Western Kentucky football coach Tyson Helton answers questions ahead of spring practice during a news conference March 10 at Houchens-Smith Stadium. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

Western Kentucky’s football program announced the signings of 16 players on Friday.

The group of newcomers includes eight offensive players, seven defensive players and one specialist. The Hilltoppers will now begin the summer with 59 newcomers on the 2025 roster.

Quincy Burroughs | R-Jr. | WR | 6-1 | 207 | Wisconsin/Cincinnati/Raines HS | Jacksonville, Fla.

Burroughs makes his way to WKU after spending two seasons at Wisconsin, where he appeared in 22 games at wide receiver and on special teams. In his final season with the program in 2024, he appeared in nine games, caught one pass for 13 yards and made a pair of tackles. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, he played in all 13 games and caught four passes for 30 yards, including a pair of catches against LSU in the ReliaQuest Bowl. He began his college career in 2022 at Cincinnati but did not see any game action. Burroughs prepped at William M. Raines High School in Florida, where he was considered a three-star recruit and a top-100 player in the state. He was named a 2021 All-Gateway Conference Team selection after catching 32 passes for 454 yards and three touchdowns as a senior. He also competed in track and field, winning a state title in the 4×400-meter relay in 2021.

Jack Cassidy | R-Jr. | K | 6-6 | 220 | University of Ulster/St. Mary’s Grammar School | Maghera, Northern Ireland

Cassidy comes to WKU from his home country of Northern Ireland. He was rated a five-star transfer and the No. 13 available kicker post-signing day according to Kohl’s Kicking Camps, and Kohl’s Kicking Camps also rated him as a five-star and the No. 10 available punter. He recorded the longest kickoffs at the Kohl’s Spring Ranking Event, with two kickoffs that traveled over 85 yards in distance with 3.9 or more seconds of hang time. He tied for fifth in field goal kicking at the event, and showed his versatility as a combo kicker/punter with a 47-yard average in the air as a roll-out style punter.

Avarion Cole | R-Sr. | DB | 5-11 | 190 | Appalachian State/North Carolina A&T/Chambers HS | Charlotte, N.C.

Cole comes to WKU after spending the 2024 season at Appalachian State, where he appeared in 10 games with five starts at the star position for the Mountaineers. He finished the season with 29 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup. Cole started his career at North Carolina A&T from 2021-23. He did not appear in any games during his first season in 2021, but participated in 22 games over the next two seasons. In 2023, he ranked second on the team with 70 total tackles, while also posting three interceptions, four pass breakups, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and one fumble recovery while playing outside linebacker. The year prior, he had 39 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions and one pass breakup. Cole prepped at Chambers High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, and helped his team win a state title with a 10-1 record. He played in the 2021 Queen City Bowl, which showcased Charlotte’s top seniors.

Jaden Hardy | R-Sr. | DL | 6-2 | 334 | Grambling State/Islands HS | Savannah, Ga.

Hardy spent five seasons at Grambling State prior to transferring to WKU. He appeared in 35 games along the defensive line for the Tigers over his career, tallying 75 tackles, with 10.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble and a pair of fumble recoveries. His most productive season at Grambling State came in his final season with the program in 2024, when he tallied 42 tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack, as well as a forced fumble and fumble recovery. The year prior, he had 23 tackles in 11 games, with 2.5 for loss and 0.5 sacks, plus a fumble recovery. During his first season with the program in 2021, he had three tackles for loss and a sack. Hardy was named to the 2024 All-SWAC Second Team. Hardy prepped at Islands High School in Georgia.

Robby Harrison | R-Jr. | DL | 6-3 | 314 | Indiana/Arizona State/Emerald HS | Greenwood, S.C.

Harrison joins WKU after spending the previous two seasons at Indiana, where he appeared in 10 games for the Hoosiers. In 2024, he saw action in six games and had one fumble recovery, and in 2023 as a redshirt freshman, he appeared in four games and logged three tackles – all at Michigan. He began his college career at Arizona State, where he appeared in three games as a true freshman in 2022. Harrison prepped at Emerald High School in South Carolina, where he was considered the No. 18 prospect in the state by Rivals and was rated as a top 100 defensive tackle nationally by ESPN. He was named to the 2021 SCFA Class 3A All-Region Team.

Quincy Jenkins | R-Sr. | OL | 6-3 | 315 | James Madison/Campbell/Brookwood HS | Lawrenceville, Ga.

