LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty Head Football Coach Jamey Chadwell added 13 new members to his first Liberty team today with the announcement of the Flames’ December signees.
Liberty’s 13-member class is ranked No. 83 by Rivals.com, the highest-ranked recruiting class in program history. The class is also ranked No. 99 by 247Sports and No. 89 by On3.com.
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The Flames’ newcomers include four defensive linemen, three offensive linemen, a cornerback, linebacker, quarterback, running back, safety and tight end.
Liberty’s 2023 newcomers list hails from eight different states: Georgia (2), North Carolina (2), South Carolina (2), Tennessee (2), Virginia (2), Alabama (1) and Louisiana (1).
Currently, Liberty’s 13-member 2023 signing class includes seven mid-year enrollees, eight three-star recruits as ranked by 247Sports.com, seven three-star recruits as listed by Rivals and a three-star recruit as listed by ESPN.com.
2023 Flames Football NLI Signees
Vaughn Blue * RB 5-11 195 Mount Pleasant, S.C./
Oceanside Collegiate Academy
Christian Bodnar S 6-0 170 Brandon, Fla./Bloomingdale Sr. HS
Tajh Boyd * OL 6-4 285 Chesapeake, Va./Oscar F. Smith HS
Bo Burklow TE 6-3 235 Brentwood, Tenn./
Christ Presbyterian Academy
TJ Bush * DL 6-3 250 Woodbridge, Va./Freedom HS
Donovan Dozier * DL 6-3 230 Raleigh, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons HS
Aaron Fenimore * OL 6-1 270 Senoia, Ga./East Coweta HS
Tysheik Galloway * DL 6-3 315 Anderson, S.C./Belton Honea Path HS
(Coffeyville CC)
Cal Grubbs OL 6-3 285 Maryville, Tenn./Maryville HS
Jamal Miles CB 6-0 170 Pelham, Ala./Pelham HS
Reese Mooney QB 6-1 205 Denham Springs, La./Denham Springs HS
Eliyt Nairne * DL 6-2 275 Charlotte, N.C./Olympic HS
Olan Robinson LB 6-1 210 Covington, Ga./Newton HS
* - Joined Liberty’s roster for the Spring 2023 semester
2023 Class Roster Breakdown
By Position
Defensive Linemen 4
Offensive Linemen 3
Cornerback 1
Linebacker 1
Quarterback 1
Running Back 1
Safety 1
Tight End 1
By State
Georgia 2
North Carolina 2
South Carolina 2
Tennessee 2
Virginia 2
Alabama 1
Louisiana 1
2023 Flames Football NLI Signees
Vaughn Blue * RB 5-11 195 Mount Pleasant, S.C./
Oceanside Collegiate Academy
Christian Bodnar S 6-0 170 Brandon, Fla./Bloomingdale Sr. HS
Tajh Boyd * OL 6-4 285 Chesapeake, Va./Oscar F. Smith HS
Bo Burklow TE 6-3 235 Brentwood, Tenn./
Christ Presbyterian Academy
TJ Bush * DL 6-3 250 Woodbridge, Va./Freedom HS
Donovan Dozier * DL 6-3 230 Raleigh, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons HS
Aaron Fenimore * OL 6-1 270 Senoia, Ga./East Coweta HS
Tysheik Galloway * DL 6-3 315 Anderson, S.C./Belton Honea Path HS
(Coffeyville CC)
Cal Grubbs OL 6-3 285 Maryville, Tenn./Maryville HS
Jamal Miles CB 6-0 170 Pelham, Ala./Pelham HS
Reese Mooney QB 6-1 205 Denham Springs, La./Denham Springs HS
Eliyt Nairne * DL 6-2 275 Charlotte, N.C./Olympic HS
Olan Robinson LB 6-1 210 Covington, Ga./Newton HS
* - Joined Liberty’s roster for the Spring 2023 semester
2023 Football Signing Class Bios
Vaughn Blue, RB, 5-11, 195, Mount Pleasant, S.C./Oceanside Collegiate Academy
- Mid-year enrollee who will join the program for the Spring 2023 semester
- Also received offers from: Anderson, Charleston Southern, Citadel, Coastal Carolina, Western Kentucky and Wofford
- Stats and Honors: Helped Oceanside Collegiate Academy to the Lower State Championship during his senior season … two-time all-state and all-region honoree … finished his senior year with 1,500 all-purpose yards, 167 rushing attempts and 12 touchdowns
- Son of Ashley and Justin Fazio
- Intended Major: Finance
Christian Bodnar, S, 6-0, 170, Brandon, Fla./Bloomingdale Sr. HS
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Two-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Bowling Green, FAU, FIU, Georgia State, Iowa State, Maryland, Middle Tennessee, Rhode Island, Temple, Troy and USF
- Stats and Honors: 2021 Defensive Player of the Year … first-team all-conference defensive back … helped Bloomingdale Sr. High School to a regional championship in 2021 and the state semifinals … finished his junior season with 44 tackles … added 27 tackles, including 25 solo stops as a senior … also recorded nine touchdowns during his senior year (four rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns)
