Idaho State inked six prospects to join its football team during the early signing period. Here’s a breakdown of each:

DB Deville Dickerson // 5-10, 165 // Lompoc HS (CA)

Deville Dickerson was made for the NIL era. For once, college athletes can be rewarded for their branding – and Dickerson is already a marketing genius.

First off, yes, his name is Deville. That’s not what he’ll be called, though. To those who know him, to those who meet him, he is “Djoker.” When he transferred to Lompoc High in Central California ahead of his sophomore season, Braves’ coach Andrew Jones had to ask twice to confirm he heard him right.

“For real,” Dickerson told his new coach. “That’s just what I go by.”

It all began at a camp years ago. A bunch of kids began calling Dickerson a clown and one of the nearby coaches told them he was a good clown. He’s been known as “Djoker” ever since. But in taking the name of the famous villain from the Batman universe, Dickerson brushed his image with a stroke of marketing genius.

He began dying his hair green and purple and pink and all those hues associated with the actual Joker. And now Dickerson’s colorful head with be in Pocatello, after the 3-star defensive back chose to sign with Idaho State over Portland State, San Diego and others.

For his look alone, it’s hard to forget Dickerson. For what he does on the football field, it’s nearly impossible.

He became such a lockdown cornerback at Lompoc that there were multiple games that the opposing quarterback didn’t throw a single pass towards him. As a receiver, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound athlete had over 1,000 yards and nine scores. Then as a return man, Dickerson dazzled. He showed off his 11-second 100-meter dash time with a nation-leading eight return touchdowns – a stat even more amazing when realizing he was only given the chance to return 14 kickoffs and nine punts.

“You will not see anything like what I put on film,” Dickerson said. “Every time someone records me or has a camera on me, they always call me or say, ‘I’ve never seen something like that been done before,’ or ‘How does he do that?’”

Dickerson’s not wrong. His highlight tape is mesmerizing.

On one punt return, he caught a bouncing punt so innocent that five opposing players were sauntering forward to down it. Dickerson grabbed the ball, darted between all five guys and won the foot race down the sideline.

On another play, the opposing running back broke through the Lompoc front and ran up the seam for an 84-yard touchdown. But Dickerson tries to chase him down, diving at his legs just before the goal line. He didn’t make the tackle, but the play might be a first-ballot selection in the effort hall of fame.

That’s the type of kid Idaho State is getting, someone who never gives up.

“To be quite honest with you, if he was a couple inches taller he would be one of the top corners in the state, if not the country,” Jones said. “Idaho State is getting a huge steal. I know he’ll step in day one and compete.”

WR Julian Mason // 6-0, 175 // Graham-Kapowsin HS (WA)

This summer, when Julian Mason walked into the Pocatello Jamba Juice, something immediately clicked. The senior at Washington’s Graham-Kapowsin was visiting Idaho State, so he stopped in with his dad for a snack.

That’s when Mason — who goes by “Juice” — met Rob Shail, the GM at the smoothie shop.

“He gave us a tour before the tour,” Mason said. “He was just telling us about everything, about how Idaho State works, giving us Jamba Juice. It was good talking with him before the camp. I feel like that really set off the vibe.”

If there’s a local NIL deal that makes more sense than pairing Jamba Juice with Juice Mason, good luck finding it.

But it’s only a possibility because on Wednesday, Mason officially signed with Idaho State, filling out the Bengals’ six-man signing class on early-signing day.

“I felt like it was right,” Mason said. “I wanted a place where I could see myself living. The town just really seemed like that. They had all the food stops, activities.”

The Bengals are getting a 3-star, 6-foot wide receiver in Mason, whose high school team captured the 4A state championship this season. As a senior, Mason hauled in 58 catches for 873 yards, seven touchdowns and 62 yards per game, which helped Graham-Kapowsin become the No. 30 team in the country.

“Idaho State’s getting a hard-working baller,” said Reggie Jones, a former NFL player who coached Mason on his Heir Football 7-on-7 team. “They call him Juice, and that’s because he brings a different type of juice to the field.”

