By: Nick Guerriero, Assistant AD - Communications & Broadcasting
NASHVILLE — Tennessee State football head coach Reggie Barlow signed nine student-athletes during the three-day early signing period from Dec. 3–5, adding key pieces on both sides of the ball.
The Tigers brought in six offensive players and three defensive specialists as they continue to build depth and versatility across the roster.
The offensive class is anchored by three linemen in junior transfer Slater Adams (6-foot-3, 325 pounds) from Quitman, Miss.; Kennedy Jackson (6-3, 290) from Murfreesboro, Tenn.; and LaRodney McQueen (6-3, 283) from Montgomery, Ala. Tennessee State also added quarterback Paul Jones III (6-1, 178) from Newark, N.J.; wide receiver Joshua Jones (6-2, 205) from Neptune Beach, Fla.; and athlete Samuel Arnold III (5-9, 180) from Pahokee, Fla., who projects at running back or safety.
On the defensive side, the Tigers signed defensive end Terrell Evans (6-5, 200) from Hialeah, Fla.; cornerback Jordan Francis (6-2, 180) from Stone Mountain, Ga.; and safety KeShaun Johnson (6-0, 180) from Birmingham, Ala.
The signing class features student-athletes from six states and includes a mix of high school prospects and junior college talent. The Tigers will continue building their 2026 recruiting class during the February signing period.
Slater Adams — OL, 6-3, 325, Quitman, Miss.
• Pearl River CC (freshman and sophomore)
• Played in 18 total games for the Wildcats
• Quitman High School
• Mississippi 4A Super 22 in 2022 and 2023
• Mississippi 4A Most Valuable Lineman in 2023 and 2024
Barlow on Adams: "Slater is a big offensive lineman who can play center or guard and already has college experience. He's aggressive, he's strong, and he plays with a chip on his shoulder. We're really excited to get him here, and he's excited about being a Tiger."
Samuel Arnold III — RB/S, 5-9, 180, Pahokee, Fla.
• Pahokee High School
• Finished with 2,196 career rushing yards
• Recorded 13 rushing touchdowns
• As a senior, rushed for 1,480 yards with 11 touchdowns
• As a junior, rushed for 566 yards with two touchdowns
Barlow on Arnold: "Sam is a great football player with outstanding production. He's an elite runner who can run with power, inside, outside—he's scored a lot of touchdowns in his high school career, and we're excited that he'll be an early enrollee."
Terrell Evans — DE, 6-5, 200, Hialeah, Fla.
• Hialeah High School
• As a senior, finished with 33 tackles, nine sacks and one fumble recovery
Barlow on Evans: "Terrell is a physically mature freshman who is already built and put together. He's an early signee, and we believe he's a guy who can come in this summer and compete for us as a freshman."
Jordan Francis — CB, 6-2, 180, Stone Mountain, Ga.
• Redan High School
• As a senior, finished with 33 tackles, nine sacks and one fumble recovery
Barlow on Francis: "Jordan is a nice-sized kid at 6-foot-2 and looks and plays exactly like the type of athlete we want in our program. We're very excited about getting him."
Kennedy Jackson — OL, 6-3, 290, Murfreesboro, Tenn.
• Blackman High School
• Three-year starter
• Selected to represent Blackman at Titans/Tennessean Preseason Media Day
Barlow on Jackson: "Kennedy is a lineman who can play guard or center, and we love the production he had in high school. He'll be here this summer to get involved in strength and conditioning and learn the playbook. We're especially excited to add local, in-state talent to this signing class."
KeShaun Johnson — S, 6-0, 180, Birmingham, Ala.
• A.H. Parker High School
Barlow on Johnson: "KeShaun is a safety who will enroll in January. We wanted to add more length and size at that position, and he's a guy who will add value for us instantly."
Joshua Jones — WR, 6-2, 2-5, Neptune Beach, Fla.
• Fletcher High School
• As a senior, played in nine games
• Finished with 735 receiving yards
• Finished with nine touchdowns
Barlow on Jones: "Joshua is a really nice-sized receiver. He plays big and strong, has strong hands, and is a really good route runner. He's a guy who could early enroll in January, and we're excited about having him here. He's a solid receiver who we think can step in and help us."
Paul Jones III — QB, 6-1, 178, Newark, N.J.
• Weequahic High School
• Finished with 3,732 career passing yards and 41 passing touchdowns
• Added 1,347 career rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns
• As a senior, threw for 1,108 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 439 yards and four touchdowns
• As a junior, threw for 821 yards and five touchdowns with 565 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns
• As a sophomore, threw for 1,333 yards and 20 touchdowns
Barlow on Jones: "Paul is a really good football player, and he's an extremely fast quarterback who fits what we do offensively with the RPO game and quarterback runs. He's a guy who can really push the needle for us on offense. We got on him early, and Coach Johnny Johnson did a great job recruiting him. He adds value to our quarterback room, and strengthening that position was important for us."
LaRodney McQueen —OL, 6-3, 283, Montgomery, Ala.
• George Washington Carver High School
Barlow on McQueen: "LaRodney is an extremely tough football player who can play guard or center. We had some issues at the center position this year, and he's going to help us clean that up. He's a really good football player."
All statistics provided by MaxPreps. Some figures may be incomplete due to inconsistent reporting across schools.
