DURANGO, Colo. — Fort Lewis College head football coach Cesar Rivas-Sandoval announced the signing of defensive back Lucas Stafford to his 2012 recruiting class, raising the number of newcomers to join the Skyhawk roster to 24.

“Lucas is a very versatile athlete who played both corner and safety in junior college,” said Rivas-Sandoval, who begins his third year as the Skyhawks' head coach in 2012. “He will help us tremendously in giving us coverage options in our secondary next year.”

Stafford, a 6-foot, 175-lb. junior, earned first team all-state and first team SFCA All-Mountain Conference honors last year at San Diego Mesa College, where he played the past two seasons.

As a high school player at El Cajon Valley High School in the San Diego area, he starred at quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back for the Braves. Stafford was a three-time all-academic performer and an all-conference selection. He also participated in basketball and track & field and graduated with honors in 2008.

The son of Barbara Stiles of El Cajon, Calif., Stafford plans to study History at Fort Lewis.

“Our blueprint is recruiting young men who have great character and have a vested interest in obtaining their degree at Fort Lewis College,” Rivas-Sandoval said of his 2012 recruiting class.

“We had some areas to address with our second full season of recruiting under our belt,” he said. “We had to get faster. We have improved tremendously in many areas, especially in the secondary and offensive skill positions. We have brought in a solid number of athletes who can play more than just one position, which will make us a more well-rounded football team.”

Rivas-Sandoval expects additional players to commit to Fort Lewis in the coming weeks. “We still have a few areas to address, but we want to continue to look for the young man who will be the right fit for FLC football. We will continue to recruit for a little while longer, as well as address a few more of our needs and add to our walk-on class.”

Rivas-Sandoval will discuss the signees that he and his staff have received to that point at the next Skyhawk Coaches' Luncheon, held in the basement of the Irish Embassy Pub at noon on Monday, Feb. 6. Cost is $10 and no RSVP is necessary.

Further information on each new recruit can be found on the 2012 FLC football signing day page.

Fort Lewis finished 3-8 overall, 2-7 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, tied for eighth place in the league. FLC loses seven seniors to graduation: punter Frank Atherton, defensive lineman David Ferris, wide receiver Justin Garman, defensive back Eric Hills, wide receiver David Matos, running back Justin Peters, and wide receiver Harrison Scheider.