GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The North Dakota football roster will have three more defenders for the 2012 season as head coach Chris Mussman announced the addition of a trio of players to his program on Thursday.
The three new additions include linebacker J.D. Allen (Amarillo, Texas), who signed his NLI earlier this spring, and junior college safeties Will Lewis (Pittsburg, Calif.) and Clordion Kennedy (Antioch, Calif.), who signed their respective NLI’s this past week.
Allen wrapped up an impressive prep career at Canyon Randall High School in 2011 as he led his squad to the third round of the Class 4A Texas State playoffs for the second consecutive year. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound linebacker registered 150 tackles during the regular season en route to earning first team Class 4A All-State honors by the Associated Press. Allen was also a two-time District 3-4A Defensive Player of the Year and will play in the Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Game at the Alamodome on July 31.
“J.D. is a player that we were fortunate to be able to get into our program,” Mussman said. “We feel like he was overlooked by a lot of schools, but we’re excited to get a player of his caliber to add some versatility to our linebacker depth. He can play multiple positions for us in our 3-4 defense and that was important to us.”
Both Lewis and Kennedy are coming off sophomore seasons at the Junior College ranks where they were named first team All-Conference performers. Lewis earned his accolade in the Golden Gate Conference after leading his Los Medanos College team in tackles (72) and interceptions (five). He also added six pass break-ups and three forced fumbles.
“These two safeties add great depth for us at a position where we needed to add some bodies going into fall camp,” Mussman said. “We have followed these two guys since the beginning of the spring semester and were fortunate enough to get them on campus. Both Clordion and Will have the ability to make an immediate impact in 2012 and we’re excited to have them join the program.”
Kennedy was named to the Bay Valley All-Conference first team after also leading his Contra Costa College team in tackles with 55, including 41 solo stops. He also added a sack and 6.5 tackles for a loss. As a freshman, Kennedy ranked second on the team in tackles with 50 (29 solo) and added four tackles for a loss.
– Go UND –
