Western Kentucky’s football program has announced the signings of nine players as part of the 2025 class.

The nine new players join a group of 14 players that signed with the program in early December. That initial group included nine defensive players and five offensive players. The nine signees announced Monday include six offensive players and three defensive players. The offensive additions include one running back, one receiver, one tight end and a trio of offensive linemen, while the group of defensive newcomers includes one lineman and a pair of linebackers.

Kody Epps | R-Sr. | WR | 5-11 | 188 | BYU/Mater Dei HS | Los Angeles

Epps makes his way to WKU after spending the last five seasons at BYU. The receiver appeared in 28 games with 14 starts during four seasons of action in Provo, Utah – he missed the 2021 season due to injury. He recorded 819 yards and seven touchdowns on 73 receptions for the Cougars. He played in six games with four starts during an injury-shortened 2024 season, posting eight catches for 54 yards and a touchdown. His most productive season came in 2022, when he had 459 yards and six touchdowns on 39 receptions. Epps was a member of the Academic All-Big 12 Second Team in 2023, and in 2022 he was named to the Phil Steele and College Football Network All-Independent Second Teams, he was named to the Mid-Season Freshman All-America Team by College Football News and was named an Honorable Mention Freshman All-American by College Football News. He was the first BYU freshman receiver to ever record consecutive games of 100-plus receiving yards, doing so against Notre Dame and Arkansas in 2022. Epps prepped at Mater Dei High School, where he was rated a three-star prospect by all major recruiting platforms and was named a USA Today First-Team All-American – one of just four wide receivers to receive the honor. In 2019, he was named the OC Register Wide Receiver of the Year and a MaxPreps First-Team All-American after setting Mater Dei records with 93 receptions for 1,735 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior. He helped Mater Dei to a 12-1 record and a trip to the state championship game as a senior, posting a two-game playoff stretch with 21 receptions for 507 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was a two-time high school state champion and a three-time Trinity League Champion.

Jayden Gray | R-Sr. | DL | 6-2 | 260 | Louisiana Tech/Iowa State/V.R. Eaton HS | Fort Worth, Texas

Gray joins WKU after spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons at Louisiana Tech, where he appeared in all 24 games over the course of the two seasons. He started two games at defensive end during his final season with the Bulldogs, and posted 14 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry. He started one game during the 2023 season and finished the year with 18 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery. Prior to his time in Ruston, Louisiana, Gray spent two seasons at Iowa State, where he appeared in six games, primarily on special teams. He played in five games in 2022 with two tackles, including one for loss. Gray saw action in one game during the 2021 season and redshirted. Gray prepped at V.R. Eaton High School in Fort Worth, Texas, where he was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals. He was the No. 68 weakside defensive end in the country, according to 247Sports, and a Dallas Morning News top-100 member. He was a two-time all-district selection. He posted 72 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, five sacks, a forced fumble and 35 quarterback hurries during his senior prep season, and had 53 tackles with eight sacks as a high school junior. His father, Jonathan, was an All-Big 12 offensive lineman for Texas Tech in 1998 and 1999.

Jemeil Jackson | R-Sr. | OL | 6-4 | 287 | Central Michigan/Fort Valley State/Dutchtown HS | Beaumont, Texas

Jackson comes to WKU from Central Michigan, where he spent one season. He played in three games with two starts at left tackle in 2024, before being sidelined by an injury. Prior to his time at Central Michigan, he spent three years at Fort Valley State, where he was a two-year starter and captain. Jackson was a two-time All-CCA All-South Region selection and earned CCA Football All-South Region First Team honors in 2023, as well as to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team that year. Jackson prepped at Dutchtown High School in Georgia, where he played three years of varsity football and was a Class 5A All-Region selection. He played both defensive end and tackle, and served as a team captain during his senior season.

Dominic Oliver | R-Sr. | LB | 6-2 | 252 | San Diego State/Valley Christian HS | San Jose, Calif.

