ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T head football coach Todd Drury has announced that Missouri S&T has signed 30 players for the 2021 season to National Letters of Intent to play for the Miners.

Wednesday was the first day high school football players could sign with colleges and universities and Missouri S&T is bringing in a diverse class for next fall, one that is heavy on skill position players and defensive backs.  S&T signed six players who play in the secondary to this year's class, while also adding four running backs and four wide receivers.

"The 2021 Miner recruiting class is one, that from the very beginning, has been completely dynamic," Drury said.  "In this class we were looking for players with great length and that gave phenomenal effort. This class has met all our immediate needs. We are looking forward to getting this group on campus and developing them over their careers as Miners." 

Missouri S&T's signing class of 2021, with comments from Drury:

Signing breakdown by position:

Quarterbacks – 3 Running Backs – 4 Wide Receivers – 4 Tight Ends – 3 Offensive Linemen – 2 Defensive Linemen – 3 Linebackers – 3 Defensive Backs – 6 Placekickers – 1 Punters – 1

Signing breakdown by state:

Missouri – 16 Illinois – 4 Arkansas – 3 Alabama – 1 California – 1 Florida – 1 Kansas – 1 Kentucky – 1 Oklahoma – 1 Texas – 1

GAVYN BEANE, a 5-11, 165-pound wide receiver from Caddo Mills High School in Caddo Mills, Texas: Beane, who established records at his school for receiving yards in a game with 170 and career receiving touchdowns with 27, was a two-time all-state selection during his prep career.  He caught 62 passes as a senior for 958 yards and 17 touchdowns, which followed a junior year with 52 receptions for 782 yards and seven scores.  Beane had 135 catches for 2,116 yards at the high school level.

Drury: Gavyn is a very quick wide receiver that has a knack for finding the endzone, having scored 17 touchdowns in his senior year.  His ability to make explosive plays makes him a great addition to the offense.

JORDAN CALVIN, a 5-11, 190-pound defensive back from DeSmet Jesuit High School in St. Louis, Mo.: Calvin was named second-team all-district and first-team all-conference in the Metro Catholic Conference following the 2020 season when he recorded 42 tackles and two sacks in an abbreviated season; the Spartans reached the Missouri Class 6 championship game.  As a junior for a state championship team, Calvin had 49 tackles and two interceptions and had 27 tackles at the varsity level during his sophomore year.

Drury: Jordan is a great athlete who can play linebacker or defensive back.  His knowledge of the game is incredible and he is also a great edge pass rusher.

COLTON COOK, a 6-1, 175-pound quarterback/athlete from Metro Christian Academy in Tulsa, Okla.: Cook was a first-team all-district selection that was named as the defensive back of the year in his conference.  An honorable mention all-metro player in Tulsa, Cook also saw time at quarterback at the prep level helping lead Metro Christian to the Oklahoma Class 2A state title.

Drury: Colton is a great football player, both as a quarterback and a safety. His athletic ability and intelligence demonstrate that he can make a big impact on both sides of the ball. He is a leader and has proven to be a winner as well.

AYDAN EDWARDS, a 5-10, 175-pound quarterback from Folsom Vista Del Lago High School in Folsom, Calif.: Edwards, who is playing his senior season this spring, has earned all-metro and all-conference honors at the high school level.  He threw for 552 yards and seven touchdowns without an interception before suffering a broken collarbone that prematurely ended his 2019 season.  Edwards has also earned three academic all-conference awards.

Drury: Aydan is a southpaw quarterback from California. Edwards comes from a great football family and he has the right characteristics for the quarterback position. He took his first varsity reps as a sophomore. He is a tough and relentless competitor who is always working on improving his game. He has ability to beat you with both his arm and his feet. He is expecting a big spring football season.

JUSTIN GNIEDZIEJKO, a 6-2, 190-pound safety from Taft High School in Chicago, Ill.: Gniedziejko was a second-team all-city selection in the Chicago area who set a school record for tackles for a team that won the public league city championship.  He is also a two-time academic all-state selection.

Drury: Justin is a pure athlete who excels on both sides of the ball with his speed.  He is a long defensive back who has a nose for the ball and loves the game.

RICHARD GOODE, a 6-3, 225-pound linebacker from Sulligent High School in Sulligent, Ala.: Good earned all-region, all-county and all-conference honors at the high school level as he recorded 64 tackles in his career from the linebacker position.  He also had one interception and two pass breakups as well as a pair of fumble recoveries.

