Needing immediate help in the secondary, Troy picked up two commitments from junior college defensive backs over the weekend.
Willard Ross, a safety from Mississippi Delta Community College, and Barry Valcin, a cornerback from Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College, both said they would sign with the Trojans today, which is the first day prospects can sign binding letters of intent.
Ross said he was hosted by wide receiver Justin Bray on his visit.
“I liked the school and I liked the coaches,” Ross said. “That’s why I committed.”
Valcin committed to LSU before signing with Baylor in 2007. He was listed as a freshman at Coffeyville last fall and should have three years of eligibility left at Troy.
With the loss of starting cornerback Trevor Ford and three all-conference safeties in Sherrod Martin, Terence Moore and Tavares Williams, immediate help in the secondary was needed. Troy dipped into the junior college ranks for Ross, Valcin and Demarcus Robertson, a 2008 resign who enrolled this spring.
Robertson and six other junior college players — wideout Jason Bruce, offensive tackles Tyler Graves, James Brown and Ray Carter and defensive tackles Emmanuel Dudley and Riley Flowers — were officially announced as spring enrollees by Troy earlier this week, along with 2008 grayshirts Corey Robinson (quarterback), Felton Payton (wide receiver), Gavin Ellis (wide receiver), Jimbo Arnold (offensive lineman) and Johnny Thompson (linebacker). Some of those will backcount to last year’s class, though it’s unclear the exact number.
Troy is expected to announce around 30 signees today. Last year, the school announced 35. Several went to junior college in hopes that the Trojans would
resign them in two years and others grayshirted — delaying full-time enrollment until the following January. The Trojans are expected to take the same route
with prospects this year.
From the high school ranks, wide receivers Sam Haskins (Dinwiddie, Va., 6-foot-4, 207 pounds) and Anthony Williams (Tampa, Fla., 6-foot-3, 200) bring size to the group. Running backs Greg Pratt (Naples, Fla.) and Shawn Southward (Florence) should add depth, and defensive backs Caleb Massey (Sulligent) and Mike Robinson (Fairfield) will have chances to play early.
The top-rated commit thus far is Hutchinson, Kan., defensive tackle Eugene Kinlaw. The four-star recruit on rivals.com was the National Junior College Defensive Player of the Year and is expected to sign with Troy over offers from all over the country. Butler County (Kan.) defensive end Jonathan Massaquoi is a three-star recruit and so are Graves, Dudley, Carter, Southward, Pratt and Williams.
Flowers, a Geneva native, is listed as a four-star recruit on scout.com.
Three prospects with Troy as their finalists will make their decisions known today. They are:
- Brunswick, Ga., defensive back Darius Slay will decide between Troy and Mississippi State. He visited Troy last weekend but is listed as a soft commitment to Mississippi State.
- Mayo, Fla., defensive back Sergio Perez will pick either Troy or Ball State. Perez visited Troy last weekend.
- Gadsden tight end Darrell Smith will announce on ESPNU at 1:30 p.m. his choice between Troy and Clemson. Smith visited Troy last Thursday but picked up an offer from Clemson on his official visit there last weekend.
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