Service Academy notebook: Recruiting roundup for Army, Navy and Air Force football

Football Recruiting Roundup

• Cincinnati, Ohio quarterback Zach Branam signed with Navy this week. According to Rivals, the two-star prospect also had offers from FCS sides Drake and Valparaiso, and also had some interest from Wisconsin. Listed at 6-foot and 200 lbs., Branam played in a pro-style system at La Salle. He was recruited by linebackers coach P.J. Volker.
• Jaden Genova, a linebacker from San Juan Capistrano, California, signed with Army this week. He was recruited by special teams coach Sean Saturnio and also had offers from Oregon, Rice and Idaho State, according to his Twitter, Rivals and 247sports.
• In the Hampton Roads region of Virginia, seven football players signed with Service Academies. Navy picked up defensive ends Breyden Byrd and Donovan Everett, receiver Dominic Wilson and running back Chris Gundy. Army grabbed Kellam linebacker Kemari Copeland, and Air Force got Salem defensive end Isaiah Henderson. Additionally, wide receiver Joey Campbell of New Kent signed with VMI.
• Air Force landed a signature from Jarius Stewart, who played cornerback and quarterback in an option system in Port Lavaca, Texas. He rushed for 1,457 yards and 28 touchdowns on 160 carries as a senior. FCS teams Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian were also interested in him.
• Cody Bradford of Flowery Branch, Georgia is headed to West Point. The offensive lineman signed his NLI on Wednesday. According to 247sports, he also had interest from Georgia State, as well as FCS sides Charleston Southern and Central Arkansas.
• Former Air Force defensive lineman Devon Connors has landed at Morehead State.
• According to Bill Wagner at the Capital Gazette, Navy wide receivers Devin Matthews and Tyshawn Buckner, and cornerback David Miller, have entered the transfer portal. Matthews caught three passes this past season and started twice.
• Navy is the first FBS team to extend an offer to Cade Yacemelli of Harrison City, PA. The 2022 prospect plays running back and defensive back. Two Ivy League programs, Harvard and Penn, are also interested. Rivals says that Duke, Pitt, Wisconsin, Ohio, Akron and Toledo are also interested in the 195-lbs. athlete.
• On national signing day, the Citadel landed Javonte Graves-Billips and Varney Farhnbullah, who were previously committed to Army and Navy, respectively.
• Two football players from Augusta, Georgia – Darius Stone and Beau Shugarts – signed with Air Force. Stone’s mother and father both served in the Army. A running back, Stone had visited Cincinnati, Navy and Georgia State, and also had offers from non-Division I schools. A defensive end, Shugarts had offers from a slew of FCS sides according to Rivals, including Charleston Southern, Bryant, Tennessee Tech and Morehead State. He also had some interest from Pitt and Appalachian State.
• Savannah, Georgia isn’t too far from Georgia Southern, where Army’s Jeff Monken used to coach. This week, he signed running back Greg Daniel from the region, a player who rushed for rushed for 1,799 yards and 15 touchdowns this season and was an all-state selection by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He also had offers from Air Force, the Citadel and Samford.

Also in football…

• Army has hired Cortney Braswell as its defensive line coach. Braswell was previously an outside linebackers coach at Appalachian State and a defensive quality control coach at Louisville. Braswell played at Liberty and also spent several years coaching high school football.
• Air Force opened spring practice on Tuesday. The Falcons will practice twice a week, and their first practice in pads will be on Feb. 11.

Elsewhere in Service Academy sports…

• Navy’s men’s basketball team, off to a 10-2 start this season, are on a pause due to COVID-19 issues within the program. The Mids postponed four games. The Capital Gazette has more.
• U.S. Air Force bombers from military bases in the Dakotas will be flying over Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday for the Super Bowl.