BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton announced the signingsof nine players on Monday.
The group includes eighttransfers, seven of which come to WKU with previous FBS experience. Of the nine newcomers, four are offensive players – quarterback TJ Finley, running back Ta'ron Keith, receiver Kisean Johnson,and offensive lineman Stacey Wilkins. The five defensive signees include safety Kent Robinson, defensive lineman Jalil Rivera-Harvey,cornerback Jaymar Mundy, defensive back Demarko Williams, and safety Tate tit*haw.
The Hilltoppers announced the addition of 17 players in December – offensive lineman Gabe Arnold, offensive lineman Melvin Collins Jr., receiver Cameron Flowers, defensive back Xavion "Tutu" Griffin, receiver Jaylen Hampton, defensive end Harper Holloman, receiver Damari Jefferson, tight end CJ Kiss, linebacker Miller Malone, safety Devonte' Mathews, linebacker Chandler Matthews, linebacker Zsacari Minnis, offensive lineman Rodney Newsom, defensive lineman Chukwunedu Okeke, quarterback Tucker Parks, athlete Dallen Ponder, and punter/kicker Riley Stephens.
Below is a list of the ninenew signees, along with brief information capsules on each one:
TJ Finley | R-Jr. | QB | 6-7 | 249 | Texas State/Auburn/LSU | Ponchatoula, La.
Finley comes to WKU after stops at Texas State, Auburn, and LSU. He spent one season with the Bobcats and received All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention, Phil Steele All-Sun Belt Fourth Team, Manning Award Watch List, and Davey O'Brien Award Midseason Watch List recognitions. He was named Sun Belt Offensive Player of the Week after leading Texas State to a victory at Baylor in Week 1, he was a two-time Manning Award Star of the Week, and a Davey O'Brien Great 8 selection during the 2023 season as well. He finished the year throwing for 3,439 yards and 24 touchdowns to just eight interceptions on 279-of-414 passing while starting all 13 games. He also rushed for 81 yards and five touchdowns. Finley set the Texas State program record for passing yards in a season, finished 17th in the country in passing yards, ranked 23rd in the nation in passing yards per game and passing touchdowns, ranked 16th in the country in completion percentage, and was 23rd in passing efficiency. He helped the Bobcats have the 15th-best offense in the country (457.6 yards per game) andthe 28th-best passing offense (270.9 yards per game). He led Texas State to its first-ever win over a Power Five team with the victory against Baylor and to the program's first bowl win with a 45-21 win over Rice in the First Responder Bowl. Over his three seasons with LSU (2020) and Auburn (2021-22), he started 11 games and appeared in 18. He threw for 2,199 yards and 12 touchdowns to 10 interceptions on 183-of-321 passing and also recorded a pair of rushing touchdowns. He started three games as a sophom*ore at Auburn in 2022 and appeared in four games, but missed several due to injury. He played in nine games with three starts as a freshman in 2021. In his first college season at LSU in 2020, he started five games and led the Tigers to victories over South Carolina and Arkansas. Finley was a three-year starter at Ponchatoula High and was rated the top prep quarterback in Louisiana in 2019. He scored 72 touchdowns – 58 passing and 14 rushing – during his prep career and was named 2019 LSWA Class 5A All-State. He completed 168 passes as a senior for 2,738 yards and 21 touchdowns, and also rushed for eight. He passedfor 2,736 yards and 23 scored as a high school junior in 2018, and scored an additional five touchdowns rushing. He also lettered in basketball.
Kisean Johnson | Sr. | WR | 6-0 | 216 | Alabama State | Birmingham, Ala.
Johnson was Alabama State's most productive receiver over the past two seasons. He was named an All-America Third Team member by FCS Football Central and a First Team All-SWAC selection after leading the league in receiving yards (819/24th FCS), receiving yards per game (81.9/18th FCS), receptions per game (6.2/15th FCS), and receiving touchdowns (7). He was fourth in the SWAC in scoring with 4.8 points per game and fourth in total touchdowns with eight. In 2022 at Alabama State, Johnson led the Hornets with 31 receptions in nine games, posting 540 yards and three scores on those catches. He averaged 17.1 yards per reception and 58.89 yards per game. He played in all five games in 2021 during his first season with the program, mostly on special teams. Johnson prepped at Ramsay High, where he caught 39 passes for 850 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior.
Ta'ron Keith | Sr. | RB | 5-9 | 180 | Bowling Green State | DeLand, Fla.
