MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The University of Memphis Tigers football added 23 more student-athletes to the team’s 2025 recruiting class, coach Ryan Silverfield announced Wednesday.
The head coach said the class includes 18 high school seniors, four junior college players, and one Division I transfer from eight different states. Tigers Athletics said On3 ranked the 2025 class at the top of The American and first for non-Power 4 programs.
The 23 players include four defensive linemen, four offensive linemen, four defensive backs, three linebackers, three wide receivers, a pair of tight ends, one running back, one quarterback, and a long snapper.
Below is a look at each of the signees from Tigers Football.
DEC. 4 SIGNEES
AJ Hill (Antwann Hill Jr.)
- QB | 6-4 | 215
- Warner Robins, Ga. | Houston County HS
- Consensus four-star recruit … Rated the No. 5 quarterback in the country and No. 61 player nationally by ESPN … Also rated as the No. 10 quarterback in the class of 2025 by 247 Sports … Has thrown for over 10,000 yards in four years starting at Houston County … Has thrown 129 career touchdowns … Currently averaging over 300 passing yards per game … Holds a career completion percentage of 65 percent … Broke the single-season school passing touchdowns record as a senior … Invited to Navy All-American Bowl … 2025 Polynesian Bowl All-Star … Chose Memphis over Florida, Georgia, Alabama and others.
Xavier Johnson
- WR | 6-0 | 165
- Richland, Texas | Richland HS
- Consensus three-star recruit … Rated as the No. 66 wide receiver nationally and No. 66 player in the state of Texas by 247 Sports … Three-year varsity player who hauled in 58 receptions for 1,349 yards and 15 touchdowns his senior season at Richland High School … Was a nominee for Texas 5A Wide Receiver of the Year … Chose Memphis over SMU, TCU, Baylor and North Texas.
Rahim Hutchins Jr.
- WR | 5-11 | 155
- Houston, Texas | Shadow Creek HS
- Ranked as a four-star recruit by ESPN … Ranked as the No. 36 wide receiver nationally and the 41st ranked player in the state of Texas by ESPN … Recorded 40 catches for 791 yards and seven touchdowns in his final two seasons at Shadow Creek … Helped lead the Sharks to a perfect 8-0 district record and a UIL Texas Football State Championship 6A-D2 birth … Chose Memphis over Boston College, Michigan State, Nebraska and others.
Andrew Leslie
- WR | 5-11 | 195
- Conyers, Ga. | Newton HS
- Ranked as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports … Caught 40 passes for 678 yards and 14 receiving touchdowns as a senior at Newton … Was a Covington News Player of the Week … Was a First Team All-Region selection in Region 5-AAA in Georgia while at Cedar Grove HS … Chose Memphis over Appalachian State, Coastal Carolina and others.
Bryce Anderson
- TE | 6-5 | 250
- West Des Moines, Iowa | WDM Valley HS | Iowa Central CC
- Ranked as the No. 42 JUCO player nationally and No. 2 JUCO tight end by 247 Sports … Had 27 catches for 295 yards and five touchdowns in ten games for the Tritons … Recorded six catches for 89 yards and a touchdown in a 49-45 victory over Garden City CC … Chose Memphis over Washington State.
Jonathan Harding
- TE | 6-4 | 210
- The Villages, Fla. | The Villages Charter School
- Ranked as a consensus three-star prospect by 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals … Was originally a quarterback, totaling over 3,000 passing yards before transitioning to tight end … Tallied 77 catches for 873 yards and four receiving touchdowns as a tight end … Finished with a career total of nearly 5,000 yards when combining passing, rushing, receiving and return yardage … Chose Memphis over Appalachian State, South Florida, Western Kentucky and others.
Chance Holloman
- OL | 6-4 | 275
- Atlanta, Ga. | West Lake HS | Tuskegee College | Iowa Western CC
- Consensus three-star recruit in the portal, ranked as the No. 61 player in the country, No. 6 offensive tackle nationally and No. 7 player in the state of Georgia by 247 Sports… Rated as No. 29 JUCO player nationally, No. 4 JUCO offensive tackle in the country and No. 3 JUCO player in the state of Georgia by 247 Sports… Played in eight games for Iowa Western in 2024.
Sam Browder
- OL | 6-6 | 285
- Kingsport, Tenn. | Christ School (N.C.)
- Ranked as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports … Rated as the No. 129 interior offensive lineman in the country and No. 36 player in the state of North Carolina … Earned All-State honors as a junior … Chose Memphis over App State, Army, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Georgia Southern, Kent State, Old Dominion, South Florida and others.
Josiah Clemons
- OL | 6-7 | 370
- Clinton, Miss. | Madison Central HS
- Ranked as the No. 27 prospect in Mississippi by 247 Sports … No. 94 offensive tackle in the 2025 class according to 247 Sports … Helped Madison Central reach the semifinals of the MHSAA 7A Playoffs … Chose Memphis over Mississippi State, Louisiana and others.