Jenkins comes to WKU after spending one year at James Madison, where he appeared in four games and redshirted. Prior to his one year with the Dukes, Jenkins spent four seasons at Campbell from 2020-23. There, he played in 29 career games with 24 starts. In his final season at Campbell in 2023, he started nine games and helped the Camels rank fourth nationally in completion percentage and 12th in third down conversions. He started six games in 2022 and helped Campbell finish second in the Big South in passing offense and set the single-season school record for passing yards. In 2021, he started seven games and helped Campbell set the single-season passing touchdown record. Jenkins prepped at Brookwood High School in Georgia and was recognized as an All-Region player as a senior, as well as Honorable Mention All-County.

Elin Jones | Sr. | DL | 6-4 | 225 | Johnson C. Smith/Mountain View HS | Dacula, Ga.

Jones arrives at WKU after spending three seasons at Johnson C. Smith University. He appeared in five games during the 2024 season, totaling 15 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack and one pass defended. He missed the 2023 season due to injury, but in 2022, Jones appeared in eight games with 28 tackles, five tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, an interception and two passes defended. Jones prepped at Mountain View High School in Georgia.

Josaiah Knight | R-Fr. | LB | 6-2 | 225 | Mississippi State/Gadsden County HS | Tallahassee, Fla.

Knight joins the Hilltoppers after spending his first season of college football at Mississippi State, where he appeared in one game as a true freshman. Knight prepped at Gadsden County High School in Florida, where he was rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals, ESPN and On3. In 2023 as a senior, he tallied 36 total tackles with 16 tackles for loss, three sacks, seven pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble while helping Gadsden County qualify for the Florida 2S playoffs. In 2022, he posted 56 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, six sacks, 11 quarterback hurries and two pass breakups.

Jaden McGill | Sr. | RB | 5-11 | 214 | Tennessee State/College of DuPage/St. Thomas More School | Chicago, Ill.

McGill makes his way to WKU after one season at Tennessee State. The running back appeared in 14 games for the Tigers, tallying 628 yards and three touchdowns on 133 attempts. He also caught 12 passes for 78 yards. Before his arrival at Tennessee State, McGill spent two seasons at College of DuPage, where he was named a First Team All-American and the NJCAA Division III Offensive Player of the Year during his final season there in 2023. He racked up 687 yards and 12 touchdowns on 132 carries in 12 games during that 2023 season, and added 14 catches for 174 yards and two scores. He was the Division III junior college scoring leader with his 84 points. He also led the nation in kick return yardage with 484 yards, and he had a pair of 98-yard touchdown returns in the NJCAA Division III title game. He was the NJCAA Division III Most Outstanding Player in the championship game with his three total touchdowns. In his first season at College of DuPage in 2022, he saw action in nine games and posted 399 yards and three touchdowns on 44 carries, helping his team to the NJCAA Division III title. McGill spent a prep season at St. Thomas More School in Connecticut following his two-year varsity career at Naperville Central High School.

Caleb McMickle | R-So. | QB | 6-1 | 202 | Houston/Fellowship Christian School | Roswell, Ga.

McMickle joins WKU’s quarterbacks room after spending his first two seasons of college football at Houston. He did not see any action in 2024 after an injury during fall camp, and he also did not see any game action during his true freshman season in 2023, but he was named Houston’s Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week versus Sam Houston on Sept. 23. McMickle prepped at Fellowship Christian School in Georgia, where he was rated a three-star prospect, the nation’s No. 59 overall quarterback and the No. 117 overall player in Georgia, according to 247Sports. He played in 37 career games during his prep career, completing 227-of-382 passes for 3,576 yards and 35 touchdowns. In 10 games as a senior in 2022, he completed 97 passes for 1,511 yards and 12 scores. The year prior, he passed for over 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns while leading his team to a 12-2 record. He was voted 2021 First-Team Offense 6-A Private by the league’s coaches.

