Mountaineers Announce Nine Transfer Portal Signees – App State Athletics

BOONE, N.C. — App State Football added nine transfer portal signees during the spring period, head coach Shawn Clark announced Tuesday, the first day of summer classes.
 
Counting the transfer portal signees who arrived in January, there are 15 newcomers from the portal with previous NCAA football experience. The nine arrivals for the start of summer classes are, listed in alphabetical order: Luke Burgess (OL, Louisville), Nick Campbell (DT, NC State), Andres Dewerk (OL, Southern Cal), Joshua Donald (DT, Troy), Jack Hollifield (OL, Virginia Tech), Garner Langlo (OL, Auburn), Elijah Mc-Cantos (DB, Illinois), Seth Robertson (CB, Georgia Southern) and Billy Wiles (QB, Southern Miss).
 
There are four offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, two defensive backs and one quarterback in that group.
 
The Mountaineers previously signed 19 high school recruits from the Class of 2024, including nine early enrollees who went through spring practices. The 10 high school signees joining the program for summer classes are Khamani Alexander (RB, Homestead, Fla.), Frank Baret Jr. (WR, Wake Forest, N.C.), DeNigel Cooper (DL, Kingsland, Ga.), Kendall Farmer (DL, Atlanta, Ga.), Gabe Funk (OL, Xenia, Ohio), Bryce Gee (WR, Jacksonville, Fla.), Jose Leon (WR, Miami, Fla.), Anthony Rosier (OLB, Windermere, Fla.), Tyshawn Sanders (CB, Marion, S.C.) and Nick Taylor (CB, Fayetteville, Ga.).
 
The group of 34 scholarship newcomers for the 2024 season includes 10 offensive linemen, eight defensive backs (including four cornerbacks), five defensive linemen, four receivers, two quarterbacks, two “Star” defenders, one outside linebacker, one running back and one tight end.
 
Below are bios for the nine newest transfer portal signees.
 
Luke Burgess — OL
6-8, 300
New Palestine, Ind. (Louisville)
Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with four seasons of eligibility remaining … As a redshirting true freshman at Louisville in 2023, played in one game, making his FBS debut against Murray State.

High School: Named a U.S. Army All-American at New Palestine High outside of Indianapolis … Named first-team all-state … Consensus three-star prospect … Won a state title and was a three-time sectional champion … Ranked the 44th-best offensive tackle in the 2023 class by 247Sports.

 

Nick Campbell — DT

6-4, 290

Clermont, Fla. (NC State)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with three seasons of eligibility remaining … Member of NC State’s program from 2022-23, appearing in one game apiece in 2023 (VMI) and 2022 (UConn).

 

High School: Played defensive and offensive line at Lake Minneola High for coach Walter Banks … Recorded 158 tackles, including 113 solo stops, along with 46 tackles for loss and 20 sacks during his prep career … Finished with 47 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and five sacks as a senior after totaling 70 tackles, 19 tackles for loss and seven sacks as a junior … Ranked the No. 49 defensive lineman nationally and the No. 44 player in the state of Florida by 247Sports.

 

Andres Dewerk — OL

6-7, 340

San Jose, Calif. (Southern Cal)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with two seasons of eligibility remaining … Member of Southern Cal’s program from 2020-23, appearing in four games over his final two seasons … Appeared in the first three games of the 2023 season and one game in 2022 … Did not see game action in 2020, a season that didn’t count against a player’s eligibility, or 2021.

 

High School: PrepStar All-Western Region, Cal-Hi Sports All-State second team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Medium Schools first team and All-Bay Area as a senior offensive and defensive lineman at Los Gatos (Calif.) High in 2019 … Helped Los Gatos win 2019 CIF Central Coast Division II championship. 

 

Joshua Donald — DT

6-1, 315

Durham, N.C. (Troy)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with two seasons of eligibility remaining … Native of Durham, N.C., was a member of the program at Southern University from 2022-23 before transferring to Troy following the 2023 season to participate in spring practices with the Trojans … Had 11 tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack in nine games for Southern in 2023 after posting eight tackles with two tackles for loss and one sack in nine games in 2022.

 

High School: Standout at Jordan High in Durham before spending one year at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia during the 2021 season.

