RICHMOND, Ky. - Eastern Kentucky University head football coach Roy Kidd has announced the signing of 17 high school and junior college recruits for the upcoming 2000 season.
"We went after kids with speed, regardless of the position they played," said Kidd who will begin his 37th season at the EKU helm this fall. "We're disappointed that we didn't get more kids from Kentucky, but the ones we missed out on signed with Division I-A schools.
"We wanted to try and find immediate help in the defensive line positions and at linebacker. The ones we signed at these positions today can all run. They're kids with maybe not as much size as in years before, but athletes that can run and have a lot of speed," he added.
The 2000 signees include eight from Florida, five from Georgia, two from Kentucky and one each from Ohio and Mississippi.
"We hit Florida and Georgia hard this year," Kidd noted. "We feel really good about those that we signed today. We think we have athletes in this group that can help take us back to those championship years."
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Class | High School or Junior College | Hometown |
| Matt Alliston | OL | 6-3 | 252 | Fr. | Heritage HS | Conyers GA |
| Jared Beard | OL | 6-2 | 255 | Fr. | Eustis HS | Eustis FL |
| Antonio Carter | WR | 6-1 | 175 | Fr. | Oak Ridge HS | Orlando FL |
| Jamal Davis | LB | 6-1 | 230 | Fr. | West Orange HS | Winter Garden FL |
| Lindell Edwards | FS | 6-2 | 215 | Fr. | Brooks County HS | Quitman GA |
| Andre Fletcher | DT | 6-2 ½ | 270 | Fr. | Central HS | Miami FL |
| Jason Gray | RB | 5-11 | 175 | Fr. | Vanguard HS | Ocala FL |
| Brian Holt | LB | 5-10 | 205 | Fr. | Southridge HS | Miami FL |
| C.J. Hudson | TB | 5-7 | 185 | Fr. | Frostproof HS | Frostproof, FL |
| Hunter Jackson | TE | 6-3 ½ | 238 | Fr. | Pacelli HS | Columbus GA |
| Joe Kuehne | TE | 6-3 ½ | 260 | Fr. | Scott HS | Taylor Mill KY |
| Tee Parks | RB | 6-0 | 200 | Fr. | Madison Central HS | Richmond KY |
| Justen Rivers | LB | 5-10 ½ | 198 | Fr. | Hardaway HS | Columbus GA |
| R. J. Simpson | DL | 6-3 | 280 | Fr. | Deland HS | Deland FL |
| Eric Sims | CB | 5-11 | 180 | Jr. | Jones JC | Ellisville MS |
| Larry Turner | OL | 6-3 | 280 | Fr. | Wayne HS | Huber Heights OH |
| Mike Woolridge | DL | 6-3 | 225 | Fr. | Hardaway HS | Columbus GA |