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Recruiting: Mejia joins 2021 class

Nathan Mejia didn’t know much about West Point until Army assistant coach Sean Saturnio started recruiting him in March.

Mejia kept hearing from Saturnio about the brotherhood of Army football. The conversations grew on Mejia, a 290-pound offensive lineman from Cathedral (Calif.).

Now, Mejia will be locked into every minute of today’s Army-Navy game following his commitment to the Black Knights earlier this week.

“Being a part of a brotherhood was a big factor in my decision,” Mejia said. “If I am going to go far from my home, I needed to be a part of a family. I was blessed with other offers from other schools but I felt that Army was the right path for me.”

San Jose State and Nevada were among the schools to offer Mejia. Army is recruiting Mejia to play all five offensive line position. Mejia believes his mentality is the perfect fit for Army’s run-dominant offense.

“It’s a dream for a linemen to put your hand in the dirt and drive someone off the ball over and over again,” Mejia said.

Some Army commits in its 2021 recruiting class will be signing their certificate of commitment. Mejia’s ceremony will be delayed.

“I want to sign at my school with my friends, teachers and family to have a full experience with them,” Mejia said.

Spring (Texas) quarterback Aldyn Bradley announced Saturday he’s reevaluating his recruiting and decommitting from Army. Bradley said Army is still in consideration.

2021 commits (80)
RB Noah Alexander, 5-10, 188, Eufaula (Okla.) HS: Other offers – Navy. Rushed for 1,448 yards and 16 touchdowns as junior.
TE Cade Anders, 6-4, 242, Tift County HS, Tifton, Ga.: Other offers – Georgia Southern, Georgia State, South Alabama, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina
OL Gabe Averitt, 6-3, 260, Lakeland (Fla.) Christian HS: First offer – Air Force 
LB Josiah Banks, 6-1, 190, Mount Tabor HS, Winston-Salem, N.C.: Other offers – Air Force
S Xzavier Barnes, 6-foot, 190, Life Christian Academy, South Chesterfield, Va.
OL Braden Bartosh, 6-3, 260, Park Hill South HS, Kansas City, Mo.: Other offers – Navy
DB Marcus Bass, 5-10, 171, Lincoln College Prep, St. Louis, Mo.: Other offers – Navy, Air Force
DL Matai Bell, 6-3 315, Campolindo HS, Moraga, Calif.: Other offers – Wyoming
OL Tanner Bivins, 6-2, 300, Wesleyan School, Norcross, Ga.: Other offers – Navy, Eastern Michigan. First-team all-state lineman, state wrestling finalist as junior.
LB Steven Carter, 6-1, 220, Newnan (Ga.) HS: Other offers – Eastern Michigan, Coastal Carolina. Made 77 tackles as junior.
LB Brandon Castro, 6-foot, 190, Buford (Ga.) HS: Other offers – Syracuse, Louisville, Maryland, South Alabama
S Michael Cerniauskas, 5-11, 192, Catholic HS, Baton Rogue, La.: Other offers – Navy, Air Force, Ohio, Louisiana-Monroe. Father Chris is 1993 West Point graduate. Attended 2019 Army prospect camp.
LB Blane Cleaver, 6-3, 212, Berwick (Pa.) HS: Other offers – Air Force, Central Michigan, Louisiana-Monroe
RB Greg Daniel, 5-11, 188, Calvary Day HS, Savannah, Ga.: Other offers – Air Force
DE Zac Daher, 6-4, 245, Northwest HS, Wichita, Kansas: Other offers – Air Force, Akron, Eastern Michigan, Northern Illinois, Ohio, Toledo, New Mexico
LB Tyler DeLeon, 6-3, 210, Los Alamitos (Calif.) HS: First offer – Army. Member of U.S. National football team
DE Marcus Dickey, 6-3, 230, Biloxi (Miss.) HS: Other offers – Akron, New Mexico, South Alabama
QB Simeon Evans, 5-11, 175, Bishop Dunne HS, Dallas, Texas: Other offers – Air Force, Liberty, Louisiana-Monroe, Coastal Carolina
LB Eric Ford, 6-3, 205, Landon HS, Bethesda, Md.: Other offers – Navy, Syracuse, Virginia, West Virginia, Buffalo, East Carolina, Liberty, UMass
LB Kalib Fortner, 6-1, 205, Knoxville (Tenn.) Central HS: 2019 stats – 119 tackles, 33 tackles for loss, 10 sacks
WR Liam Fortner, 6-1, 185, Knoxville (Tenn.) Central HS: 2019 stats – 48 catches, 640 yards, 6 TDs
WR Javonte Graves-Billips, 5-11, 178, St. Paul’s Episcopal HS, Mobile, Ala.: Has led St. Paul’s in receiving the last two seasons.
WR Deshontez Gray, 6-4, 220, Pelion (S.C.) HS: Other offers – Navy, Air Force, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, UConn, Western Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State, Charlotte

