UNI football: Panthers add eight to 2026 class on National Signing Day

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — Head coach Todd Stepsis and the UNI football team added eight athletes to the roster on Wednesday as a part of the 2026 National Signing Day. Along with 11 transfers and 15 additions on early signing day in December, UNI's 2026 class is composed of 34 athletes.

"As we approach the second National Signing Day, our focus is clear: finishing out the roster with players who embody our values, mindset, and are ready to compete at the highest level," said head coach Todd Stepsis. "This is about building a team that's not just talented, but united and committed to the journey ahead. Every signature inches us closer to becoming the team we know we can be and that Panther Nation will be proud of. We're excited to welcome the final pieces of our football family, campus, and community."

National Signing Day high school additions to the roster for the 2026 season include:

OL Hayden Bishop, 6-3, Cedar Falls HS (Iowa)
LB Tate Doggett, 6-2, Van Meter HS (Iowa)
SAF Kolby Hodnefield, 6-0, Clear Lake HS (Iowa)
DT Gavin Holt, 6-2, Carroll HS (Iowa)
LB Brandon Johnson, 6-2, Ames HS (Iowa)
RB Caden Klein, 5-9, Newton HS (Iowa)
TE Cedar Smith, 6-4, Nevada HS (Iowa)
WR Leyton Usry, 6-1, Parkway West HS (Missouri)

Transfer additions to the roster for the 2026 season include:

RB Love Adebayo, 5-8, Ventura College, St Thomas Academy (Minnesota)
TE Kai Black, 6-3, Iowa State, Urbandale HS (Iowa)
OL Dylan Escalante, 6-6, Sonoran Sidewinders, Shadow Ridge HS (Arizona)
QB Vinny Gianforte, 6-0, Drake, Cedar Rapids Kennedy HS (Iowa)
P Logan Gregory, 5-11, Southern Miss/West Florida, Countryside HS (Florida)
CB Jajuan Jackson, 5-10, Walsh University, Medina HS (Ohio)
LB Andrew Price, 6-1, South Dakota State, West Des Moines Valley HS (Iowa)
DE Axel Ramazani, 6-2, Wyoming, Urbandale HS (Iowa)
RB Xavier Terrell, 5-8, Florida Atlantic, St Thomas Aquinas (Florida)
CB Mekhi Toms, 6-3, Northern Colorado/Drake, Desert Vista HS (Arizona)
DE CJ Wade, 6-3, Northern Illinois, Cedar Rapids Prairie HS (Iowa)

HIGH SCHOOL SIGNEES

OL Hayden Bishop

A hometown product, Hayden Bishop joins the Panthers from just across the street at Cedar Falls High School. At CF, Bishop was named to the All-Conference and All-District First Team as well as the All-State Second Team as a senior. As a junior, he was an All-District and All-Conference athlete. Bishop was able to play inside the UNI-Dome in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Iowa High School State Playoffs along with a State Semifinal appearance in 2023. Bishop was also a member of the track and field team.

LB Tate Doggett

A linebacker out of Van Meter, Iowa, Tate Doggett comes to UNI after competing on the football and track and field teams at Van Meter High School. Doggett was a two-time First Team All-District and All-State linebacker with the Bulldogs and a two-time 2A State Champion.

SAF Kolby Hodnefield

Clear Lake, Iowa product Kolby Hodnefield competed on the Clear Lake High School track and field and football teams. On the football field, Hodnefield was a three-time First Team All-District athlete at the safety position as a senior and as a running back as a sophomore and junior. He was an All-District Honorable Mention at the utility position as a freshman. On the track, the 6-0 safety was a five-time State Champion with two titles in the 4x400, one in the 4x200, one in the 200m, and one in the 400m.

DT Gavin Holt

A three-sport athlete at Carroll High School, Gavin Holt competed on the football, wrestling, and track and field teams. Holt played on both the offensive and defensive lines in high school and was named IFCA First Team All-State, DSM Register First Team All-State, and SI First Team All-State as well as First team All-District and Offensive District MVP as a senior. He was also a Raccoon River Conference Champion heavyweight on the wrestling mat. Holt was a member of two playoff qualifying teams, and District Champion football and wrestling squads.