Drury: Richard has the ability to play on both offense and defense. He proved to be an outstanding tight end and outside linebacker in high school. His physical build is impressive – he is tall with great length and he is both strong and athletic. His future is very bright.

BENTLEY HART, a 6-2, 245-pound defensive end, from Brookland High School in Brookland, Ark.: Hart was an all-state selection in Arkansas Class 5A and also earned all-conference honors on two occasions as a three-year letterwinner.

Drury: Bentley has a great get-off, powerful punch, plays with great pad-level and is violent with his hands. Bentley has a relentless pursuit to the football and can move gap to gap with great technique.

GAGE HERSHBERGER, a 5-10, 195-pound running back from Mountain Home High School in Mountain Home, Ark.: Hershberger landed all-conference honors in the Class 6A West Conference after a 2020 season where he rushed for 1,056 yards and nine touchdowns, which included five 100-yard games.  He also caught two touchdown passes among the 15 receptions he recorded.

Drury: Gage brings a power aspect to the backfield. He is a north and south runner that doesn't shy away from contact and runs behind his pads.

KEITH JACKSON, a 6-0, 175-pound cornerback from Lutheran St. Charles High School in St. Charles, Mo.: Jackson earned first-team all-conference honors after his senior year when he recorded 21 tackles over the course of a shortened season.  As a junior, Jackson finished with 72 tackles and made two interceptions.

Drury: Keith is a long, rangy corner who has the ability to play in both man and zone coverages.  Keith is also very fast and physical in the run game.

CORYUN KYLES, a 6-3, 275-pound defensive lineman from Hayti High School in Hayti, Mo.: Kyles was a finalist for the lineman of the year in the SEMO Conference, after a senior year that saw him earned first-team all-district, all-state and all-conference honors.  In addition, Kyles has earned academic all-state honors.

Drury: Coryun is a powerful big man with tremendous feet. He has quick hands and uses his strength and power to make a lot of plays. His understands leverage which makes him a huge threat at our nose tackle position. Coryun was also a very impressive center with the ability to pull fast and climb to the second level.

JACE LEE, a 5-9, 190-pound linebacker from Nevada High School in Nevada, Mo.: Lee was selected as the Big Eight West Conference defensive player of the year and earned several additional honors, including being named to the all-Southwest Missouri team at linebacker and landing first-team all-district and all-conference laurels.  Lee was also named as his team's recipient of the Iron Tiger Award.

Drury: Jace is a linebacker who has a great nose for the ball. He plays great in the box and runs extremely well from sideline to sideline. He is a great leader who can be vocal and get his teammates lined up where they need to be which we are very excited about bringing that to S&T.

TREYVON LEE, a 5-11, 185-pound defensive back from Moline High School in Moline, Ill.: Lee was selected on the metro all-star team in the Quad Cities area and also landed honorable mention all-conference honors during his career.  He received an invitational to play in the Illinois Shrine Game that will take place in July.  Academically, he serves as president of the school's French Club and as a member of the Minority Club.

Drury: Treyvon is a great corner who is not afraid to come down for run support.  He has great range and ball skills and can play both man and zone coverages.

BRODY LEHENBAUER, a 6-0, 180-pound quarterback from Palmyra High School in Palmyra, Mo.: Lehenbauer was named as the Clarence Cannon Conference player of the year after completing 57 percent of his passes for 1,759 yards and 22 touchdowns last fall.  Lehenbauer recorded over 2,000 all-purpose yards during the season and had eight rushing touchdowns to go along with his 22 scoring passes.  He was named first-team all-district and all-conference and was a second-team all-state selection following the 2020 season. 

Drury: Brody comes from an excellent football family and a tremendous football program. He is a winner, leading Palmyra to a 13-1 record his senior year. He completed nearly 60 percent of his passes for 1,759 yards and 22 touchdowns. He added 323 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground.  He is a true dual-threat quarterback with outstanding leadership ability.

RHET LILEY, a 6-3, 240-pound tight end from Jackson High School in Jackson, Mo.: Liley earned second-team all-state honors following the 2020 season and was also a first-team selection at the district, region and conference level for the Missouri Class 5 state champions; Jackson was the state runner-up in 2019.  Liley had 32 catches for 530 yards and nine touchdowns during the 2020 campaign after hauling in 43 passes as a sophomore.  In his three years at the varsity level, Liley had 114 receptions for 1,666 yards and 18 toouchdowns.

Drury: Rhet is a very versatile tight end.  He's a destructive blocker with great speed and tremendous hands.  He has the ability to run you over or make you miss.  He has the ability to play in the slot or out wide as well.  With him in the game the playbook is wide open.