K Trey Gronotte, 6-foot, 160, Covington Catholic HS, Park Hills, Ky.: Other offers – Air Force, Miami (Ohio). Made 9-of-12 field goals, 68 of 71 extra points and booted 43 touchbacks as a junior.
LB Walt Hawthrone, 5-8, 187, Central HS, Macon, Ga.
OL Turner Hillburn, 6-3, 270, Royse City (Texas) HS: Other offers – Navy, Wyoming, New Mexico, Louisiana-Monroe
DB Terrell Jackson, 6-1, 182, Trinity Christian Academy, Jacksonville, Fla.: Other offers – Navy, Air Force. Recorded 42 tackles and three interceptions as junior.
WR Zion Jackson, 6-1, 180, Archer HS, Lawrenceville, Ga.
DL Will Jeffcoat, 6-2, 265, Pelion (S.C.) HS: First offer – Air Force. Second offer – Army. 2020 South Carolina state wrestling champion
RB Jayden Jenkins, 5-8, 160, Archbishop Stepinac HS, White Plains, N.Y.: First offer – Army. Other offers – Navy
LB Dwayne Johnson, 6-3, 220, South Gwinnett HS, Snellville, Ga.: Other offers – Arkansas, Kansas State, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Appalachian State, Cincinnati, Memphis, Temple, Bowling Green, Eastern Michigan, Liberty
LB Gregory Johnson, 5-11, 205, Northwestern HS, Rock Hill, S.C.: Johnson is the senior class president and maintains 4.3 grade-point average.
TE Danny Joiner, 6-3, 240, North Kansas City (Mo.) HS: Other offers – Bowling Green, Toledo
DB Casey Larkin, 6-foot, 180, Wall (N.J.) Township HS: Other offers – Navy
OL Gavyn Lewis, 6-5, 275, Morgan County HS, Madison, Ga.: Other offers – Air Force
RB Daxon Lindholm, Centennial HS, Peoria, Ariz.: First offer – Army
WR-CB Walker Lyles, 6-2. 188, Pelham (Ala.) HS: First offer –  Army
K-P Jake Marion, 5-11, 180, North Davidson HS, Lexington, N.C.: Had 52 touchbacks and long field goal of 49 yards as a junior.
OT AJ Marquez, 6-5, 285, Port Charlotte (Fla.) HS: First offer – Army
K Josh McCormick, 5-10, 165, Bowie HS, Austin, Texas
DE Bailey Meek, 6-5, 255, Ridgefield (Wash.) HS: Other offers – Air Force, UNLV

OL Nathan Mejia, 6-3, 275, Cathedral HS, Los Angeles, Calif.: Other offers – San Jose State, Nevada

LS Jaxon Miller, 6-2, 240, Triton Central HS, Fairland, Ind.: Other offers – Air Force
OL Collin Morrison, 6-7, 240, Bishop Kelly HS, Tulsa, Okla. Other offers – Navy, Texas State, Arkansas State
QB Zach Mundell, 5-10, 170, Martin HS, Arlington, Texas: Other offers – Navy, Air Force
RB Emmanuel Nda, 5-9, 172, Pittsfield (Mass.) HS

RB Zach Ogbogu, 6-foot, 211, Denmark HS, Alpharetta, Ga.: First offer – Army. Other offers – Navy, Air Force

DL Owen Ostroski, 6-2, 242, Holland Hall HS, Tulsa, Okla.: Other offers – Navy, Hawaii, New Mexico. Father, Jerry, played eight seasons with Buffalo Bills (1993-2001).
FB Lincoln Parker, 5-11, 220, Marist School, Atlanta, Ga.
RB Dylan Peterson, 6-1, 210, Pelham (Ala.) HS: Other offers – Navy, Air Force
QB Gary Phillips, 6-1, 187, Van Buren (Ark.) HS: First offer – Navy. Second offer – Army

