UNI Adds 10 Iowa High School Players To 2016 Football Roster

The UNI Panthers football program added 28 newcomers to the 2016 roster, Head Coach Mark Farley announced today (Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016).

Two high school players from Aplington-Parkersburg are among the 10 recruits signed from the state of Iowa. The other 18 student-athletes come from Nebraska, Minnesota, Kansas, Missouri, New York, Wisconsin, Florida and Illinois.

. Two high school players from Aplington-Parkersburg are among the 10 recruits from the state of Iowa.

The list of UNI's 2016 recruits are as follows, with short biographies for the 10 Iowa players below:

OFFENSE
Spencer Brown, TE, 6-8, 235, Lenox, Iowa (Lenox HS)
Nick Ellis, OL, 6-5, 275, Parkersburg, Iowa (Aplington-Parkersburg HS)
Christian Ellsworth, QB, 6-4, 220, St. Libory, Neb. (Grand Island Northwest HS)
Nick Fossey, WR, 6-2, 180, Lakeville, Minn. (Lakeville North HS)
Christian Jegen, WR, 6-1, 195, Shawnee, Kan. (Mill Valley HS)
Briley Moore, TE, 6-4, 200, Blue Springs, Mo. (Blue Springs South HS)
Christian Perez, TE, 6-3, 245, Harlem, N.Y. (Monroe College/John F. Kennedy HS)
Davonius Reed, OL, 6-2, 285, Parkersburg, Iowa (Aplington-Parkersburg HS)
Jalen Rima, WR, 6-2, 180, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Prairie HS)
Korby Sander, DB, 6-1, 205, Belmond, Iowa (Belmond-Klemme HS)
Jamahl Scott, RB, 5-11, 170, St. Louis, Mo. (Kirkwood HS)
Isaiah Weston, WR, 6-4, 195, Albertville, Minn. (St. Michael-Albertville HS)

DEFENSE
Desmond Chapple, DL, 6-5, 235, Edwardsville, Ill. (Edwardsville HS)
Garrett Graf, LB, 6-0, 200, Verona, Wis. (Middleton HS)
Jake Hartford, DB, 6-3, 210, Circle Pines, Minn. (Centennial HS)
Nikholi Jaghai, DB, 5-10, 170, Miami Gardens, Fla. (Flanagan HS)
Alfonzo Lambert, Jr., LB, 6-1, 200, Rockford, Ill. (Auburn HS)
Marcel Minniefield, DL, 6-2, 295, Lee’s Summit, Mo. (Lee’s Summit West HS)
Isaiah Nimmers, DB, 5-9, 176, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Washington HS)
Sonny Onken, DL, 6-4, 245, Norwalk, Iowa (Norwalk HS)
Trey Recknor, LB, 6-2, 227, Mt. Horeb, Wis. (Mt. Horeb HS)
Elerson Smith, DL, 6-7, 200, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minneapolis South HS)
Brawntae Wells, DL, 6-4, 258, Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic HS)
Brison White, DB, 5-10, 215, Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge HS)
Markail Williams, LB, 6-4, 218, St. Louis, Mo. (Pattonville HS)

ATHLETE
Austin Evans, ATH, 6-2, 195, Kansas City, Mo. (Archbishop O’Hara HS)
Xavior Williams, ATH, 6-0, 175, Burlington, Iowa (Notre Dame HS)

SPECIAL TEAMS
Chris Dobernecker, LS, 6-2, 215, Nevada, Iowa (Nevada HS)

2016 NEWCOMER BIOS - IOWA HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITS

Spencer Brown, TE, 6-8, 235, Lenox, Iowa (Lenox HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Lenox High School for Allen Dukes … led his team to a district championship in 2015 … earned first-team all-state as a senior … is a two-time first-team all-district selection for defense, also earning first-team offense in 2015 … racked up 24 receptions for 388 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior, also recording 67 tackles, 17 sacks and four fumble recoveries … also lettered in basketball and baseball, earning first-team all-conference honors in both.
Personal: Son of Liz Jessen and Kurt Brown … has two siblings, Erica and Garrett … majoring in business.

Chris Dobernecker, LS, 6-2, 215, Nevada, Iowa (Nevada HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Nevada High School for Kody Asmus … helped his team to playoff berths in 2011 and 1012 … was named to the all-conference team in 2013 and 2015 … was a team captain and named Lineman of the Year in 2015 … also earned academic all-conference three consecutive seasons … was selected as the recipient of the Chuck Graham – High Standards of Dignity Award by his teammates as a senior … also lettered in baseball and basketball.
Personal: Son of Steve and Stacy … has one siblings, Harold … majoring in business administration … is a part of the National Honor Society and the Honor Roll.