COLE LITTRELL, a 6-3, 286-pound offensive lineman from Valley View High School in Jonesboro, Ark: Littrell earned all-conference honors in each of his last two seasons at the high school level.  In his junior year, he anchored an offensive line that helped his team accumulate better than 3,300 yards of total offense and then racked up over 3,100 yards a year later.

Drury: Cole is a big, mauling offensive lineman.  He has a devastating punch and great feet.  He plays with a mean streak and always finishes his block with physicality. 

KAI MARTIN, a 5-8, 170-pound running back from Calvary Christian High School in Clearwater, Fla.: Martin finished his prep career with nearly 2,500 all-purpose yards and scored 26 touchdowns.  As a junior, he rushed for 1,142 yards and scored 14 touchdowns with 1,432 all-purpose yards; he had 345 in a shortened season in 2020.  Martin, a high school teammate of current Miner Nadeem Ayoub (Tampa, FL/Calvary Christian) at Calvary Christian, was a two-year captain of his team.

Drury: Kai is a slashing, dynamic runner.  He's got great vision and tremendous acceleration.  Kai has the strength to break tackles and the stamina to finish big runs.  While primarily a running back, he can also play in the slot.

ANDREW PATTON, a 6-6, 185-pound wide receiver from St. Francis Borgia Regional High School in Washington, Mo.:  Patton was an all-conference selection in the Archdiocesan Athletic Association Division I league during his prep career, which saw him haul in 18 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns in the 2020 season after making 20 receptions for 426 yards and two scores during his junior year.

Drury: With his 6-6 frame, no pass is out of reach. He has great body control for a young receiver. He's a big physical receiver that will give smaller defensive backs a lot trouble.

KANON PRATHER, a 6-4, 225-pound tight end from Rushville-Industry High School in Rushville, Ill.: Prather, a three-year varsity starter, earned first-team all-conference honors was named to the KHQA "Do or Die Team."  Prather had five receptions during his junior year.

Drury: Kanon is a very long and athletic tight end.  He's athletic, has great range and great hands.  He is a very tough and physical blocker. 

CARSON PRENGER, a 6-2, 190-pound defensive back from Blair Oaks High School in Jefferson City, Mo.: Prenger, who played for Blair Oaks' Class 3 state championship team in the fall, earned all-state, all-district and all-conference honors in each of his last three seasons at the high school level.

Drury: Carson is a two-time state champion and hybrid athlete who can play on both sides of the ball.  He is physical in the run game and has a nose for the football.

KEATON RENFRO, a 6-1, 185-pound wide receiver from Joplin High School in Joplin, Mo.: Renfro was named to the Central Ozarks Conference all-league team following the 2020 season, when he hauled in 41 passes for 530 yards and three touchdowns.  Renfro also had 12 catches – two for scores – during his junior year and accumulated 855 all-purpose yards during his two seasons at the varsity level.

Drury: Keaton is a big physical receiver, coming from a championship program in Joplin. He's a student of the game and we're looking forward to his progress early.

TYLER RIDGWAY, a 6-1, 185-pound punter from St. Louis University High School in St. Louis, Mo.: Ridgway was an all-state selection as a punter after averaging 41.2 yards per punt on 23 efforts during the 2020 season.  He averaged 37.4 yards per kick in his junior season.  He was also named to the all-district team and all-Metro Catholic Conference team for a second time following the 2020 campaign as he served as a captain on special teams.  An Eagle Scout, Ridgway was also an academic all-state selection.

Drury: Tyler is the type of punter you are looking for because he is consistent, accurate and possesses great leg strength. He is constantly working on his craft and we expect him to create great field position for our team during his career at Missouri S&T.

JOSH SANDERS, a 5-7, 180-pound running back from Maize High School in Maize, Kan.: Sanders had an outstanding career at Maize, where he was named as the Kansas Class 5A offensive player of the year and to the all-state and all-conference teams as a first-team selection.  Sanders was also the All-Metro Wichita player of the year that set school records with 1,682 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.  He played at Wichita Heights in his sophomore and junior years and accumulated 2,281 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns.  Off the field, Sanders was a regional finalist for the Boys and Girls Club's "Youth of the Year," award.

Drury: Josh is a running back with incredible balance and cutting ability.  He plays with great vision.  When defenders do get their hands on him his strength allows him to drag them down the field.  Joshua has very good hands and is versatile to play in the slot position.

