Paxton Ritchey-CSC Sports Information
CHADRON, Neb. – The Chadron State football team will be joined by at least seven new transfer players for spring ball ahead of the 2025 season, with head football Jay Long announcing the additions Tuesday.
“Following the conclusion of the season, we thoroughly evaluated our team’s immediate needs to position ourselves to win next year,” Long said. “As part of our recruiting efforts, we’ve added five key offensive players to the roster – three offensive linemen, a quarterback and a wide receiver. We also brought in two defensive standouts to improve our position as one of the top defensive teams in the RMAC.”
Last season, the Eagles finished with a 3-8 record but had five losses that were decided by a touchdown or less, including in games against nationally ranked opponents Western Colorado and Colorado School of Mines.
“We believe our team is so close to getting back to being a top team in the RMAC,” Long said. “We know that we need to score more points, and this recruiting cycle, we are focused on bringing in impact players who can help us turn those close games into wins next year.”
Quarterback Aidan Thompson comes to Chadron State from Oklahoma Baptist, a Division II school in the Great American Conference. Originally from Abilene, Texas, Thompson started 12 games over three seasons at Oklahoma Baptist. In 17 total appearances at OBU, Thompson threw for 2,486 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Three transfer offensive linemen are joining the Eagles. Dominic Castanon, a 6-foot-1, 275-pound transfer from Fresno City Junior College, won a state championship at Central High School in Fresno, California in 2020.
Jal Chan, a 6-foot-4, 325-pound lineman, comes to Chadron State from the University of La Verne, an NCAA Division III school in California, where he was an All-Conference tackle last season. A Colorado native, Chan is a high school teammate of Chadron State All-American and all-time sack leader Hunter O’Connor.
Carlos Orea, a 6-foot-4, 325-pound offensive lineman, spent time at the Division I FCS level with Hampton University and was previously an All-American at the junior college level at Santa Monica Junior College in California.
The final offensive transfer signing so far is Devon Sandgren, a wide receiver and returner. A former collegiate track athlete who has run 10.6 seconds in the 100 meters, Sandgren transferred to Bakersfield Junior College to play football and impressed, leading to an opportunity with the Eagles.
Chadron State also has added two student-athletes on the defensive side of the ball. Ja’Far Bashir is a cornerback who will join CSC from Chabot Junior College, where he led the team in interceptions and returned two picks for touchdowns last season.
Cooper Walton also joins the Eagles as a transfer linebacker from the University of Montana after spending three seasons on the roster of a perennial FCS title contender. Walton played high school football with Eagles defensive back Tucker Peterson in the state of Colorado.
The Eagles will make more official additions on February 5th on National Signing Day, including the 2025 crop of high school signees and more potential transfer additions.
The new Eagles will join over 90 returners to the Chadron State roster, including over 20 returners who started a game for the Eagles last season.