Weber State football started National Signing Day festivities at 7:41 a.m. Wednesday, announcing Snow College defensive end Shad Pulsipher as the first signee of the day, and the Wildcats were off and running.

Though most of Wednesday’s 16 signees were known commitments, there were a few signings of players who had committed under-the-radar.

One was hyperlocal tight end prospect Hayden Hall, the productive Fremont High player who hadn’t publicly announced a WSU offer but signed to the Wildcats during Wednesday morning’s proceedings.

Another was three-star receiver Tajon Evans, a San Diego-area player who had offers from Utah State and Fresno State but inked with WSU.

And, three-star Utahns in safety Kao Hansen (Lone Peak) and linebacker Mapa Vaenuku (Tooele) finalized their pledges to Weber State after previously being committed to Utah State.

“That’s who we hope we’re battling for. We hope we’re battling for kids who had a lot of good offers, or something happened, or we did a good job recruiting them. We want to be battling Mountain West schools on recruits,” WSU head coach Jay Hill said.

WSU did not include mid-year transfers in this year’s announced signing day list, but Hill confirmed the additions of QB Brian Harper (Butte College), safety Ty Metcalfe (Syracuse High by way of Idaho State) and punter Brodie Taylor (Snow College), and said those three are already enrolled.

A few players had announced commitments to WSU but did not sign, including Lone Peak High seniors Mason Patane and Trajan Hansen. That’s likely due to plans to complete missionary service, and Hill indicated a handful of Wednesday’s signees will serve missions, too.

Hill said players returning from missions and joining the team this season are Connor Finlayson, a defensive end from Lone Peak in the 2020 class, and athlete Raimoana Tinirauarii from Juan Diego in the 2019 class.

Of the 25 players signed between December’s period and Wednesday, eight are from the state of Utah and six are from Texas. Two players each come from California, Idaho, Nevada, and Washington, and one player each comes from Arizona, Colorado and South Carolina.

Hill said his team’s most pressing needs were at receiver and in the defensive secondary, and this year’s class of immediately available players reflects that. Five or six players are signed as receivers, though, as many played both ways in high school, some could end up on defense — a change current NFL player Taron Johnson once made at WSU.

WSU signed just one offensive lineman due to a glut of linemen signed in the previous two years.

Here’s a look at WSU’s 16 signees from Wednesday.

LB Daniel Asisi: The 6-foot-2, three-star linebacker/tight end from Provo High School totaled 235 receiving yards on 21 catches with one touchdown, with 95 tackles (eight for loss with five sacks) and one fumble recovery. He also held an offer from Dixie State.

“He is fast and he is physical, and played multiple positions in high school,” linebackers coach Matty Ah You said.

LB Koa Bowers: The 6-foot-2 linebacker from Arizona totaled 46 tackles, including seven for loss and four sacks, as a senior. His father, Andy Bowers, played at Utah with Hill. Bowers plans to serve a mission before playing.

“We loved Koa on film because he has a fantastic motor, excellent speed, really violent linebacker. We think he can play a variety of positions for us and feel like he’ll be good on special teams for us,” offensive line coach Brent Myers said.

LB Bronson Childs: The 6-foot-5, three-star linebacker from Kennewick, Washington, had offers from Idaho, Portland State and Northern Colorado. WSU signed his brother, Jagger, in the 2020 class.

“He’s a missile who loves to get after the quarterback,” linebackers coach Grant Duff said.

WR Marcus Chretien: At Fort Bend Christian Academy in Sugarland, Texas, the 6-foot-2 receiver caught 67 passes for 1,109 yards and 18 touchdowns in 13 games as a senior.

“He’s a very talented receiver with the ability to go up and make the tough catch or stretch the field vertically,” running backs coach Robert Conley said.

DB Toddrick Dixon: The 5-foot-11 defensive back from Arlington, Texas, totaled four interceptions, 21 tackles and one forced fumble, with 105 punt return yards. He also held an offer from Texas Southern.

“Great ability, can play both corner and safety, showcases great range and ball skills,” safeties coach Joe Dale said.