- Son of Christina Bodnar
- Intended Major: Business Management
Tajh Boyd, OL, 6-4, 285, Chesapeake, Va./Oscar F. Smith HS
- Mid-year enrollee who will join the program for the Spring 2023 semester
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Bowling Green, Buffalo, Campbell, Duke, Jackson State, James Madison, Maine, Maryland, Morgan State, Norfolk State, North Carolina A&T and Virginia Tech
- Stats and Honors: Helped Oscar F. Smith High School to consecutive state championships
- Son of Tanzania Belfield and Tajh Boyd
- Intended Major: Computer Engineering
Bo Burklow, TE, 6-3, 235, Brentwood, Tenn./Christ Presbyterian Academy
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Two-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Air Force, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Army, Austin Peay, Ball State, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Dartmouth, Eastern Kentucky, Furman, James Madison, Memphis, Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee, North Alabama, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee Tech, Tulane, ULM, UT Martin, UCF and Yale
- Stats and Honors: Helped Christ Presbyterian Academy to state championships in 2020 and 2021 … three-time All-Region selection … all-state honoree as a senior … finished his junior year with 19 receptions for 315 yards and a touchdown … also added 39 tackles as a junior … finished his senior year with 25 receptions for 352 yards and two touchdowns … also added 72 tackles as a senior, with five interceptions, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble
- Son of Cayce and Lee Burklow
- Intended Major: Business Finance
TJ Bush, DL, 6-3, 250, Woodbridge, Va./Freedom High School
- Mid-year enrollee who will join the program for the Spring 2023 semester
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Coastal Carolina, Maryland, North Carolina, ULM and UNC Charlotte
- Stats and Honors: Helped Freedom High School to the state championship title during his senior season … named District and Regional Player of the Year … finished his senior year with 85 tackles, 33.0 tackles for a loss and 29.5 sacks
- Son of Angela and Terance Bush
- Intended Major: Marketing
Donovan Dozier, DL, 6-3, 230, Raleigh, N.C./Cardinal Gibbons HS
- Mid-year enrollee who will join the program for the Spring 2023 semester
- Also received offers from: Air Force, Dartmouth, Delaware, Elon, Gardner Webb, James Madison, Lehigh, Mercer, Wofford and Yale
- Stats and Honors: Four-time first-team all-conference selection … four-time Defensive Player of the Year … helped Cardinal Gibbons High School to consecutive 4A state championships … finished his junior season with 63 tackles and 18.0 sacks … recorded 39 tackles as a senior, along with 5.0 tackles for a loss, an interception and a fumble recovery
- Son of Kesha and Maurice Dozier
- Intended Major: Construction Management
Aaron Fenimore, OL, 6-1, 270, Senoia, Ga./East Coweta HS
- Mid-year enrollee who will join the program for the Spring 2023 semester
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Appalachian State, Army, Buffalo, Coastal Carolina, Duke, East Carolina, Elon, ETSU, Fordham, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Holy Cross, Kennesaw State, Louisville, Maryland, Mercer, Middle Tennessee, Missouri State, Navy, Old Dominion, Richmond, Samford, Tennessee Tech, Troy, Tulane, UMass, UNC Charlotte and Wofford
- Stats and Honors: Four-year starter … helped East Coweta High School to the Region 2 AAAAAAA championship in 2020 … four-time all-county and all-region selection … AJC All-Metro team … first-team all-state as a junior … preseason all-state as a senior … team captain during his senior season … two-time Georgia Farm Bureau Player of the Week
- Son of Jill and Aaron Fenimore
Tysheik Galloway, DL, 6-3, 315, Anderson, S.C./Belton Honea Path HS (Coffeyville CC)
- Mid-year enrollee who will join the program for the Spring 2023 semester
