JMU Keeps Momentum In Recruiting

They’re not slowing down their recruiting efforts.

James Madison coaches have continued to build its 2021 class efficiently in spite of not being able to play a season this fall.

The Dukes have picked up three pledges since Aug. 29 – Varina’s (Henrico) Jailin Walker, Lake Braddock’s (Burke) Maxwell James and Tuscarora’s (Leesburg) Matei Fitz.

“We got a great brand and the high school student athletes recognize that,” second-year Dukes coach Curt Cignetti said last month shortly after JMU opted to suspend its football season until the spring because of coronavirus concerns.

At the time, Cignetti had mentioned putting a pause on taking commitments because of all the uncertainty regarding when exactly the Dukes would play again, but it appears that hold has been lifted.

The pledges of Walker, James and Fitz give JMU 13 commitments in its 2021 group to this point. In comparison, last year at this time the Dukes had just eight commitments in the fold for its 2020 class.

This current class also features more highly rated prospects – for whatever stars are worth – than the previous class did.

According to Rivals.com, five three-star players and two two-star prospects help create the Dukes’ 2021 class currently.

Cherokee (Marlton, N.J.) offensive lineman Josh Toner, who committed to JMU in June, is the No. 34 ranked prospect in the Garden State by the recruiting service. In Virginia, Northside (Roanoke) tight end Zach Horton and Stone Bridge (Ashburn) linebacker Skylar Martin rank as the 44th and 45th best players in the Commonwealth respectively.

There’s one trait Varina coach Marcus Lewis says he appreciates most about linebacker Jailin Walker, who committed to James Madison last month.

“Whatever you tell him he’s going to do it,” Lewis told the Daily News-Record. “Everything he does, he’ll do it at 100 percent. You don’t have to get on him and say, ‘Oh you’re loafing,’ or anything like that. He just does everything 100 percent.”

Lewis said that includes Walker being willing to fill multiple roles. He played inside linebacker and running back last fall for the Blue Devils, who finished 11-3 and reached the Virginia High School League Class 5 semifinals.

“We had him at inside backer,” Lewis said. “But he’s so athletic and so gifted that he can run, he can play outside linebacker. I was planning to play him some at strong safety this year, too, because he was working on his backpedaling and so I think he’s athletic enough to do anything.

“He’s been recruited to play running back or linebacker. He can play either, but JMU wise I think he can play linebacker and fit right in. Him just being able to get in the weightlifting program there and be in the type of program JMU has been consistent with, I can’t wait to see how he can change his body and just everything he can do to improve.”

Walker decided on JMU from a group of six finalists that included Howard, Liberty, Old Dominion, Temple and Yale.

JMU tight end pledge Gus McGee announced last week on Twitter that he was transferring from St. John’s Prep in Danvers, Mass., to Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, Fla., to play his final season of high school football.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder is a three-star prospect by Rivals.