
The Sean Lewis era at San Diego State has its first signing class.
1st-year Aztec football head coach Sean Lewis announced Wednesday that 25 student-athletes have signed National Letters of Intent with San Diego State in this early signing period. Lewis says more players will joining the Aztec program when the regular signing period open on February 7th, 2024.
So far, the Aztecs 2024 recruiting class has 14 players on offense and 11 defense, 13 of the recruits are from California.
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3 of the Aztecs recruits played high school football in San Diego. Isaiah Buxton, a defensive back, and Anthony McMillian Jr., a running back, are both from Mater Dei Catholic in Chula Vista. While 6'4 wide receiver Will Cianfrini comes to the Mesa from Carlsbad High School.
San Diego State has desperately been seeking elite play from its quarterback position in recent years and there are 2 QB recruits in this class.
A.J. Duffy is a 6'2 sophomore transfer from Florida State who grew up in the Inland Empire, while Danny O'Neil is 6'0 coveted recruit from Cathedral Catholic High School in Indianapolis.
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O'Neil is a 3-star recruit who originally committed to Colorado, before following coach Lewis from Boulder to San Diego.
"His competitive nature is what makes him unique," says Lewis. "He's a very humble and hungry kid, he has a wide breath of skills and ability, he can move outside the pocket, he's very accurate. When you get invited to the Elite 11 (QB Camp) you're one of the 11 best in the country, so you're skill set and mind set is pretty high."
Both O'Neil and Duffy will be on campus in January to start competing for the quarterback job.
Of the 14 signees on offense, there are four each at wide receiver - Nate Bennett (Simi Valley, Calif./Grace Brethern High/Portland State), Will Cianfrini (Galveston, Texas/Carlsbad High (CA)), JaβShaun Poke (Hampton, Ga./Dutchtown High/West Virginia) and Ben Scolari (Reno, Nev./Bishop Manogue HS) - and offensive line - Brayden Bryant (Ardmore, Okla./Ardmore High/North Dakota), Saipale Fuimaono (Auto, American Samoa/Fagaitua High/Allan Hancock College), Kai Holec (Seattle/OβDea High) and Nate Williams (Utica, Ohio/Newark Catholic High/Akron). Three are tight ends in Arthur Ban (Vancouver, Wash./Evergreen High), Gabe Garretson (Chico, Calif./Pleasant Valley High/Butte College) and Ryan Wolfer (Peoria, Ariz./Liberty High) - There are also a pair of quarterbacks in the class in AJ Duffy (Inland Empire, Calif./Rancho Verde High/Florida State) and Danny OβNeil (Indianapolis/Cathedral High), and one running back - Anthony McMillian Jr. (Chula Vista, Calif./Mater Dei Catholic High).
On the defensive side of the ball, seven of the 11 signees will be in the back five of the 4-2-5 SDSU defense, including Tayten Beyer (Corona, Calif./Centennial High), Isaiah Buxton (San Diego/Mater Dei Catholic High), Jason Mitchell II (Los Angeles/St. John Bosco High), Zach Morris (Flower Mound, Texas/Marcus High/New Mexico), William Nimmo Jr. (Corona, Calif./Mater Dei High/UCLA), Bryce Phillips (Long Beach, Calif./La Habra High/Tennessee) and Prince Williams (Westlake Village, Calif./Oaks Christian High). Three defensive linemen are joining San Diego State in Kodi Cornelius (Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande High), Ryan Gaea (Stockton, Calif./St. Maryβs High) and Marlem Louis (Venice, Fla./Venice High/Richmond), while Danny Niu (East Palo Alto, Calif./Serra High) is the lone incoming linebacker.
The Aztecs will begin Spring practice March 12th, with the Spring game being played sometime in April.