High School

Played linebacker and safety at Marrieta, the No. 1 team in Georgia in 2019 according to MaxPreps
Posted a combined 129 tackles his junior and senior seasons
In addition to 66 tackles, had two interceptions, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a senior
The Blue Devils went 14-2, winning the Georgia Class AAAAAAA state championship
Following that win, helped the team to a 53-14 victory over Eastside Catholic (state champions from Washington) in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series
The season prior, had 63 total tackles and two more interceptions
Also played baseball at Marietta

Personal

Three-star recruit by 247Sports
Also considered Memphis and Rice
Son of Peter Warrick, who was twice a consensus All-American at Florida State before playing five years in the NFL for the Cincinnati Bengals and Seattle Seahawks

===

Jaden Wheeler
Freshman | 6-3 | 265 | DE
Nashville, Ga. (Berrien High School)

High School

Had 58 tackles, 5.0 for a loss, his senior year
Posted a sack and also caused two fumbles
The year before, had 5.0 TFL among 25 stops, with a forced fumble and a blocked punt
Tallied a receiving touchdown each season as well
Took part in the Georgia Elite Classic All-Star Game
High school teammate of current Owl linebacker Ja'Marquis Johnson

Personal

Three-star recruit by 247Sports, as the No. 139 nationwide defensive tackle and No. 180 player in Georgia
Picked FAU over Syracuse, USF and Tulane among other many late offers

===

-- FOUR-YEAR TRANSFERS --
Both will enroll in January

Keyshawn Greene
Freshman | 6-3 | 195 | LB
Crawfordville, Fla. (Wakulla High School/University of Nebraska)

At Nebraska (2020)

Did not appear in a game before entering the transfer portal

High School

For Wakulla, had 147 total tackles as senior, 9.0 for loss, with three sacks
Added an interception, two pass defenses and a blocked field goal
Led squad to a 13-1 record, with its only loss coming in the Class 5A state semifinal round (and by just one point)
As a junior, had 108 tackles, four sacks, an interception, and forced two fumbles
Recorded 89 tackles as a sophomore, and 60 as a freshman, for a grand total of 404 stops in his four-year career
Had six total touchdowns for the War Eagles: two rushing as both a senior and sophomore, and two more his second season, each coming on fumble recoveries

Personal

Out of high school, was rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and as the No. 6 outside linebacker in the entire nation
Also by that outlet, was slotted as the No. 17 recruit from the state of Florida and No. 100 recruit nationally
Was rated four stars by ESPN, the No. 17 linebacker, No. 32 Floridian and 192nd in the country in the ESPN 300
Ran a 4.49 40-yard dash, the fastest among all ESPN outside linebacker recruits
Rivals also had him four stars, as the No. 15 linebacker, No. 33 recruit from Florida and No. 203 recruit nationally
Chose Nebraska over Florida, Florida State, Miami, Auburn, Tennessee, UCF, Georgia Tech, Arkansas and Louisville
Played in the 2020 U.S. Army All-American Bowl, leading his East squad with 4.5 tackles, 2.5 TFL and a sack

===

Michael Johnson, Jr.
Redshirt Freshman | 6-2 | 199 | QB
Eugene, Ore. (Sheldon High School/Penn State University)

At Penn State (2019-20)

As a true freshman in 2019, did not play and took a redshirt
Entered the transfer portal ahead of the 2020 season

High School

Over his prep career, threw for over 7,300 yards and 86 touchdowns, with rushing totals of 3,463 yards and 48 more scores
As a senior, led his Sheldon team to an 11-3 record, throwing for 1,821 yards and 19 touchdowns against just three interceptions
Added 1,290 yards on the ground – with seven games over 100 – and tabulated another 18 scores
The unseeded Irish won four playoff games before falling by just a score in the OSAA 6A championship matchup
Following the season, played in the Under Armour All-America game, the Pro Football Hall of Fame World Bowl and was on the Elite 11 Finals roster
As a junior, for the 10-2 Irish, passed for 1,218 yards and rushed for another 745
Totaled 33 touchdowns (21 passing and 12 rushing)
His sophomore season also featured 33 touchdowns (again, 21 in the air and 12 on the ground), with 2,048 passing yards and 875 rushing
As a freshman, his totals were 2,228 passing yards and 25 scores, along with 553 rushing yards and another six TD
Twice named All-State (Second Team as a senior and Honorable Mention as a junior), three times All-Region and four times All-Conference
Was a three-year team captain and three-time Team MVP

Personal

Chose Penn State over Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, LSU, Miami, Florida, Florida State, Oregon, NC State and Michigan, among nearly 30 offers from top schools
Following high school, 247Sports rated him the No. 2 recruit from Oregon and No. 15 dual-threat quarterback in the nation
Rated 199th on the ESPN 300, as the No. 9 quarterback and No. 2 Oregon prospect
Both services rated him as a four-star recruit
Rivals slotted him as the country's No. 16 dual-threat QB
His father, Michael Johnson, Sr., played quarterback at Arizona State and Akron and has coached since 1997, mostly in college and in the NFL
The elder Johnson is currently the wide receivers coach at Mississippi State and has had stops at Oregon and UCLA, along with the 49ers, Ravens, Falcons and Chargers

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Players Mentioned

Julius Barfield

Justice Cross

Anthony Earle

Jahmal Edrine

William Ford

Keyshawn Greene

Ja'Marquis Johnson

Michael Johnson, Jr.

Courtney McBride

Jacob Merrifield

Zuberi Mobley

Jacob Pasley

Jaden Sandlin

Jordan Sandlin

Kobe Stewart

Amari Wansley

Peter Warrick, Jr.

Jaden Wheeler

Jayden Williams

Upcoming Events

Upcoming Event: Football at Rice on October 4, 2025 at TBA

Upcoming Event: Football versus UAB on October 11, 2025 at TBA

Upcoming Event: Football at South Florida on October 18, 2025 at TBA

Upcoming Event: Football at Navy on October 25, 2025 at 3:30 p.m.

Upcoming Event: Football versus Tulsa on November 8, 2025 at TBA

Upcoming Event: Football at Tulane on November 15, 2025 at TBA

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