College recruiting is a relationship game, and sometimes those relationships are blood.

Dan Holman, an assistant basketball for Seneca High School in South Carolina, saw the football recruiting process for one of his best basketball players, EJ Evett, drop off after Evett broke his foot headed into his senior season.

Evett had offers from West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest, among six FBS offers listed on 247Sports, and had Clemson heavily interested in him as a defensive back.

So Holman called his cousin, Jay Hill, and said he had a guy who “slipped through the cracks” after an injury.

In the midst of his senior basketball season — he’s healthy and averaging 19.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.6 steals over eight games so far, according to MaxPreps — Evett took a plane ride to Ogden for a weekend visit. Wednesday, he signed his letter of intent to play football for Hill at Weber State on early signing day for the 2022 class.

“We’re getting a really good athlete and I think he’ll be able to play offense or defense,” Hill said. We’re getting a top-notch steal … we jumped on it and feel great about it.”

The 6-foot-3 athlete played receiver and defensive back at Seneca, and returned to the field to catch five passes for 151 yards in his team’s regular-season finale. He’s rated a three-star prospect by 247Sports.

If he plays offense, he could help mitigate the losses of Rashid Shaheed, Devon Cooley, David Ames and Randal Grimes. If he plays defense, he may join with fellow signee Montae Pate to offset losing Preston Smith, Braxton Gunther and Ja’Kobe Harris in the secondary.

Weber State signed more players than it usually does in the early period, something Hill attributed to the ever-increasing speed at which things happen in college football, from the coaching carousel to when signing classes are secured.

Hill said he anticipates signing about the same number of players in February’s regular-signing period as he did Wednesday, give or take a few depending on mission plans, and sees it playing out similarly in the coming years.

Here’s a look at the signees in alphabetical order.

TIGER ADOLPHO

QB, Rigby (Idaho) — 6-foot-2, 194 pounds

Adolpho was expected to sign Wednesday evening, then serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Adolpho was the player of the year in Idaho, leading Rigby to a state championship with his arm and his legs all season. The Hawaii native also had offers from Hawaii and Kansas.

NELSON ARAPA

DE, Juan Diego (Utah) — 6-foot-4, 230 pounds

Arapa is a young-to-football prospect who tallied 20 tackles, including six for loss and one sack, as a senior. He also held an offer from Idaho.

“He’s got a great frame, great athleticism, just hasn’t played a lot so his ceiling is really high,” Hill said.

CAMEREN COPE

DE, Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) — 6-foot-5, 210 pounds

Cope totaled 80 tackles, including 20 for loss and 3.5 sacks, as a senior, according to MaxPreps. He totaled 22 TFLs and 12.5 sacks as a junior, and also held an offer from Idaho State.

“He’s just a long-levered defender. When he matures physically, he’s going to be a big kid with really good athleticism for his height,” Hill said.

ADRIAN CORMIER

RB, Richmond (Texas)  — 5-foot-7, 190 pounds

Cormier rushed for 987 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games (109.7 yards per game) as a senior, according to MaxPreps. 247Sports reports he also held an offer from Houston.

“We really loved Adrian because of his ability to run between the tackles as well as outside the tackles,” running backs coach Robert Conley said in a social media video. “He caught the ball well out of the backfield and typically made the first guy miss.”

Hill said Cormier reminds him a lot of Montana State’s Isaiah Ifanse.

EJ EVETT

WR/DB, Seneca (South Carolina) — 6-foot-2, 185 pounds

Late in his junior basketball season, Evett totaled 26 points, 12 rebounds, five steals and four assists in a win over Keenan, which is where Dillon Jones once called home.

“This man is an absolute monster,” receivers coach Jared Ursua said in a social media video. “He can run, jump, hit, block, you name it, outside of driving the bus, this guy does it.”

CALVIN KENGIKE

DT, Bingham (Utah) — 6-foot-4, 300 pounds

Kengike totaled 43 tackles, six sacks and a blocked field goal as a senior.

Bojay Filimoeatu: “He’s twitchy off the ball, has great length and (plays) with great leverage at the point of attack,” defensive line coach Bojay Filimoeatu said in a social media video. “He’s a dominant defensive tackle in the run game.”

GAVIN ORTEGA

OL, Bellingham (Washington) — 6-foot-5, 270 pounds

The three-star-rated Ortega also held offers from Eastern Washington, Portland State and Idaho State, and plans to study nursing at Weber State.

“Excellent, big athlete,” offensive line coach Brent Myers said in a social media vidoe. “He excels in both run and pass protection. He’s a super student of the game and we’re very excited about his future.”

MONTAE PATE

DB, Las Vegas (Nevada) — 6-foot-2, 170 pounds

Pate totaled 42 tackles and one interception in eight games as a senior.

What stood out to Hill and WSU coaches is how Pate competed against receiver Germie Bernard, Gatorade’s Nevada player of the year. In two games, Bernard averaged 60 yards per game against Pate, who Hill said “looked fabulous” in the game he saw, and 84 against everyone else. Bernard is a four-star player who signed with Washington.

“I think he’s going to be a really good player,” Hill said of Pate. “His upside is very high.”

TRE PARKS-VINSON

WR, Fort Worth (Texas) — 5-foot-9, 160 pounds

Parks-Vinson caught 25 passes for 473 yards in eight games, including four touchdowns, as a senior, and will play slot receiver for Weber State.

“He’s dynamic,” Hill said. “He’s a little underdeveloped right now because he’s been mostly basketball his whole life. He’s a really good basketball player. When he starts lifting and running and training to be a football guy, his speed and athleticism are going to go through the roof.”

Newsletter