“He plays a lot bigger than he is,” said Eric Kurle, Mason’s coach at Graham-Kapowsin. “He runs great at the ball. He’ll put his shoulder down. He’s not scared of contact.”

Mason also had offers from Eastern Washington — where his brother, Robert, plays — as well as Portland State and FAU. But this summer, after he completed his official visit in Pocatello, he committed to the Bengals.

Since then, Idaho State dismissed former head coach Rob Phenicie and hired Charlie Ragle, shuffling up the coaching staff ahead of signing day. But Mason kept his scholarship and, more importantly, stayed committed to ISU.

Mason took a visit to Pocatello this past weekend, and he met with Ragle and the group of signees who were in town that weekend.

“That was a big part of knowing our spots were safe, and we’re good with the coach,” Mason said. “I’m excited, hearing him talk about turning this program around. That’s kind of why we wanted to commit. We’re on board with this. He has the vision for this.”

ATH Bryler Shurtliff // 6-3, 170 // West Side HS (ID)

At his introductory press conference last Friday, Ragle spoke at length about what it’ll take to change the culture of a Idaho State program that has struggled to win for the past four decades.

It all came back to relationships, to surrounding himself with people determined to find success.

“I’m a winner,” Ragle said, “and I’m associated and always associate myself with winners.”

On Wednesday, Ragle added another winner to the Idaho State program in West Side’s Bryler Shurtliff.

In his three seasons on varsity for the Pirates, the lengthy 6-foot-3 pass-catcher lost just one time, helping West Side to three-straight 2A state championships in the process. Shurtliff was instrumental on each of those title teams and solidified his place in Pirate history as the school’s first athlete to sign with a DI program.

“What I told Idaho State is they’re getting a very good, raw athlete,” said West Side coach Tyson Moser. “With just some coaching, he’s going to do fine for them.”

During his senior year at West Side, Shurtliff racked up 602 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 34 catches. That’s the thing: The Pirates didn’t throw the ball a whole lot. In practices and games, Shurtliff was probably blocking on 80% of the snaps. And she still found ways every Friday to make exceptional plays.

Shurtliff was a master at high-pointing the ball, snatching it out of the air and sprinting to the end zone. He may be raw, but he has the measurables, talent and athleticism to compete for a spot at Idaho State.

“High school is one thing,” Shurtliff said. “It’s one thing to be the best in high school but when you get to college, it’s a whole different level. There’s always a bigger fish in the sea. No matter how big you are, there’s always someone better.”

Shurtliff garnered interest from a number of Big Sky schools and even had a UCLA coach reach out to him at one point. But all those programs didn’t pull the trigger. Shurtliff’s only offer came from Idaho State – and he hopes to reward the Bengals for taking the chance.

“There’s nothing wrong with showing loyalty to the person who believed in you first and showed you the most love,” Shurtliff said. “I chose ISU just because it felt like home.”

While he said he had a good relationship with Phenicie and former assistant head coach David Fiefia, Shurtliff was able to meet with Ragle last weekend at Applebee’s. And asked to describe Ragle’s personality, Shurtliff seemed to almost characterize himself:

“He just seemed like a laid-back guy, but a determined guy,” Shurtliff said.

DL Tuaoa Tauiliili // 6-4, 320 // Lincoln HS (WA)

For four months, Tuaoa Tauiliili was committed to Idaho State without the slightest clue what Pocatello looked like. Tauiliili hails from Tacoma, Wash. and like most Idaho foreigners – even those who live just a state away – the big defensive lineman had the stereotype in his head.

“I heard a lot of stories about Idaho being a potato state and everything,” Tauiliili said. “I thought it was going to be boring.”

Then, on his official visit last weekend, he arrived in the Gate City. The Pocatello he pictured in his head looked nothing like the one he drove through.

“The town was so alive. People were hanging up Christmas lights everywhere. Everyone knew each other,” Tauiliili said. “I really liked it. We were chilling with the coaches and they showed me around and I was like, ‘Dude, it’s not even that boring.’”