RB Keontae Pittman, 6-foot, 185, Blazer HS, Ashland, Ky.: Other offers – Cincinnati, Marshall, Akron, Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio), Toledo, Western Michigan
WR-CB Donavon Platt, 6-foot, 190, Ragsdale HS, Jamestown, N.C.: First offer – Navy
LB Tyler Rafferty, 6-3, 205, Newburgh (N.Y.) Free Academy HS: First offer – Army
TE Mitch Raifsnider, 6-8, 245, Margaretta HS, Castalia, Ohio: Other offers – Akron, Eastern Michigan, Liberty
LB LucRichard Rameau, 6-2, 230, Episcopal HS, Alexandria, Va.: First offer – Army
FB Hayden Reed, 6-2, 210, Plant HS, Tampa, Fla.: Other offers – Illinois, Colorado State
P Matthew Rhodes, 6-5, 195, Auburn (Ala.) HS: First offer – Navy. Second offer – Army
RB Hunter Rice, 6-foot, 220, Lord Botetourt HS, Daleville, Va.: Other offers – Navy, Liberty, Coastal Carolina
LB Demarcious Robinson, Warner Robins (Ga.) HS
DL Charlie Rolenc, 6-1, 263, Bishop Moore HS, Orlando, Fla.: Other offers – Navy
LB Ahmad Ross, 6-2, 223, St. Joseph’s Academy, Hammonton, N.J.: First offer – Navy. Second offer – Army.
QB Robbie Sanders, 5-10, 180, Lake Minneola HS, Clermont, Fla.
QB Nick Sawyer, Sparkman HS, Harvest, Ala.: First offer – Army. Accounted for 21 touchdowns (14 passing, 7 rushing) in 2019
DE Josh Schell, 6-4, 225, Mount Pleasant (Mich.) HS: Other offers – Navy, Air Force, Akron, Buffalo, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo
RB Zaire Scotland, 5-11, 215, Walhalla (S.C.) HS
RB Lucas Scott, 6-4, 240, Chenango Forks HS, Binghamton, N.Y.: 2019 New York state Class B player of year, 2020 state 285-pound champion. Other offers – Air Force, UMass
S Noah Short, 6-foot, 170, The King’s Academy HS, Sunnyvale, Calif.: Other offers – Air Force
RB Casey Shorter, 5-11, 215, Taylor HS, Katy, Texas: Rushed for 1,339 yards and scored 18 touchdowns as junior.
OL Jacob Smith, 6-3, 300, Buford (Ga.) HS: Other offers – Maryland, Akron, East Carolina, South Alabama, Charlotte
QB Quindarius Sterling, 5-11, 170, Douglass HS, Atlanta, Ga.
TE Gabriel Thompson, 6-4, 240, Wiregrass Ranch HS, Wesley Chapel, Fla.
S Tim Thurman, 6-foot, 187, Linden (Ala.) HS: Other offers – Navy.
LB Emaud Triplett, 5-11, 205, Owasso (Okla.) HS: Other offers – North Texas, Eastern Michigan
DL Jacob Tuioti, 6-2, 250, Long Beach (Calif) Poly HS: Other offers – Colorado State, Nevada, UNLV. Recorded 61 tackles, 22 for a loss and 10 sacks as junior.
CB Da’Veon Turner, 5-9, 170, Harper Woods (Mich.) HS: Other offers – Akron, Bowling Green
DB Leroy Watson, 5-10, 160, Central Catholic HS, Toledo, Ohio: Other offers – Arkansas State, Miami (Ohio), Western Michigan
CB Justin Weaver, 5-10, 170, Decatur (Ga.) HS: Other offers – Navy
DB Jabril Williams, 5-11, 175, Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy: Former Indiana State commit
QB Darius Wilson, 6-2, 162, Saint Laurence HS, Burbank, Ill.: Runs triple option. Threw for 1,144 yards and 12 TD and rushed for 923 yards and 10 TD as junior. 

Commitments by state: Georgia (14), Florida (8), California (7), Alabama (6), Texas (5), Oklahoma (4), South Carolina (4), Missouri (3), New York (3), North Carolina (3), Virginia (3), Illinois (2), Kentucky (2), Michigan (2), New Jersey (2), Ohio (2), Tennessee (2), Arizona (1), Arkansas (1), Indiana (1), Kansas (1), Louisiana (1), Maryland (1), Massachusetts (1), Mississippi (1), Pennsylvania (1), Washington (1)

Commits with Navy offers: 25

Commits with Air Force offers: 19

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