WR Tajon Evans: The 6-foot, three-star receiver led Mira Mesa in San Diego in receiving with 569 yards and six touchdowns, picked off four passes on defense, returning one for a touchdown, and returned punts and kicks. He held offers from Utah State and Fresno State.

“Tajon is an explosive athlete who can really stretch the field,” tight ends coach Skyler Ridley said. “He can fly, he’s got great hands.”

TE Hayden Hall: The 6-foot-3 pass-catcher at Fremont High also held offers from Florida Atlantic, Portland State and Southern Utah. He caught 98 passes for 943 yards and six touchdowns as a senior, adding nine tackles and an interception on defense.

“Hayden was Mr. Do-It-All for Fremont,” Ridley said. “A mismatch that was lined up all over the field, he has great hands.”

S Kao Hansen: Hansen, a three-star defender from Lone Peak High School, totaled 54 tackles and picked off four passes last season, and was previously committed to Utah State.

“In-state superstar,” Dale said. “He’ll add length, athleticism, physicality to our secondary and we’re fired up that he’s a Wildcat.”

DT Matt Herron: The 6-foot-3, two-star edge defender from Olympus High School held offers from Dayton, Drake, Princeton, Southern Utah and walk-on interest from Utah. He totaled 59 tackles (22 for loss, with five sacks) and a fumble recovery.

“He’s a high-motor kid, always has a nose for the ball and he’s very violent when he’s striking the opponent in front of him,” defensive line coach Bojay Filimoeatu said.

DB Pierre Hunter: Hunter is a 6-foot-1, multi-sport athlete from Dallas, Texas.

“A true competitor. A tremendous athlete that will bring a lot of versatility,” Dale said.

WR Treyshun Hurry: The 6-foot-3 receiver from Lancaster, California, caught 36 passes for 801 yards and 11 touchdowns in nine games, adding four kick returns for 220 yards, a 55-yard average. He added 19 tackles on defense.

“This kid is absolute showtime … one of the most sought-after wideouts in the Big Sky,” receivers coach Jared Ursua said. “Great frame, elite speed, attacks the ball in the air.”

DE Ashden Oberg: Oberg is a 6-foot-5 defensive end from Montrose, Colorado.

“Some (coaches) might talk about his big catch radius, some might talk about how he’s a multi-sport kid, plays both ways on the football field. But you know what I love?” Duff said. “He runs through your face and he loves doing it with a smile.”

DE Shad Pulsipher: The St. George native signs with Weber State out of Snow College as a 6-foot-7 defensive end. In 2021, he totaled 20 tackles with six tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and three pass breakups in seven games.

“He’s big, he’s strong, and just like the rest of our defensive front, will cause a bunch of problems for offenses in the Big Sky,” Ursua said.

WR Marvin Session: The 6-foot-2 athlete from Missouri City, Texas, was the lead receiver at Ridge Point High School (11-2), catching 46 balls for 907 yards (19.7 ypr) and 11 touchdowns in 13 games, adding a 58-yard rushing touchdown, and served as the team’s primary punt returner, averaging 11.8 yards per return.

“Marvin is an all-state receiver … and is the all-time leading receiver at Ridge Point High School,” Conley said. “We’re very excited to get Marvin.”

WR Jaden Thrower: The 5-foot-11 receiver from Las Vegas is rated a three-star player by 247 Sports and also held an offer from Southern Utah. He led 4A Nevada state champion Silverado with 29 catches for 773 yards (26.7 ypr) and 12 touchdowns in 12 games, adding three interceptions on defense, including two returned for touchdowns, and returned a punt for a touchdown.

“We know this kid can win and is all about ball,” Ursua said. “A great athlete and addition to our family.”

LB Mapa Vaenuku: The 6-foot-2 safety originally pledged to Utah State in June 2021 but did not sign there in the early period. After playing two seasons at East High School (Salt Lake City), Vaenuku played his senior year at Tooele High School where he totaled 41 tackles and five sacks, returned a fumble 99 yards for a touchdown, and rushed for 561 yards and six touchdowns.

“This kid is a dynamic player who plays a lot of positions. He is long and athletic, and he’s very physical inside the box,” Ah You said.

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