SAMUEL SWEENEY, a 5-11, 170-pound safety from Park Hill High School in Park Hill, Mo.: Sweeney was a two-time all-district selection in the secondary who led the state of Missouri in tackles with 166 during the 2020 season.  He holds school records for the most tackles in a game with 21 against Lee's Summit and a season (the 166 recorded this season of his 297 career stops) as he also earned all-conference honors.  Sweeney was also named to the academic all-state team.

Drury: Sam is a sure tackler and is a heat-seeking missile when he sees the ball carrier.

DOMONIC TJADEN, a 6-2, 220-pound defensive lineman from Fort Zumwalt East High School in O'Fallon, Mo.: Tjaden earned first-team all-district and second-team all-state laurels at Fort Zumwalt East after being in on 39 stops during the 2020 season that included two sacks and a fumble recovery.  He was also a four-time academic all-conference selection.

Drury: Domonic has great speed and awareness playing on the defensive line. He has an explosive get-off and great knowledge of the position. He has a frame to gain good weight and be a great player for the Miners.

JALEN TODD, a 5-11, 205-pound linebacker from Kentucky Country Day School in Louisville, Ky.: Todd was a versatile player at the high school level – he is projected as a linebacker at S&T – who ranked second in career sacks, eighth in career tackles and fourth in yards per reception as a tight end at Country Day.  He earned all-district and all-conference honors on three occasions during his high school years and was ranked as one of the top 25 seniors in the state of Kentucky.  Todd was the recipient of the Robertson Award following the 2020 season.

Drury: Jalen is a very dynamic player who excelled on both sides of the ball. He can play multiple positions on the defensive side of the ball. Jalen is a great pass rusher, plays great in coverage and is a sure tackler who always looks for takeaways.

REID WEBER, a 5-9, 165-pound wide receiver from Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Mo.: Weber caught 16 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown in 2020 after making 30 catches as a junior for 251 yards and four touchdowns, when he played on the same Viking offensive unit as current Miner Gideon Niboh (St. Charles, MO/Francis Howell).  He has been the recipient of academic all-state honors as well.

Drury: Reid has good top end speed to stress defenses deep, which is important in the run and shoot offense. He has also shown the ability to carry the ball in high school which is a huge plus.

TYKE WELLS, a 6-3, 281-pound offensive lineman from Branson High School in Branson, Mo.: Wells was a third-team all-state selection who also named to the all-Southwest Missouri team as a first-team selection.  He also earned all-district and all-conference honors during his career and also earned academic all-state status.

Drury: Tyke is a great athlete with tremendous feet.  He finishes his blocks with a nasty edge.  He is a great athlete in space when he pulls and has a great understanding of the game.

ANDREW WISER, a 5-10, 190-pound running back from Boonville High School in Boonville, Mo.: Wiser earned numerous honors during his high school career, as he was named as an all-district and all-conference running back after rushing for 846 yards and 14 touchdowns during the 2020 season.  Wiser ran for 1,106 yards at the varsity level and scored 18 touchdowns on the ground.  He was also a two-time academic all-state recipient and four-time member of his conference's all-academic team.

Drury: Andrew is a tough football player who excelled on both sides of the ball. He has great ability as a running back to follow blocks due to his excellent vision. Once he sees an opening, his speed really shows. He consistently showed the ability to be a versatile back running inside, outside and in short yardage situations.

LOGAN WONDERS, a 5-11, 140-pound placekicker from Roxana High School in Roxana, Ill.: Wonders earned all-conference honors in the South Central Conference after being successful on 35 extra point attempts and two field goal tries during the 2019 season; Roxana is playing its football schedule in the spring this academic year.

Drury: Logan has an accurate leg that will add depth to the competitive specialist group. He is looking to have a big senior season as Illinois gets ready to suit up this spring.

CADE WOODFIN, a 6-4, 235-pound tight end from Marquette High School in Chesterfield, Mo.: Woodwin was a first-team all-conference selection as a tight end on two occasions during his career and also earned all-district honors at that position.  Woodfin had three receptions during a five-game schedule in the fall of 2020 and had six catches that included one for a touchdown in 2019.  Woodfin, who was a three-time academic all-state recipient, was also an all-conference selection as an offensive lineman during his career at Marquette.

Drury: Cade is an athletic and physical blocker.  He's got great feet and does a great job on his pulls and climbing to the second level.  Cade has soft hands and runs very well for a big man.

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic that forced the postponement of the fall schedule, Missouri S&T will play a four-game season in the spring beginning on April 3 at William Jewell.  The Miners have home games scheduled on April 10 against Southwest Baptist and April 15 against Truman State at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.  The Miners are also scheduled to host a scrimmage with Missouri Western on March 18.