TOLEDO, Ohio - For the third straight season, the Toledo Rockets football team has signed the top-rated recruiting class in the MAC.
The 2019 recruiting class included 20 signees and seven preferred walk-on student-athletes and features players from eight different states and three Toledo-area products. Ten players came from the state of Ohio, seven from Florida. Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi and North Carolina are also represented in the class.
"I am excited about the class we put together," Candle said. "After a successful early signing period back in December, this staff did a tremendous job of putting the finishing touches on another recruiting class filled with talented football players and, more importantly, young men who fit the culture of our program."
Standout quarterback A.J. Gucciardo from Springfield High School is one of the local players staying close to home. At Springfield, Guicciardo was a three-year starter who threw for 7,930 yards and 84 touchdowns. Gucciardo set career highs in completions (180), completion percentage (67.7%), and passing touchdowns in his senior season.
His teammate, offensive lineman Logan Whitson joins him at Toledo. The six foot-eight, 265 pound tackle joins the team as a preferred walk on.
Adam Ummel from Clay High School is the third local student in the 2019 recruiting class. The five foot-eleven wide receiver was a four-year letter winner for the Eagles. In his senior season, he was named to the Three Rivers Athletic Conference all-league team as a running back, while also being named to the Toledo Blade's All-Blade squad as a wide receiver.