 

Jack Hollifield — OL

6-4, 300

Shelby, N.C. (Virginia Tech)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with two seasons of eligibility remaining … Member of Virginia Tech’s program from 2021-23, appearing in 13 games in 2023 and 11 games in 2022 after redshirting as a true freshman … Made contributions on the offensive line, making five offensive appearances in 2023, with his most action coming against Boston College and Syracuse.

 

High School: Three-year letterwinner at linebacker and tight end at Shelby High, winning state titles in 2019 under Mike Wilbanks and 2018 under Lance Ware, a current App State assistant coach … Posted 369 career tackles, 18.0 sacks and three fumble recoveries … Returned an interception for a touchdown in the 2018 state championship game … Recorded at least 100 tackles in each of his three high school seasons, including a team-best 164 tackles in the 2019 season … Also played on a state championship basketball squad.

 

Garner Langlo — OL

6-7, 290

Hartford, Ala. (Auburn)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with two seasons of eligibility remaining … Enrolled at Auburn during the 2021-23 seasons … Did not see any game action as a reserve offensive lineman in 2021 or 2022.

 

High School: Rated as a top 50 interior offensive lineman in the 2021 signing class and among the top 100 overall prospects in Florida by Rivals and 247Sports … Helped lead the Trinity Catholic Celtics to the state Class 3-A semifinals with an 11-1 record … Ocala Star-Banner All-County honoree.

 

Elijah Mc-Cantos — DB

6-0, 195

Little Haiti, Fla. (Illinois)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with three seasons of eligibility remaining … Member of Illinois’ program from 2022-23, totaling 12 game appearances and six tackles … Played in eight games in 2023, opening the season with four stops against Toledo and earning Academic All-Big Ten recognition … Played in four games as a redshirting true freshman in 2022.

 

High School: Three-star recruit by 247Sports, On3.com and Rivals while at Edison High … Ranked the No. 45 cornerback in the country by Rivals … Played for head coach Luther Campbell at Edison … Also participated in basketball, track and wrestling in high school.

 

Seth Robertson — CB

5-11, 195

Madison, Ga. (Georgia Southern)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with one season of eligibility remaining … Member of Georgia Southern’s program from 2020-23, appearing in 45 games with 14 starts and totaling 75 tackles … Spent two seasons with Scot Sloan in Statesboro, including a 2021 season with 32 tackles and four pass breakups over 10 games, including five starts … Started four games in 2022, when he had 23 tackles, and five more games in 2023, when he had 14 tackles … Posted seven tackles against Coastal Carolina in 2022 and six against Arkansas State in 2021 … Appeared in 10 games in 2020, a true freshman season that didn’t count against his eligibility because of COVID … Multiple-time honor roll member.

 

High School: Played at Morgan County for coach Bill Malone … Had 1,039 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns as a senior and also tallied 22 solo tackles with two interceptions … Named first-team 8-AAA All-Region … As a junior, recorded seven touchdowns and 527 total yards as a slot receiver … Primarily played cornerback and finished with four interceptions, 10 breakups and over 50 tackles … Also played baseball and competed in track & field, setting the school record in the long jump at 22-9.5 and triple jump at 45-3.

 

Billy Wiles — QB

6-3, 215

Ashburn, Va. (Southern Miss)

Prior to App State: Transferred to App State with two seasons of eligibility remaining … Played quarterback at Southern Miss in 2023, starting 10 games, after being a member of Clemson’s program from 2021-22 … Played in 12 FBS games during those three seasons, completing 162 of 302 passes for 1,971 yards and 12 touchdowns … In 2023, played in 11 games and completed 160 of 298 passes for 1,940 yards and 11 touchdowns … As a starter in Boone, completed 23 of 41 passes for 287 yards and one touchdown during Southern Miss’ 48-38 loss to App State … Also threw for at least 200 yards against Texas State (275), Alcorn State (267), Arkansas State (215) and ULM (200) … Had three games with at least two touchdown passes, including three against Alcorn State while completing 75 percent of his passes (21 of 28) … Played in one game for Clemson in 2021, throwing a 25-yard touchdown pass against UConn, before earning a scholarship from the Tigers before the 2022 season … Member of the ACC Honor Roll.

 

High School: Led Stone Bridge in Ashburn, Va., to a state title in the spring of 2021 … Last throw of prep career was a 16-yard, walk-off touchdown pass in overtime to defeat Highland Springs for the state championship … Threw for 2,481 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior in the fall of 2019.