By Michael Kinney
Photo of Edmond Santa Fe’s Jonathan Ashford throughout his signing ceremony
Jonathan Ashford wished a future.
That was one of the vital necessary issues the Edmond Santa Fe senior was in search of when he started his recruiting course of.
Despite having presents from Memphis, SMU, Rice and Tulsa, the 6-foot-3, 330-pound offensive deal with selected a spot that will virtually assure him a future lengthy after his football days got here to an finish.
Ashford signed his nationwide letter of intent to play on the Air Force Academy Wednesday in the course of the early signing day interval.
“Air Force will set me up for life,” Ashford stated. “Other schools, they offered four or five years of football and that was kind of it. The Air Force had the whole package.
“They can promise me employment afterward, great football, and it’s just a family culture. Guaranteed employment after graduation. A master’s degree is paid for if I want it. Just unbelievable benefits.”
Ashford was one of several high school players from Oklahoma who will make the Air Force their home going forward. They include wideout Keegan Bass (Mustang) and quarterback DeAngelo Irvin Jr. (Midwest City).
Defensive end Kaden Jones (Mustang) was also scheduled to sign with the Falcons on Wednesday. However, according to his coach, Lee Blankenship, it did not take place.
Each of the future Falcons pointed to having long-term goals as being a priority for them when choosing a college.
“A big thing for me is just benefits after football,” Bass stated. “You have got to have a career. You have got to set foundations for your kids and what you want to live for. Just the benefits that the Air Force brings you with the military.
“You’ve got to make some sacrifices in military life, but that’s just how life is. You just got to make some sacrifices to get where you want to be in life. So, I think that would get me there.”
Keegan Bass, proper, with ball
The 5-10, 170-pound Bass had presents from Georgetown and three of the service academies: Army, Navy and the Air Force.
He dedicated to the Falcons on Aug. 1 and signed his NIL Wednesday morning. Bass will likely be holding his signing ceremony Feb. 1.
“It’s kind of crazy that it’s all coming so fast right now,” Bass stated. “It was an enormous dream of mine simply to get right here.
“So, it is loopy seeing all of it really come true and really come to life. It’s loopy.”
Irvin additionally has presents from every of the academies. While all of them supply him a doubtlessly sturdy future, the Falcons put themselves excessive with their recruitment fashion.
“I had a lot of talks with my parents and my family. I didn’t have a really just exact moment when I knew,” Irvin stated. “But they were on me hard and I felt like they wanted me. I felt like they wanted me the most.
“I wanted to go somewhere where I was going to be an important piece for them.”
Irvin ended up selecting to not signal with the Falcons Wednesday as a result of he hasn’t had an opportunity to go to the campus in Colorado Springs but. He says he needs to try this first and can check in February.
DeAngelo Irvin Jr. awaits a snap from heart throughout a current Midwest City sport
With four players from the state heading to the Air Force Academy, the Falcons have more Oklahoma natives in the 2023 class than Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Tulsa.
“I think it’s awesome. I think that recruiting in Oklahoma over the last several years has really picked up,” Ashford said. “I think it shows that Oklahoma’s producing really good kids that are also really good at football.”
Bass agrees together with his future teammate.
“It just shows that they have a good pipeline coming through Oklahoma,” Bass stated. “They have good connections and whatnot. Their coaches are great, great at making family ties.”
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