Following their third straight national championship in the past four years and their 10th straight playoff appearance, Ferris State football reinforced their roster with a plethora of recruits on National Signing Day.
In the signing day press conference at Ewigleben Sports Complex, head coach Tonny Annese introduced 33 new recruits to the Bulldog team. Of the 33 individuals, 20 hail from Michigan, including eight from West Michigan. Ferris also signed 11 from Florida and two from Illinois.
When Annese was asked to describe the new class, he used the word “flexible.”
“We didn’t want to get pigeon-holed by guys who can only play one position,” Annese said. “We went after some really athletic guys that can make plays for us. It’s just a product of our system.”
Ferris followed a similar recruiting approach as in previous off-seasons, with majority of their signees hailing from Michigan and the sunshine state.
The Bulldogs favored the defensive side of the ball in their recruiting process, as 19 of the 33 signings will be competing on defense. This includes seven defensive lineman, five linebackers, five defensive backs and two cornerbacks.
The offense consists of six offensive lineman, four running backs, two quarterbacks and two three-star wide receivers in Jami Williams and Calondrey Hardy.
In the wake of the extensive class, Annese projected his mindset for the upcoming season.
“I’ve said it every year after we win the championship, the best is yet to come,” Annese said. “It sounds arrogant but that’s going to be our attitude and we’re focused on being better than we were last year.”
The Bulldogs will return to Top Taggart Field later this year for their annual spring game on a date to be announced. Last year’s game took place on April 19.
For more information on national signing day and a full list of the 2025 recruits, visit ferrisstatebulldogs.com.