Oliver transfers to WKU after spending four seasons at San Diego State. He appeared in 33 games for the Aztecs over the last three seasons, after redshirting his first season at San Diego State in 2021. He started one game over the last three years – in 2024 – and totaled 18 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks during his San Diego State career. His most productive season came in 2024, when he recorded 15 tackles, including 2.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks. Oliver prepped at Valley Christian High School in San Jose, California, where he was a two-year varsity performer along the defensive line and at receiver and considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and ESPN. He helped Valley Christian to a 22-5 record over two years, highlighted by a West Catholic Athletic League championship in 2019, as well as consecutive berths in the CIF Central Coast Section finals. The Warriors also appeared in the Division I-A NorCal regional championship in 2018 with the help of Oliver. He was named second-team all-WCAL as a junior after posting 62 tackles, with 15 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, four passes defended and two fumble recoveries. As a senior in a 2020 season shortened by COVID-19, he posted 36 tackles, with 10.5 for loss and four sacks in four games, according to the team’s MaxPreps. Oliver was ranked 98th on Rivals’ top 100 recruits in California.

Jaylin Rogers | So. | OL | 6-1 | 279 | Holmes CC/Union HS | Union, Miss.

Rogers spent the 2024 season at Holmes Community College, where he appeared in nine games for the 7-3 Bulldogs. Rogers prepped at Union High School in Mississippi, where he helped the Yellowjackets to a 12-2 record as a senior. As a senior in 2023, he was named a Mississippi High School Football Coaches’ All-State Class 2A Second Team Offense selection.

Montreze Smith Jr. | So. | LB | 5-11 | 207 | Duke/Carrollton HS | Temple, Ga.

Smith signed with WKU after spending his freshman season at Duke. He appeared in four games during his lone season with the Blue Devils and recorded one tackle. Smith prepped at Carrollton High School, where he lettered four seasons and was considered a three-star prospect by ESPN, 247Sports and Rivals. ESPN rated Smith the No. 23 inside linebacker nationally, and he was the No. 83 and No. 90 prospect out of Georgia, according to ESPN and 247Sports, respectively. He helped Carrollton go 46-7 with four consecutive playoff appearances, including a state championship game showing as a junior. During his prep career, Smith posted 218 tackles, 32 tackles for loss and six pass breakups.

Max Thurston | So. | OL | 6-5 | 288 | Georgia Military College/Monroe Area HS | Monroe, Ga.

Thurston comes to WKU from Georgia Military College, where he appeared in seven games on the offensive line for the 10-2 Bulldogs during the 2024 season. Thurston prepped at Monroe Area High in Georgia, where he was considered a two-star offensive line prospect by Rivals. He also played along the defensive line during his high school career with the Purple Hurricanes, collecting 43 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks and two quarterback hurries in 13 games as a senior, according to his team’s MaxPreps page.

Jackson West | R-Sr. | TE | 6-4 | 235 | Florida State/Huntsville HS | Huntsville, Ala.

West arrives at WKU after spending four seasons at Florida State. He appeared in 24 games for the Seminoles over the 2023 and 2024 seasons, primarily on special teams. He has been named to the All-ACC Academic Team and the ACC Honor Roll, and was Florida State’s Most Improved Player in 2023, after returning from an injury that sidelined him for the 2022 season. He appeared in nine games in 2021. West prepped at Huntsville High School in Alabama, where he was a consensus three-star prospect and ranked as the No. 20 tight end in the country and the No. 17 overall prospect in Alabama, according to 247Sports. ESPN ranked West the No. 17 tight end nationally and the No. 21 overall player in Alabama. He was named Class 7A First-Team All-State and All-Region, after catching 28 passes for 442 yards and two touchdowns in six games as a senior. As a junior, he had 26 catches for 411 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also played basketball and baseball at Huntsville High.

