Tarleton State adds three more blue-chip recruits to loaded FCS class

Tarleton State kept stacking a national-level recruiting class when it added Nyier Daniels, Seven Cloud and Markellus Bass on June 25, giving Todd Whitten three more proven pieces from the FBS, junior college and championship high school tracks. Whitten said the trio "have already proven to be elite talents on the field," a fitting line for a program that is recruiting like it expects to separate from the rest of the FCS.

Daniels is the headliner. The 6-foot-8, 345-pound offensive lineman spent two seasons at Georgia and appeared in four games before landing in Stephenville, bringing the kind of profile most FCS programs only chase: a national ranking as high as No. 151 overall, No. 17 among offensive tackles and No. 2 in New Jersey. He came out of Bergen Catholic High School in Oradell, New Jersey, where he helped the powerhouse win three state championships and go 34-2 over his final three seasons. Daniels also was selected as an All-American through the All-American Bowl process and earned first-team honors from both NJ.com and USA Today.

Cloud adds disruption on the defensive front. The 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman spent the last two years at Butler Community College and overcame an injury that wiped out the previous season, but his 2024 tape still made him one of the most productive junior college defenders in the country. Cloud was a first-team NJCAA All-American after posting 5.5 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, three blocked kicks, a pass breakup and 48 tackles in 10 games. His best outing came against No. 1 Hutchinson on Oct. 26, 2024, when he recorded 3.5 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and nine tackles.

Bass gives Tarleton another proven finisher in the backfield. Butler said the running back led the nation in rushing in 2025 with 1,237 yards and 123.7 yards per game over 10 contests, and he topped 100 yards in every game except two. Bass had already committed to Tarleton on May 6 after an official visit to Stephenville, where he saw a staff that made clear he was wanted and that the Texans were chasing a national championship.

The three additions follow Tarleton’s record 63-man National Signing Day class, the largest in program history, and reinforce how aggressive the Texans have become under Whitten. That February group included 54 transfers and nine high school signees, with 17 from FBS programs, 10 from the FCS, nine from Division II and 16 junior-college players. It also featured 24 players with high school stars, including three four-star prospects, 20 three-star prospects and one two-star prospect. With Daniels, Cloud and Bass now in the fold, Tarleton is not just filling needs. It is building a roster with premium size, proven production and reach that now stretches from Georgia to New Jersey to Kansas.