Nick Ellis, OL, 6-5, 275, ParkeRsburg, Iowa (Aplington-Parkersburg HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Aplington-Parkersburg High School for Alex Pollock … is a two-time first-team all-district selection … earned second-team all-state in 2015 … invited to the Iowa Shrine Bowl … helped his team to playoff berths in 2014 and 2015 … also lettered in basketball, earning first-team all-conference.
Personal: Son of Lisa and D. Jay … has two siblings, Dylan and Jaycie … majoring in business … member of the National Honor Society … four-year Honor Roll selection.

Isaiah Nimmers, DB, 5-9, 176, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Washington HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Cedar Rapids Washington High School for Paul James … named a team captain … led his team to three district championships, one conference championship and a state runner-up finish in 2014 … earned second-team INA all-state as a senior … was first-team all-district as a wide receiver and named to the first-team all-area as a defensive back in 2015 … has 45 receptions as a senior, finishing with 870 yards and 12 receiving touchdowns along with three interceptions … selected to all-conference and all-metro second-team as a defensive back in 2013 … also named first-team all-district in 2013 … also lettered in track and field, earning a conference title in the 400 hurdles.
Personal: Son of Laurence and Eara Nimmers … has one sibling, Noah … majoring in exercise science.

Sonny Onken, DL, 6-4, 245, Norwalk, Iowa (Norwalk HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Norwalk High School for Paul Patterson … named the Cedar Rapids Gazette and Iowa Preps Defensive Player of the Year … earned Iowa Preps and Elite all-state honors … three-time all-district selection … earned Warren County Player of the Year … led his team to the state championship game in 2015 … helped his team to four consecutive seasons in the state playoffs … first freshman in Norwalk history to play and start for the varsity team in his first season … racked up 86 tackles, 17 tackles for loss and a touchdown as a senior … also lettered in basketball and track and field … is third all-time in school history in the discus.
Personal: Son of Dendra Lee and Patrick Onken … has two brothers and a sister … majoring in business … is a four-time academic all-district selection.

Davonius Reed, OL, 6-2, 285, Parkersburg, Iowa (Aplington-Parkersburg HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Aplington-Parkersburg High School for Alex Pollock … named second-team all-state in 2015 and all-district as a junior … earned the Iron Man lifting award in 2014 and 2015 … helped his team to the state playoffs during his junior and senior seasons.
Personal: Son of Patricia Whitlatch … majoring in management.

Jalen Rima, WR, 6-2, 180, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Prairie HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Prairie High School for Mark Bliss … named first-team all-district and all-metro as a senior along with third-team all-state … was also all-district and all-metro as a junior … holds the school record for touchdowns in a season with 16 … named a team captain … has 22 receptions for 567 yards and 541 rushing yards for 16 touchdowns as a senior … averaged 19.4 yards per play in 2015 … also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field … was the Conference Athlete of the Year in track as a junior, also earning all-metro, all-state and all-conference … was the 200 and 400 meter state champion … named all-conference and all-metro in basketball and baseball.
Personal: Son of Todd and Molly … has two siblings, Bailey and Payton.

Korby Sander, RB, 6-1, 205, Belmond, Iowa (Belmond-Klemme HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Belmond-Klemme High School … three-time first-team all-district … was named District Offensive MVP as a junior and a senior … also earned first-team all-state in 2015 … only played in six games a senior, still racking up 1,679 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns … rushed for 1,879 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns as a junior … was named second-team all-district as a freshman … also lettered in basketball, baseball and track and field … was two-time all-conference in baseball … holds the school record in the 200 meters in track and is a two-time conference champion in the 100 and 200 meters and a state champion in both events.
Personal: Son of Mike and Dawn Sander … has two siblings, Ryann and Tate … majoring in exercise science.

Brawntae Wells, DL, 6-4, 258, Des Moines, Iowa (Dowling Catholic HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Dowling Catholic High School for Tom Wilson … helped his team to back-to-back state championships, including an undefeated season in 2015 … was named a team captain … earned all-state, all-district and elite all-state as a senior … racked up 22 solo tackles, 12 assisted, six tackles for loss and six sacks … also lettered in basketball.
Personal: Son of Tanya Wells and Kevin Dunigan … has two brothers … majoring in family services.

Xavior Williams, ATH, 6-0, 175, Burlington, Iowa (Notre Dame HS)
High School: Lettered in football at Notre Dame High School for Nick Breuer … earned first-team INA and Des Moines Register all-state as a senior … is a three-time first-team all-district selection and a two-time winner of District MVP as a wide receiver … also was selected to the INA and Des Moines Register all-state second-team in 2014 … holds the school record for career all-purpose yards, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns … had 1,847 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior, also adding 799 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground … also lettered in track and field, helping his team to a state championship in 2015 … was a state champion in the 4X100 meters, also finishing in second in the long jump and third in the high jump.
Personal: Son Aimee Hingst … has three siblings, Xander, Nadiya and Quinn … majoring in exercise science.