La’Vell Wright | R-Sr. | RB | 5-11 | 208 | Austin Peay/Kentucky/North Hardin HS | Louisville

Wright joins the Hilltoppers after one season at Austin Peay. He led the Governors in rushing, posting 609 yards and five touchdowns on 115 attempts in 10 games, while also tallying five receptions for 32 yards. Prior to his arrival in Clarksville, Tennessee, Wright spent three seasons at Kentucky, where he appeared in 17 games at running back. He missed the 2023 season due to injury, but played in all 13 games for the Wildcats in 2022 as a redshirt freshman. He finished the season with 39 carries for 130 yards and six receptions for 28 yards. He played in four games in 2021 and redshirted. He posted 118 yards and a touchdown on nine carries that season as a true freshman. Wright prepped at North Hardin High School, where he was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals. During his high school career, he rushed for 4,296 yards and 56 touchdowns and added 1,316 yards and 17 touchdowns receiving. As a senior in 2020, he was named the Kentucky Football Coaches Association Class 6A Player of the Year and a First Team All-State selection by the Louisville Courier-Journal after recording 884 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games during a season shortened by the pandemic. He was also named to the Lexington Herald-Leader’s “Class of the Commonwealth” list. He ran for 1,189 yards and 25 touchdowns as a junior in 2019 and earned Second Team All-State honors from the Louisville Courier-Journal. As a high school sophomore at North Hardin, he rushed for 1,819 yards and 17 touchdowns.

WKU FOOTBALL 2025 SIGNING CLASS

Jordan Bergeron | Fr. | DB | 6-0 | 172 | Naples HS | Naples, Fla.

Jackson Dialls | Fr. | OL | 6-4 | 303 | Frederick Douglass HS | Lexington, Ky.

*Jordan Donald | Fr. | LB | 6-2 | 210 | Perry HS | Perry, Ga.

*Kody Epps | R-Sr. | WR | 5-11 | 188 | BYU/Mater Dei HS | Los Angeles, Calif.

*Dylan Flowers | R-Sr. | DB | 5-10 | 180 | College of the Canyons/BYU/Southern Utah/St. Bernard HS | Playa Del Rey, Calif.

*Jayden Gray | R-Sr. | DL | 6-2 | 260 | Louisiana Tech/Iowa State/V.R. Eaton HS | Fort Worth, Texas

*Korbyn Green | R-Jr. | DB | 6-0 | 166 | Hutchinson CC/BYU/Owasso HS | Tulsa, Okla.

*Jemeil Jackson | R-Sr. | OL | 6-4 | 287 | Central Michigan/Fort Valley State/Dutchtown HS | Beaumont, Texas

*Kai Micatrotto | Fr. | DL | 5-11 | 237 | Brentwood HS | Las Vegas, Nev.

*Dominic Oliver | R-Sr. | LB | 6-2 | 252 | San Diego State/Valley Christian HS | San Jose, Calif.

Marvis Parrish | Fr. | RB | 5-11 | 185 | Lowndes HS | Valdosta, Ga.

*Sekou Peters | Fr. | DL | 6-1 | 268 | Westlake HS | Atlanta, Ga.

*Hackman Pierre | R-Fr. | OL | 6-4 | 338 | Southwest Mississippi CC/Notre-Dame de Foy | Quebec City, Canada

Elijah Rumph | Fr. | LB | 6-0 | 204 | Eden Prairie HS | Eden Prairie, Minn.

*Al Sandifer | R-Jr. | DL | 6-0 | 267 | Mississippi Gulf Coast CC/Greenville Christian HS | Greenwood, Miss.

*Jaylin Rogers | So. | OL | 6-1 | 279 | Holmes CC/Union HS | Union, Miss.

*Montreze Smith Jr. | So. | LB | 5-11 | 207 | Duke/Carrollton HS | Temple, Ga.

*Isiah Stoudemire | Fr. | OL | 6-3 | 318 | Stebbins HS | Dayton, Ohio

*Brandon Thomas | Fr. | LB | 6-3 | 198 | Miami Carol City HS | Miami, Fla.

*Dylan Vickerson | Fr. | WR | 6-1 | 210 | Creekside HS | Miami, Fla.

*Max Thurston | So. | OL | 6-5 | 288 | Georgia Military College/Monroe Area HS | Monroe, Ga.

*Jackson West | R-Sr. | TE | 6-4 | 235 | Florida State/Huntsville HS | Huntsville, Ala.

*La’Vell Wright | R-Sr. | RB | 5-11 | 208 | Austin Peay/Kentucky/North Hardin HS | Louisville, Ky.

* – Indicates January enrollee