First-year coach Jim McElwain was hired Dec. 2, 2018, and after an 8-5 record in 2019 that led to an appearance in the Mid-American Conference championship, he has officially put his stamp on his first class in Mount Pleasant.

"I am excited for our first full class as a coaching staff," McElwain said. "It's been fantastic to see this group come together and buy in to what is being built here. They have seen the direction and growth and made the choice to be part of a special university."

The Chippewas will have one more chance to fill out their roster on the Feb. 5 National Signing Day.

Here's a look at each of Central Michigan's 2020 early signees:

Daemon Hill – DB (Palmetto, Florida)

Hill is considered by pundits to be the prize of this class. A three-star recruit who drew significant Power Five interest, Hill ultimately chose Mount Pleasant and the Chippewas. At 6-foot, 170 pounds with good speed, this freshman projects as someone talented enough to play right away.

Myles Bailey – RB (North Brunswick Twp., New Jersey)

Bailey waited to announce his commitment to the Chippewas until Wednesday morning. He held offers from conference opponents Toledo, Northern Illinois and Kent State as well as Power Five schools Boston College, Syracuse, Virginia Tech and Minnesota.

A three-star recruit with a .8274 composite rating given by 247Sports, Bailey weighs in at 5-foot-10, 200 pounds.

Keegan Smith – OG (Jackson, Michigan)

Smith is a giant offensive lineman from Lumen Christi High School, a powerhouse within the state of Michigan. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing in at 315 pounds, he possesses the size and frame to contribute from day one. Smith held offers from eight Mid-American Conference schools as well as Navy and Air Force. He's a three-star prospect with a composite rating of .8234.

Jason Williams – DL (Ocoee, Florida)

At 6-foot-2 and 295 pounds, Williams has the potential to be a presence within the trenches for the Chippewas. A sure tackler and good rusher, Williams will join a deep rotation of defensive tackles. He is a two-star prospect.

Davis Heinzen – TE (Manitowoc, Wisconsin)

Heinzen is the latest massive tight end to commit to Central Michigan, joining both Tony Poljan and Bernhard Raimann in measuring above 6'4".Coming from a small school in Wisconsin, Heinzen had interest from one other school, rival Eastern Michigan, in addition to the Chippewas. The 6-foot-5 tight end is ranked by 247Sports as the 22nd-best player in Wisconsin.

Tyler Pape – QB (Parma, Michigan)

Pape is another athlete that has good size within this class. Possessing above-average arm talent, he can use his mobility when he needs to. He is another three-star recruit and measures at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds.

Braden Doyle – OG (Green Bay, Wisconsin)

Another big offensive lineman, Doyle measures in at 6-foot-4, 310 pounds. He's a three-star recruit with Air Force, New Mexico State and a variety of Division I FCS schools.

Cade Cote – DL (Maple Ridge, British Columbia)

Cote was originally committed to Idaho. However, after taking a visit to Central Michigan's regular season finale, a 49-7 victory over Toledo, Cote decommitted from the Vandals. He flipped to the Chippewas on Dec. 16. The defensive lineman is a three-star recruit.

Zahir Swann – WR (Irvington, New Jersey)

Swann was the first verbal commit of the 2020 class, announcing his decision on June 7. Swann comes in at 5-foot-8 with good speed and playmaking ability. He held offers from Western Michigan, Bowling Green and Cincinnati and was a three-star recruit.

Marcus Romboli – DL (Everett, Massachusetts)

Romboli played defensive end in high school but could shift inside at the next level. He was originally committed to Dartmouth but jumped at the chance to play football at the FBS level when offered a scholarship to Central Michigan. Romboli is a two-star recruit.

Ronald Novosedliak – OT (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

Novosedliak is the tallest member of the Chippewa recruiting class at 6-foot-7. Another three-star recruit, he projects as a developmental project as he is a bit undersized at 255 pounds.

Kyle Moretti – ILB (Arvada, Colorado)

Moretti is a three-star recruit and the lone signee from Colorado. He is the 18th-highest recruit from his home state, according to 247Sports, and held offers from Air Force and a variety of Division I FCS schools.

Ke'Andre Collins – WR (Sarasota, Florida)

Collins is a shorter, shiftier receiver with good speed and agility. At 5-foot-9, he may come across as undersized but counters with speed. He is a two-star prospect.

Marion Lukes – RB (Charlestown, Indiana)

Lukes committed to the Chippewas on Oct. 6 after decommitting from Eastern Kentucky. He was the all-time leading rusher at his high school, Charlestown, and made the switch from quarterback to running back.

Alec Ward – WR (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan)

A three-year varsity player at Bloomfield Hills High School, Ward committed to Central Michigan on June 24. He's a two-star recruit and held interest from a variety of FCS and Division II schools.

Mitchell Collier – TE (Columbus, Indiana)

At 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, Collier is a smaller, more agile tight end who can make plays in both the pass and run game. Another two-star recruit, Collier also held an offer from Bowling Green.

Jonathan Decker – SDE (Elkhart, Indiana)

Decker is a defensive end prospect with a big frame. Central Michigan was the lone Division I school to offer Decker, but he received plenty of interest from the FCS level. At 6-foot-5, the two-star recruit could end up being a diamond in the rough if developed.

Jayden Cray – OLB (Sarasota, Florida)

Linebackers coach Mark DeBastiani has recruited in Florida for the majority of his coaching career. His latest addition to his unit is an athletic outside backer who has good size. Cray turned down an offer from Appalachian State to commit to Central Michigan.

Lawai’a Brown – ILB (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Brown is a bowling ball at 5-foot-11, 195 pounds. He will likely need to do a little more bulking up, but projects as a contributor in the near future. A three-star prospect, he also received interest from Brigham Young University.

Donte Kent – DB (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania)

Kent spurned offers from Connecticut, East Carolina and various MAC and FCS schools to join the Chippewas. Although he has no stars to his name, he possesses a skill set and athleticism that will translate to the college level.

Follow along with live Central Michigan recruiting updates during the NCAA early signing period.

Central Michigan football inks 20 recruits in early signing period

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