If Pocatello ever needs a new city slogan, “Dude, it’s not even that boring” would look fantastic on billboards. To Tauiliili, Pocatello was anything but boring. It was lively, energetic enough that he decided to spend his college years in the Eastern Idaho hub, signing with the Bengals on Wednesday.

Heading into his junior season, there was optimism Tauiliili would nab a number of Power-5 offers. He was in talks with UCLA, Arizona, Wisconsin, Stanford and others that were all intrigued by the big man’s versatility, by his ability to transition between the offensive and defensive line.

“The last couple years, he’s gotten bigger and so he became more of an inside guy,” Lincoln coach Masaki Matsumoto said. “But whenever we needed him to go to a five-technique – whether because of injuries or packages – he was able to do that … He’s very strong. He can take on double-teams and he’s good with his hands.”

Heading into his senior season, as recruiting uncertainty lingered, there was one thing Tauiliili knew he had to manage: his weight. He said he weighed 370 pounds during his junior season, Tauiliili said, hindering his speed and durability. That offseason, he shed 50 pounds and played his senior year a much-leaner 320.

“It helps a lot,” Tauiliili said.

Indeed it did – and now Idaho State will be able unleash the full potential of a lighter and faster Tauiliili.

“Very powerful young man that has been, as (defensive line coach Byron Hout) said, ‘Has been hitting those 5:30 workouts for a long time,’” Ragle said. “I really like this guy. When he came on his visit, (he wasn’t) a big talker but when you watch his film, he’s very active, a very physical player.”

DL Curtis Hill // 6-3, 290 // Graham-Kapowsin HS (WA)

DL Hunter Hill // 6-2, 270 // Graham-Kapowsin HS (WA)

Very few things separate Curtis and Hunter Hill. They’re identical twins, for one. Both defensive linemen. Both around 6-foot-3. Both so jacked they look ready for roles in a movie alongside The Rock.

“I can’t pick them apart,” laughed Eric Kurle, the twins’ high school coach in Graham, Washington. “I’ve coached them four years.”

On Wednesday, they added one more similar characteristic: They signed with Idaho State, becoming the Bengals’ newest defensive linemen on early-signing day.

“I was just super excited,” Curtis said. “It’s just super satisfying to lock it all in. We’ve been working for this for five years now. Our work’s finally paying off, but the real work is just starting. We’ve got a lot of work to do now that we’re signed, and we’re going to be down in Pocatello in half a year.”

For Curtis and Hunter, two 3-star seniors at Graham-Kapowsin who committed in July, Idaho State appealed because they felt appreciated by the coaching staff. That group of coaches will change a tad — Ragle has hinted at bringing in a few of his own guys — but both retained their scholarships.

Hunter fielded offers from Montana State and Nevada, while Curtis held offers from those schools plus Air Force. The numbers back those up: As a senior, Curtis recorded 32 tackles, eight for loss and two sacks. Hunter posted 39 tackles, nine for loss, as well as four sacks. That helped Graham-Kapowsin capture a 4A state championship, becoming the country’s No. 30 team, according to MaxPreps.

“They really wanted me,” Hunter said of Idaho State. “With the other schools, it didn’t seem like I was going to be the No. 1 priority, or that I really, truly mattered. And with Pocatello, I’ve been there twice now. It’s a great area.”

“You felt like you were loved there,” Curtis added. “You drive around the city and everyone is repping the Bengals. Even if the season didn’t go the way everyone wanted it to, everyone’s still repping, so you know it’s not fake.”

Both will have their work cut out for them. Idaho State is in a season of change, between coming off a 1-10 season and bringing in a new head coach. To hear the Hill twins talk about it, though, that was part of the appeal.

“I think it’s definitely going to be a learning process. There’s going to be a growing period,” Hunter said. “It isn’t going to happen instantly. There’s no magic speech. It’s going to take awhile to work. There’s going to be some growing pains with everybody new. A lot of it’s going to be new with players coming and players going out. It’s not going to be perfect right away.

“But everybody feels like we’re definitely going to be going in the right direction. Nowhere to go from 1-10 than up.”