Bryce Vaughn
- OL | 6-7 | 265
- Nettleton, Miss. | Nettleton HS
- Helped lead Nettleton to 3A Region 4 postseason appearance in 2023 … Chose Memphis over Louisiana, Arkansas State and others.
Jacari Gatling
- DL | 6-3 | 265
- Hyattsville, Md. | Riverdale Baptist HS
- Consensus three-star recruit ranked as the No. 51 player in Maryland by ESPN … Helped Riverdale Baptist reach a perfect 9-0 record … Chose Memphis over Boston College, West Virginia and others.
Lamar Fairfax Jr.
- DL | 6-1 | 250
- Clinton Township, Mich. | Belleville HS
- Ranked as the No. 33 player in the state of Michigan … A consensus three-star recruit by 247 Sports … Recorded 78 total tackles and four sacks as a junior and senior … Helped Belleville reach the quarterfinals of the MHSAA Div-1 playoffs … Chose Memphis over Michigan State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan and others.
JaQuentin Madison
- DL | 6-2 | 245
- Alpharetta, Ga. | Alpharetta HS
- Rated as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports … Ranked as the No. 135 defensive lineman in the country in 247 Sports’ Composite Recruiting Rankings … Recorded 75 tackles (10 TFL), nine sacks, a forced fumble, 17 quarterback hurries, a pair of pass deflections and a pick-six during his junior season at Alpharetta High … Added 4.5 more sacks, 54 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and a pass deflection as a senior to earn First Team All-Region honors … Picked the Tigers over Mizzou, SMU, N.C. State, Kansas, Georgia Tech and others.
Kenyon Rivera
- LB | 6-2 | 190
- Buford, Ga. | Buford HS
- Ranked as a three-star recruit by 247 Sports and the No. 129 player in Georgia … Was a captain for Buford during its 6A Championship run as a senior … Chose Memphis over Kansas, Tennessee, Texas and others.
Wolf Walker
- LB | 6-0 | 215
- Atlanta, Ga. | East Paulding HS
- A consensus three-start recruit ranked as the No. 161 player in the state of Georgia … Was a First Team All-Region 5-5A selection … Recorded over 100 tackles with 29 tackles for loss and three interceptions … Helped lead East Paulding to a second-round appearance in the GHSA 5A Playoffs as a senior … Chose Memphis over Marshall, Western Kentucky, Western Michigan and others.
Martavis Blackmon
- LB | 6-1 | 215
- Oxford, Miss. | Oxford HS | East Mississippi CC
- Appeared in ten games for EMCC … Registered 27 total tackles and one sack … Chose Memphis over Temple.
Xavier Thompson
- DB | 6-1 | 175
- Cantonment, Fla. | Pine Forest HS
- A consensus three-star recruit, ranked as the No. 77 cornerback nationally according to 247 Sports … Registered 39 total tackles in 20 games as a junior and senior with three tackles for loss … Recorded one interception as a junior … Former teammate of current Tiger, DJ Bell … Chose Memphis over Kentucky, Miami, Michigan State and others.
Shannon Blair
- DB | 5-11 | 185
- Knoxville, Tenn. | Knoxville West HS | East Mississippi CC
- Rated as a three-star JUCO transfer by 247 Sports … No. 2 JUCO cornerback in the country … Played in 21 games for the Lions … Recorded five interceptions and 42 tackles … Was originally committed to Tennessee out of high school … Two-time All-MACCC North Division First-Team selection … Chose Memphis over Arkansas, Michigan State, SMU and others.
Jaylen Lewis
- DB | 6-0 | 170
- Jacksonville, Fla. | Mandarin HS
- Ranked as a consensus three-star recruit by 247 Sports … No. 142 cornerback in Florida … Was a FHSAA 2A state champion in the 200-meter dash as a junior … Placed 4th in the 400-meter dash at the FHSAA 4A state meet … Was an FACA All-District 5A defensive team selection as a senior … Chose Memphis over Florida Atlantic and South Florida.
Ian Williams
- DB | 5-10 | 180
- Cartersville, Ga. | Cass HS
- Consensus three-star recruit … Ranked as the No. 74 safety in the country and No. 102 player in Georgia … Chose Memphis over Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and others.
Pooda Walker
- DL | 6-1 | 305
- Pensacola, Fla. | Pine Forest HS | West Florida | Kennesaw State
- Ranked as the No. 1 transfer defensive lineman and No. 7 overall transfer player by On3 … Appeared in nine games for Kennesaw State … Recorded 27 total tackles … Recorded 39 tackles and 2.5 sacks as a freshman at West Florida … Was a First Team Gulf Shore Conference selection with the Argonauts.
Amir Thomas
- RB | 5-4 | 160
- Warner Robins, Ga. | Houston County HS
- Ranked as a three-star recruit by Rivals … Recorded 843 all-purpose yards with nine touchdowns during his sophomore and junior campaigns … High school teammate of fellow 2025 signee, Antwann Hill Jr.
Luke Grant
- LS | 6-0 | 190
- Tallahassee, Fla. | Leon HS
- Named to Hammer Kicking Academy Top 40 Long Snappers.
