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Feb. 2, 2005

The Total Class
The incoming class of football players will number 30, including six players that enrolled in January. Those mid-year enrollees are on campus for the spring semester, and will participate in spring drills, beginning March 1st.

All-Americans
Three junior college players, receiver Tyrell Smith, defensive lineman Dallas Mauga and safety Josh Gomez all earned All-America honors.

Aloha Means Sign Here
San Diego State signed four players from the state of Hawai'i in the 2005 class. During the 2004 season, defensive end Kurt Kahui was SDSU's only player from the islands and originally joined the program as a walkon.

Those Pesky 40 Times
One prevailing addition to the Aztec program seems to be speed. Wide receiver signees Mekell Wesley and Tyrell Smith were heavily coveted due in part to their 40 times. The same can be said of running back Micah Strickland of Hawaii and virtually all of the Aztecs' incoming defensive backs.

Sunshine Kids
When San Diego State landed defensive back Donny Baker out of Miami's Pace High School, it seemed to have opened the doors to one of the nation's most fertile recruiting grounds. Following Baker, San Diego State inked defensive lineman Jonathan Bailes out of Tampa's powerful Jefferson High School.  He has been in the starting lineup since he arrived on campus. In the 2005 class, SDSU has added two more Jefferson High School alums in defensive backs Aaron Moore and Josh Walker.

Louisianans For SDSU
San Diego State is continiuing its tradition of signing players from Louisiana. The Aztecs' one athlete from that state this year, defensive back Jared Edwards of Metairie's Archbishop Rummel High School).

The Tradition
With the signature of Jared Edwards, San Diego State has now signed seven players from Louisiana since 2001.

SEC Territory
San Diego State branched out further into the southeast this year with the signing of Tobias Shanks from Port Gibson High School in Mississippi, giving SDSU a total of four players from the southeast, not to mention one from Arizona and one from Colorado and junior college players who were originally from Michigan and Canada.

Local Favorites
Under Tom Craft, San Diego State has been very successful recruiting high-profile local players. Joining the program this year are north county receivers Roberto Wallace (Oceanside) and Jon Toledo (La Costa Canyon). Two local players from the 2004 signing class joined the program when spring classes got underway on Jan. 24th. They are quarterback Kevin Craft (Valley Center) and receiver DeMarco Sampson (Chula Vista Castle Park). Also throw into the mix junior-college All-Americans Dallas Mauga and safety Josh Gomez. Mauga prepped at Helix High School and Gomez played at Oceanside.

Smith And Wishin'
If some of the names are starting to run together...well they probably should. Here is a quick directory of near-miss names currently on campus.

Tyrell Smith 2005 Football Signee
Tyler Smith Freshman Men's Basketball Player
Taylor Schmidt Starting Center in 2004
Tyler Schmitt Long Snapper in 2004

State-Ments
San Diego State's 2005 class features players from eight states and two countries. The states represented include California, Hawaii, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida. Community college tight end Steve Schmidt hails from British Columbia and will become the first Canadian on the current Aztec roster.

Connections
As always, the signing class carries some connections to past Aztec teams. Tobias Shanks, of Port Gibson, Miss., is the cousin of former Aztec Austin Shanks (1983 and 1984).

Teammates
Incoming Floridians Josh Walker and Aaron Moore prepped at Jefferson High School in Tampa, the alma mater of Jonathan Bailes. San Diego State signed two players from Palmdale High School (Kwincy Edwards and Jerry Milling). They were high school teammates of redshirt freshman T.J. McKay.

New Territory
The signing of Tobias Shanks marks the first time that San Diego State has signed a prepster from the state of Mississippi and the signing of Steve Schmidt means that 2005 will mark the first time the Aztecs have had a Canadian on the roster since 1988 (Derek Sang and Steve Blythe). The signees from Hawaii are the first for San Diego State in a decade.