Staten Island, NY – Wagner head football coach
Jason Houghtaling has announced that the 2015 Seahawk recruiting is now up to 40 members.
These 40 student-athletes who have elected to continue their education, while pursuing a football career at Wagner College, have pledged their commitment to a Seahawk program that last fall claimed its second Northeast Conference (NEC) title in the last three years. Wagner went 7-4 overall in 2014, its last under head coach
Walt Hameline, who announced in December that he was stepping down as head coach after 34 years while remaining as athletic director.
The 5-1 league mark gave the Green & White, who won the 2012 NEC championship and ensuing NCAA Division I FCS Playoff first-round game over Colgate, a share of the 2014 NEC crown, though Sacred Heart represented the conference in the NCAA Playoffs by virtue of its victory over the Seahawks.
Of the 40-person class, four are mid-year enrollees who transferred in from other academic institutions and are already Wagner students, 35 are high school seniors who will be freshmen in the fall, while one is a transfer student who will enroll as a sophomore in the fall.
"We're very excited to have attracted such a high number of top-quality student-athletes who we look forward to blending with our returning core," said Houghtaling. "This class includes a host of tremendous players who will address specific needs that we have, and who I believe bring a strong academic foundation that will allow them to succeed in the classroom here at Wagner."
Broken down by geography, the class now includes 16 student-athletes who hail from New Jersey, 10 from New York, four from Florida, three from Maryland, two from North Carolina, with one each from California, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia. Of the 40 student-athletes, 14 are projected as linebackers, an additional eight are listed as offensive linemen, seven are defensive backs, along with three quarterbacks, two athletes, two wide receivers one defensive lineman, one tight end, one kicker/punter and one long-snapper. It should be noted that two offensive linemen are listed as defensive linemen as well, while several of the defensive line and linebacker prospects were also top ball carriers in high school.
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2015 RECRUITING CLASS
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Class Breakdown By StateNew Jersey – 16
New York – 10
Florida – 4
Maryland - 3
North Carolina - 2
California – 1
Ohio - 1
Pennsylvania - 1
Texas - 1
Virginia - 1
Class Breakdown By PositionLinebacker – 14
Offensive Line – 8
Defensive Back – 7
Quarterback – 3
Athlete – 2
Wide Receiver – 2
Defensive Line – 1
Tight End – 1
Kicker/Punter – 1
Long-Snapper – 1
2015 SIGNEES(Mid-Year Enrollees)Kevin Foulds Fr. OL 6-4, 260
Sparta, NJ/Sparta/Worcester Academy*Physical run-blocker, also active from defensive tackle spot
*Had five fist-half sacks at MetLife Stadium to help Spartans defeat River Dell to win first state football title in 10 years.
*Three-sport standout at Sparta HS in Football, Basketball and Baseball before prepping at Worcester Academy
WATCH VIDEO
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Tim Hayes Jr. DB 5-10, 190
Los Angeles, CA/Crespi Carmelite/Univ. of Wyoming*Brings 19 games of college football experience at the University of Wyoming
*Had 36 tackles as a true freshman in 2013 and 10 stops as sophomore in 2014
*First Team All-Sierra League RB his senior season of HS
*Led Crespi to an 8-2 record in 2012, while being named his team's Most Valuable Player.