Keith comes to WKU after four seasons at Bowling Green State, where he appeared in 25 games and recorded 85 carries for 303 yards and a touchdown. He caught 60 passes during his time with the Falcons, posting 576 yards and five touchdowns. In his final season at BGSU in 2023, he appeared in all 12 regular-season games with five starts, rushing for 390 yards and four scores on 66 attempts and finishedas the team's second-leading rusher. He also recorded the most catches – 44 – for 457 yards and three touchdowns. The year prior, he played in 12 games with seven starts and had 195 yards and one touchdown on 47 rushing attempts, plus 332 yards and four touchdowns on 34 receptions. He had three game-winning touchdowns in 2022, ranked fifth nationally in kick return average at 27.3 yards per return – he was All-MAC Second Team as a kick returner that year – and was one of nine players in the country to score at least one touchdown rushing, receiving, and on a kick return. Keith played in all 12 games in 2021 with three starts. He finished the season with 26 receptions for 244 yards and a touchdown, and had at least one reception in each game with eight multi-catch performances. He played in one game as a freshman in 2020. Keith prepped at Mainland High in DeLand, Florida, where he played three varsity seasons for the Buccaneers. He was named the team's Offensive MVP as a junior. As a senior, Keith threw for 1,643 yards and 13 touchdowns and also rushed for 639 yards and six scores, averaging 9 yards per attempt on his way to team MVP honors. He also played varsity basketball.
Jaymar Mundy | R-Jr. | CB | 5-11 | 176 | Hutchinson Community College/Miami-Ohio | Cincinnati, Ohio
Mundy arrives on The Hill after spending two seasons at Hutchinson Community College, where he was considered a three-star JuCo prospect by 247Sports. He played in 19 games over two seasons with the Blue Dragons with 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, an interception, and two pass breakups. He started his college career at Miami-Ohio, where he appeared in three games, had two tackles his first season and redshirted. Mundy prepped at La Salle High in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was a team captain and earned Second-Team All-State honors as a senior. He was also named his conference's Defensive Back of the Year that season after posting 45 tackles, eight pass breakups, and two interceptions. As a junior, Mundy earned Third-Team All-State honors after recording 50 tackles, 17 pass breakups, and six interceptions.
Jalil Rivera-Harvey | Sr. | DL | 6-2 | 322 | Marshall/Arizona State/East Los Angeles College | Buffalo, N.Y.
Rivera-Harvey spent last season at Marshall, where he appeared in 12 games and had 16 tackles, one tackle for loss, a quarterback hurry, and a pass breakup. He played at Arizona State in 2022 and had two tackles in nine appearances. He started at East Los Angeles College, where he was a three-star JuCo defensive end prospect, according to 247 Sports, and the No. 15 JuCo defensive line prospect in the country. ESPN considered him the No. 4 JuCo defensive line prospect in the nation. He posted 27 tackles, with 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble, in his final season at ELAC. Rivera-Harvey prepped at Texas power Cedar Hill, where he won nine games in each of his final two seasons at the 6A level.
Kent Robinson | R-Jr. | S | 5-10 | 165 | Texas A&M | Grand Prairie, Texas
Robinson spent the past two seasons at Texas A&M, where he appeared in five games, all of which were during the 2023 season. Robinson recorded six total tackles, with five of those coming in the Aggies' bowl game against Oklahoma State, plus four pass breakups, including two against the Cowboys. He did not play and redshirted his first season in 2022. Robinson was coached by Brent Whitson at South Grand Prairie High School, where he helped lead his team to a Bi-District Championship and also played basketball.
Tate tit*haw | Fr. | S| 5-11 | 195 | North Oconee HS | Bogart, Ga.
tit*haw is a running back out of North Oconee High in Georgia, where he was considered a three-star prospect by 247Sports and On3, and a two-star prospect by Rivals. He helped his team to a 12-1 season as a senior, starting both at running back and strong safety. He tallied 17 touchdowns in his final prep campaign.
Stacey Wilkins | R-Sr. | OL | 6-6 | 306 | ULM/Oklahoma | Camden, Ark.
Wilkins comes to WKU after stints at ULM and Oklahoma. The offensive tackle appeared in 11 games for the Warhawks in the 2023 season, 10 during the 2022 campaign, and two in 2021. He transferred to ULM from Oklahoma after the 2020 season, which he opted to sit out of. He redshirted in 2019, but saw action in four consecutive games as a backup offensive tackle. Wilkins prepped at Camden Fairview High School, where he was a three-year starter. He began his career at defensive end before transitioning to the offensive line. He was selected to play in the All-American Bowl and received an invitation to The Opening. He was rated the No. 78 prospect nationally in his class by Rivals and No. 168 by 247Sports, and was the No. 1 ranked senior in his class by Rivals, the No. 3 by 247Sports, and the No. 5 senior by ESPN. He was named to the 2017 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas First Team after recording more than 70 knockdowns and allowing only one sack as a high school junior.
Demarko Williams | R-Jr. | DB | 5-10 | 175 | Ole Miss | Atlanta, Ga.
Williams played in 17 games over the last two seasons at Ole Miss, where he recorded 25 total tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a pass defended. He posted 19 of those tackles in nine games during the 2023 season. Williams played in eight games the season before for the Rebels, mostly on special teams, and totaled six tackles. He was a member of the 2020-21 Ole Miss signing class and enrolled early to participate in spring drills, but did not see any action and redshirted during the 2021 season. Williams was rated a three-star prospect by all major recruiting sites out of Westlake High in Atlanta. He was the nation's No. 34 safety, according to ESPN, and the No. 61 cornerback, according to 247Sports. He also lettered in track.
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