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Two-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Austin Peay, Bethune-Cookman, Central Michigan, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Incarnate Word, Jacksonville State, McNeese State, Northern Iowa, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State, Tennessee Martin, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech and Western Kentucky
- Stats and Honors: Finished the 2022 season at Coffeyville Community College with 36 tackles (14 solo, 22 assisted), 3.5 tackles for a loss and 3.0 sacks … finished his senior season at Belton Honea Path High School with 37 tackles and 5.0 sacks … 23 tackles and 4.0 sacks as a junior … recorded 39 tackles as a sophomore
- Son of Nakeisha Jones and Allen Galloway
- Intended Major: Business
Cal Grubbs, OL, 6-3, 285, Maryville, Tenn./Maryville HS
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Air Force, Army, Austin Peay, Cincinnati, Coastal Carolina, Duke, East Carolina, Eastern Kentucky, ETSU, Louisiana, Miami (Ohio), Middle Tennessee, Navy, Ole Miss, Princeton, Tennessee State, Tennessee Tech, Tulane, USF, UT Martin and Virginia
- Stats and Honors: Three-time all-region honoree … 2022 Region Lineman of the Year … two-time all-state selection … finished his career with 207 knockdowns/cakes and just one sack allowed … helped Maryville High School claim the 2019 state championship, capping off a perfect 15-0 season
- Son of Leona and Chip Grubbs
Jamal Miles, CB, 6-0, 170, Pelham, Ala./Pelham HS
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Kansas, Marshall, North Alabama, Southern Miss, Troy, Tulane, UAB, Vanderbilt and West Virginia
- Stats and Honors: Two-time first-team All-Metro selection … second-team all-state as a senior … finished his senior season with 65 tackles and four interceptions
- Son of Dondrea Miles Brown and James Brown
- Intended Major: Business
Reese Mooney, QB, 6-1, 205, Denham Springs, La./Denham Springs HS
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Three-star recruit as ranked by ESPN.com
- Also received offers from: Arkansas, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Colorado, FAU, FIU, Georgia Southern, Georgia Tech, Houston, Illinois, James Madison, Kentucky, Maryland, Miami, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ole Miss, South Alabama, South Florida, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Temple, Toledo, Troy, UAB, UCF, UConn, Vanderbilt, West Virginia and Western Kentucky
- Stats and Honors: Helped Denham Spring High School win its first district championship and advanced to the state quarterfinals for the first time in 37 years during his senior year … selected to play in the Red Stick Bowl game … finished his senior year with 1,700 passing yards and 16 touchdowns … all-district and All-Parish as a senior … all-Louisiana Academic team … preseason all-state
- Son of Betsy Carmichael and Teddy Mooney
- Stepson of Tanya Mooney
- Siblings: Sisters – Blakleigh and Harperkate; Brother – Dane
- Intended Major: Physical Therapy/Coaching
Eliyt Nairne, DL, 6-2, 275, Charlotte, N.C./Olympic HS
- Mid-year enrollee who will join the program for the Spring 2023 semester
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: East Carolina, Georgia State, Holy Cross, Howard, Kent State, Middle Tennessee, Navy, Norfolk State, North Carolina Central, Old Dominion, Rhode Island, Richmond, Tulane, Western Kentucky and Wofford
- Stats and Honors: Helped Olympic High School win a pair of conference championships … eight-time Player of the Week honoree … Queen City Senior Bowl selection … Defensive Lineman of the Year … Big 22 selection … three-time all-conference member … preseason All-State honoree … finished his senior season with 103 tackles, 13 sacks, four forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns
- Son of Ashanti Burns and Christopher Nairne
- Intended Major: Respiratory Therapy
Olan Robinson, LB, 6-1, 210, Covington, Ga./Newton HS
- Three-star recruit as ranked by 247Sports.com
- Three-star recruit as ranked by Rivals.com
- Also received offers from: Lehigh, Middle Tennessee, Tennessee, West Virginia and Western Kentucky
- Son of Khalilah Robinson and Jonathan Benton
- Intended Major: Aerospace Engineering or Aviation