LB Brandon Johnson

A Chicago, Illinois native, Brandon Johnson attended Ames High School in Ames, Iowa, where he competed on the basketball, football, and track and field teams. Johnson was an Honor Roll student in his first semester of senior year and a State Basketball Qualifier.

RB Caden Klein

A running back out of Newton, Iowa, Caden Klein comes to UNI after a successful athletic career at Newton High School. A three-sport athlete for the Cardinals, Klein competed on the basketball, track and field, and football teams. The 4A Player of the Year his senior season, he was the District MVP, Academic All-State and All-Conference, and a team captain in his final season at Newton. Klein is a two-time State Champion on the track, with titles in the 200m and the sprint medley.

TE Cedar Smith

Nevada, Iowa product Cedar Smith comes to UNI from Nevada High School where he was a two sport athlete, competing on both the soccer and football teams. Smith was a four-year Honor Roll student and an All-District performer on the football field his junior and senior seasons. His senior season saw All-Conference, All-District, and All-State accolades as well as All-Conference Academic and All-State Academic accolades.

WR Leyton Usry

A 6-1 wide receiver out of St. Louis, Leyton Usry was a three-sport athlete with letters in lacrosse, football, and hockey. Usry was a Missouri Class 5 All-State performer.

TRANSFERS

RB Love Adebayo

A running back transfer out of Ventura College, Love Adebayo prepped at Saint Thomas Academy where he was a four-year All-Conference athlete. Adebayo appeared in two games for the St. Thomas Tommies in 2023 before transferring to Ventura College in 2024. After not appearing in a game in 2024, Adebayo played in 10 games last season for the Pirates, rushing for 581 yards and four touchdowns. He was named First Team All-Northern Conference last season.

TE Kai Black

An Urbandale, Iowa native, Kai Black spent three seasons at Iowa State after being ranked a three-star recruit out of Urbandale High School. Black was tabbed the No. 8 player and top wide receiver in the state of Iowa by 247Sports Composite and was a two-time Class 5A Second Team IPSWA All-State. He was also a member of the basketball and track and field teams.

OL Dylan Escalante

A 6-6 offensive lineman out of Peoria, Arizona, Dylan Escalante spent his high school career at Shadow Ridge High School where he was a two-time All-District and All-Region athlete. Escalante played for the Sonoran Sidewinders while enrolled at Glendale Community College.

QB Vinny Gianforte

A quarterback out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Vinny Giaforte prepped at Kennedy High School before heading to Drake University. At Kennedy, Giaforte competed on the football, wrestling, and track and field teams. He was named First Team All-Metro once, Second Team All-Metro twice, First Team All-Conference three times, and First Team All-District three times. A four-time First Team All-Academic honoree, he was the valedictorian of his graduating class.

P Logan Gregory

A Clearwater, Florida native, Logan Gregory spent a season at Southern Miss after stops at West Florida and Southeastern. Gregory prepped at Countryside High School where he was named First Team All-District 14 after helping Countryside to the District Title as a senior in 2021. He was a First team All-Sun Conference punter for Southeastern as a college freshman. Gregory spent two seasons at West Florida and was an All-GSC Conference and NCAA Division II All-Super Region punter. He set the West Florida record for punting average before not seeing any field time at Southern Miss.

CB Jajuan Jackson

A cornerback from Medina High School, Jajuan Jackson comes to UNI from Walsh University where he played in 33 games over a three-season career with the Cavaliers. Jackson played in 11 games each season at Walsh and made 89 total tackles, including 72 solo and 17 assists with two tackles for a loss of five yards. He picked off the quarterback five times and defended 32 total passes while recovering a pair of fumbles. As a high school senior at Medina High School, Jackson was named All-Gazzette First Team, All-GCC, First Team NE Inland District, and First team all Ohio.

LB Andrew Price

A linebacker transfer from South Dakota State, Andrew Price attended Valley High School where he competed on the football and wrestling teams. While at Valley, Price reached the State Championship as a senior and was an All-State First team honoree. At South Dakota State, he saw action in six games and recorded two solo tackles.

DE Axel Ramazani

Axel Ramazani joins the Panthers after a redshirt season at Wyoming. An Urbandale High School product, Ramazani was named a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com. He was also named a three-star prospect by On3.com and ESPN and named to the All-State Team by the Des Moines Register.