Isaiah Myers | R-Jr. | WR | 6-4 | 190 | Purdue/Charlotte/Independence CC/Princeton HS | Cincinnati, Ohio

Myers joins the WKU football program after spending the spring of 2025 at Purdue, and prior to that he spent the 2024 season at Charlotte. As a redshirt sophomore at Charlotte during the 2024 season, Myers appeared in all 12 games with 13 catches for 237 yards and three touchdowns. He spent two seasons at Independence Community College before that, and he was rated a three-star junior college recruit by 247Sports, On3 and ESPN. He played in 10 games in 2023 after redshirting in 2022 and caught 40 passes for 683 yards and a conference-leading eight touchdowns. He was named a First Team NJCAA All-American. Myers prepped at Princeton High School in Ohio, where he was a two-time All-Conference and All-City honoree. He had eight catches and two scores during his senior year prior to a season-ending injury. He was also received All-Region recognition in basketball.

Caleb Nitta | R-So. | OL | 6-2 | 292 | Virginia Tech/Tuscarora HS | Leesburg, Va.

Nitta makes his way to WKU after two seasons at Virginia Tech, where he appeared in three games – all in the 2024 season – including a start at center in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl. He did not see any game action as a true freshman in 2023. Nitta prepped at Tuscarora High School in Virginia, where he was rated a two-star prospect by Rivals. He was named First Team All-Region 4C Offensive and Defensive Line, and he was an All-State Class 4A selection on the offensive line and an Honorable Mention pick at defensive line.

Nick Reimer | R-Sr. | OL | 6-6 | 308 | Bowling Green/Merrimack/Allentown Central Catholic HS | Allentown, Pa.

Reimer joins the Hilltoppers after spending the 2024 season at Bowling Green. He appeared in four games along the offensive line, including starts in the first three games before suffering an injury, and he also started later in the season in the team’s game against Kent State. He spent four seasons at the FCS level at Merrimack prior to moving to the FBS ranks. He appeared in 35 career games with the Warriors, and earned First Team All-NEC honors in 2023. Reimer prepped at Allentown Central Catholic in Pennsylvania, where he was named a First Team All-Conference player as a senior.

Zach Smith | R-Fr. | LB | 6-0 | 218 | SMU/Red Oak HS | Red Oak, Texas

Smith arrives at WKU after spending one season at SMU, where he saw action in one game as a true freshman. Smith prepped at Red Oak High School in Texas, where he was rated a three-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals, 247Sports and On3. As a senior at Red Oak, he totaled 76 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, five forced fumbles, seven pass breakups and one defensive touchdown. As a junior in 2022, he finished with 98 tackles, seven tackles for loss, six sacks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, seven pass breakups and one defensive touchdown.

Karston Upchurch | R-Jr. | OL | 6-5 | 280 | Mississippi State/East Mississippi CC/Starkville HS | Starkville, Miss.

Upchurch joins the Hilltoppers after spending the 2024 season at Mississippi State. He did not see any game action as a junior there. Upchurch started his career at East Mississippi Community College, where he was considered a three-star junior college recruit by 247Sports, On3 and ESPN. He was rated the No. 97 junior college prospect by 247Sports and the No. 11 junior college offensive lineman in the nation by the publication. He was a 2023 All-MACCC First Team selection, was part of back-to-back MACCC titles and helped EMCC to the 2023 national championship game. In 2023, he helped the Lions average 409.4 yards per game, and in 2022 he helped his team average 36.4 points and 417.7 yards per game. Upchurch prepped at Starkville High School in Mississippi, where he helped his team to a pair of 6A state semifinal appearances in 2019 and 2021.

Jaylen Wester | Sr. | LB | 6-0 | 225 | Colorado/FAU/Palmetto HS | Palmetto, Fla.

Wester joins the Hilltoppers after spending one season at Colorado. There, he played in 11 games during the 2024 season. He ended the year with 15 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and a forced fumble, and also contributed on multiple special teams units. Prior to his arrival at Colorado, Wester spent two seasons at FAU. He appeared in 11 games with five starts during the 2023 season. He finished the year with 55 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, one quarterback hurry and two pass breakups. He was named Fourth Team All-AAC as a nickelback by Phil Steele following the season. Wester played in 10 games with four starts for the Owls during the 2022 season, tallying 58 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and an interception. He was named to the CUSA All-Freshman Team as a linebacker. Wester prepped at Palmetto High School in Florida, where he led his team in tackles as a senior with 124, including 35 for loss. He also had 4.5 sacks, a pair of interceptions, one pass defended, two forced fumbles and three blocked punts. As a junior, he posted 126 tackles, with 30 tackles for loss, three interceptions – including two pick-sixes – a blocked punt and two blocked field goals.