SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University's football program recruited for need — and got what it needed.

SRUcoach George Mihalik officially received letters of intent from eight players Wednesday, and four more are expected in the next two days.

"We're 85 percent there,"said Rock recruiting coordinator and defensive backs coach Rob Keys. "When those other four come in, we'll be all the way there."

SRUsigned two running backs, two offensive linemen, a tight end, a defensive lineman, a linebacker and a defensive back Wednesday.

One of the running backs is Leo Cheaton from Caravel Academy in Delaware. He rushed for 1,187 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2006 and ran for 1,240 yards in 2005.

He was a four-year letterman for a team that finished runner-up in the state each of the last three years. Cheaton led all of Delaware with a 12.7 yards per carry average as a junior and a 13.4-yard average his senior campaign.

The other running back is Sayquan Mitchell-Scott, who garnered 1,800 yards and 17 touchdowns rushing over the past two years for Central Dauphin East High School in Harrisburg.

"Sayquan is more of a power back who is effective running between the tackles,"Mihalik said. "Cheaton isn't a very big kid, but once he touches the ball, he knows how to make things happen. He's an excellent return specialist, too."

With Corey Manfull, who missed all of last year with a hand injury, returning to join incumbent running backs Travis Sarver and Demarcus Cleckley, A.J. Saunders has been returned to defense.

"Both of these new recruits are capable of getting on the field right away,"Mihalik said. "It depends on how quickly they pick up the offense. We should have some interesting competition in training camp."

The two offensive linemen are 6-foot-4, 275-pounder Dan Perz from Mt. Lebanon and 6-4, 260-pounder A.J. Hopp from Akron (Ohio)Bishop Hoban.

"Most of our line is back, so we recruited for depth,"Mihalik said. "Perz is a big kid from a Quad-A school, so he's probably a bit farther along in his development."

Jordan Frank is a 230-pound tight end from Avon Lake (Ohio) who Mihalik said will be looked at right away because SRUis thin at that position.

Defensively, The Rock added 250-pound lineman Scott Kachurik from Plum, linebacker Zach Sheridan from Seton-LaSalle and cornerback Brandon Watters from Woodland Hills.

Kachurik had 62 tackles and three sacks his senior year. Sheridan scored 15 touchdowns offensively at Seton-LaSalle last year and led the team in tackles defensively while intercepting three passes.

"Sheridan is a versatile athlete who played all over the field in high school,"Mihalik said. "He may make a great H-Back down the road, but we're looking at him at linebacker right now."

Watters did not try out for football until his junior year at Woodland Hills. He had eight interceptions that year and seven more as a senior.

"To do that with no previous experience and for a program like Woodland Hills is very impressive,"Mihalik said. "We'll look at him as a corner first, though he may move to safety."

SRUfinished 7-4 last season, narrowly missing the Division IIplayoffs, and graduated only nine seniors.

"Yet all of these recruits may play for us right away,"Keys said. "That's how they were recruited: to plug in holes right away, not to wait around as redshirts."

"This group of recruits, as a whole, is the most team speed we've brought in with a class in four years,"Mihalik said. "It'll be fun to see what they can do."

Here are the eight football players who signed national letters of intent Wednesday with Slippery Rock University:Name...........................Pos......................Ht. .....................Wt......................SchoolLeo Cheaton .............RB.. ........5-8............165...........Caravel Acad. (Del.)Scott Kachurik .............DL............. 6-3............. 250.............PlumDan Perz .............OL.............6-4.............275............. Mt. LebanonZach Sheridan.............LB.............6-2.............215............. Seton-LaSalleBrandon Watters.............DB.............6-0.............180.............Woodland HillsA.J. Hopp.............OL.............6-4............. 260............. Akron (Ohio) Bishop HobanJordan Frank.............TE.............6-2.............230.............Avon Lake (Ohio)Sayquan Mitchell-Scott.............RB............. 5-9............. 190.............Central Dauphin