RB Xavier Terrell

A graduate of St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Xavier Terrell transfers to UNI after three seasons at Florida Atlantic. While at FAU, Terrell saw action in 14 games and recorded 467 rushing yards and four touchdowns along with 94 receiving yards. In high school, Terrell was a State Champion and recipient of the teams' CAP (Character, Attitude, Performance) Award. Was a two-time All-American on the track for USA Track and Field.

CB Mekhi Toms

A Phoenix, Arizona product, Mekhi Toms spent time at Northern Colorado and Drake after graduating from Desert Vista High School. At UNC, he started all 11 games at cornerback and finished the season with 35 total tackles, including 1.0 tackle for loss. At Drake, Toms played in eight games with 10 tackles and one pick.

DE CJ Wade

CJ Wade comes to UNI from Northern Illinois where he didn't see any action in two seasons with the Huskies. In high school at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School, Wade was a four-time Academic All-Conference Student-Athlete and was named to the All-Conference First Team, All-District First team, and All-Metro First Team his senior year.

2026 roster additions include:

RB Love Adebayo, 5-8, Ventura College, St Thomas Academy (Minnesota)**
QB Will Anderson, 6-2, Bellevue West HS (Nebraska)*
CB Joquez Beck, 5-11, Cardinal Ritter College Prep (Missouri)*
OL Hayden Bishop, 6-3, Cedar Falls HS (Iowa)***
TE Kai Black, 6-3, Iowa State, Urbandale HS (Iowa)**
CB Lamarious Clark, 5-11, Ankeny HS (Iowa)*
LB Tate Doggett, 6-2, Van Meter HS (Iowa)***
WR Sam Drexler, 6-1, Dowling Catholic HS (Iowa)*
OL Dylan Escalante, 6-6, Sonoran Sidewinders, Shadow Ridge HS (Arizona)**
OL Yusif Fofanah, 6-5, Kimberly HS (Wisconsin)*
QB Vinny Gianforte, 6-0, Drake, Cedar Rapids Kennedy HS (Iowa)**
P Logan Gregory, 5-11, Southern Miss/West Florida, Countryside HS (Florida)**
SAF Kolby Hodnefield, 6-0, Clear Lake HS (Iowa)***
DT Gavin Holt, 6-2, Carroll HS (Iowa)***
OL Carson Hynes, 6-8, Plainview-Elgin Millville HS (Minnesota)*
CB Jajuan Jackson, 5-10, Walsh University, Medina HS (Ohio)**
LB Brandon Johnson, 6-2, Ames HS (Iowa)***
RB Caden Klein, 5-9, Newton HS (Iowa)***
DE Benton Mohrmann, 6-6, Parkway North HS (Missouri)*
OL Max Nelson, 6-6, Stoughton HS (Wisconsin)*
LB Andrew Price, 6-1, South Dakota State, West Des Moines Valley HS (Iowa)**
LB Brooks Ragland, 6-2, Liberty HS (Missouri)*
DE Axel Ramazani, 6-2, Wyoming, Urbandale HS (Iowa)**
WR Will Remmert, 5-11, Cedar Falls HS (Iowa)*
OL Colt Schipper, 6-4, Waukee HS (Iowa)*
K Jimmy Scott, 6-3, Lewis Central HS (Iowa)*
WR Jamiir Sloan, 5-11, Kirkwood HS (Missouri)*
TE Cedar Smith, 6-4, Nevada HS (Iowa)***
SAF Quinn Street, 6-0, Osage HS (Iowa)*
RB Xavier Terrell, 5-8, Florida Atlantic, St Thomas Aquinas (Florida)**
RB Drew Thompson, 6-1, Southeast Polk HS (Iowa)*
CB Mekhi Toms, 6-3, Northern Colorado/Drake, Desert Vista HS (Arizona)**
WR Leyton Usry, 6-1, Parkway West HS (Missouri)***
DE CJ Wade, 6-3, Northern Illinois, Cedar Rapids Prairie HS (Iowa)**

*Early Signing Day Signee
** Transfer
*** National Signing Day Signee

UNI football action can be followed all season long on social media on Facebook (UNI Football), X (@UNIFootball) and on Instagram (@unipantherfootball). The full 2025 schedule and roster, along with the latest Panther news and information can be found online at UNIpanthers.com.

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