*32 carries for 485 yards and scored five touchdowns his senior season
*On defense, as a senior, credited with 45 tackles, intercepted four passes and had six pass breakups
WATCH VIDEO
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Sterling Lowry Fr. DB 5-11, 180
Syracuse, NY/Nottingham/Milford Academy*Dynamic, explosive, big-play performer
*Led the Nottingham Bulldogs to Class A Sectional Title as a junior quarterback/cornerback
*Missed senior season with preseason leg injury but returned to health in 2014 season in prep year at Milford Academy
*Credited with 12 tackles, 10 pass breakups, two caused fumbles at Milford Academy
WATCH VIDEO
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Andrew Oberg R-Sr. OL 6-8, 300
Islip, NY/Islip/UNLV*Massive-framed blocker who was a two-year starter at right tackle for the Runnin' Rebels at UNLV
*Two-time member of the Academic All-Mountain West team
*Earned a spot on the UNLV Dean's Honor List in five of his six semesters on campus
*Standout All-County two-way tackle at Islip HS
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INCOMING FRESHMENCorey Alberti Fr. OL/DL 6-1, 260
Endicott, NY/Union Endicott*Tough, sturdy two-way lineman
*Has experience at multiple positions along the offensive line, including center
*Has excellent balance and agility
WATCH VIDEO
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Vincent Aranda Fr. QB 6-2, 200
Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell/Milford Academy*Mobile, left-handed local QB who prepped a semester at Milford Academy
*Has ability to pressure defenses with his running ability as well as hurt defenses with his arm
*Selected to the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio, TX
*Directed a read-option attack at Farrell similar to the offense employed at Wagner
*As a senior, completed 79 of 153 passes for 1,047 yards and six touchdowns
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Michael Blond FR. LS 6-2, 205Hometown/HS: Clifton Park, NY/ Shenendehowa *Key member of Shenendehowa team that reached the Section II Class AA Championship game in 2014
*Consistent long snapper who also saw time at tight end
*Gained notice of college coaches by performing well at long-snapping camps throughout the nation in summer prior to his senior season
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Zach Chambers Fr. LB 6-0, 220
Fayetteville, NC/ Pine Forest*Registered an eye-popping 116 tackles, including 78 solo stops, during his senior season
*Instinctive, versatile and physical player
*Also saw some time in the backfield during for the Trojans
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Daniel Clifford Fr. OL 6-4, 285
Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken*Highly-recruited North Jersey prospect who had multiple FBS offers
*Explosive athlete who plays with high level of energy
*Earned First-Team All-Group 1 and First-Team All-Hudson County honors
*Led the Red Wings to consecutive North 2, Group 1 sectional championships
WATCH VIDEO
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Willie Dale Fr. WR 6-2, 205
Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's*High profile, local athlete who was widely-recruited
*Two-time
Staten Island Advance All-Star
*Named 2014 First-Team All-CHSFL
*Physical, big-play wide receiver who snared 33 receptions for 641 yards, which computes to 19.4 yards per catch
*Caught seven TD passes and ran for another two as a senior
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Travis Edmond Fr. QB 6-2, 180
Center Valley, PA/Southern Lehigh*As a senior, passed for 1,794 yards and 24 TDs, while rushing for 741 yards and 13 carries
*Earned First-Team All-State and First-Team Team All-Colonial League honors
*Colonial League Offensive Player of the Year
*National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Winner
*Selected to play in Lehigh Valley McDonald's All Star Game
* In his career, passed for 5,281 yards and 55 TDs
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Velvario Faulkner Fr. LB 6-0 210
Fort Lauderdale, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas*Widely-recruited prospect who hails from tradition-rich scholastic program
*Opened eyes at the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl Combine
*Drew interest from several FBS programs
*Talented playmaker with excellent instincts and high football I.Q.
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Darryl Gamble Fr. DB 6-1, 185
Tinton Falls, NJ/Monmouth Regional*Physically-gifted, big-play performer with great speed and quickness
*Rangy and athletic with a big upside
*Named Defensive Back MVP at the Chris Melvin One Day Elite Camp in June
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Cole Gennett Fr. LB
5-11 210 Central Valley, NY / Monroe-Woodbury*Was a top two-performer at middle linebacker and fullback
*Recorded 107 tackles, including 39 solo stops as a senior
*Rushed for 1,049 yards was also an adept receiver out of the backfield
*All-State performer for the Crusaders
Watch Video
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Ben Gomes Fr. LB 6-0, 195
Watchung Hills/ Warren, NJ*Versatile and standout two-way performer for the Warriors
*Recorded 60 tackles and 5 tackles for loss during his senior season
*Demonstrated ability to rush the passer, combining for 14 sacks between his junior and senior seasons
*Offensively, rushed for 289 yards and two touchdowns as a senior
WATCH VIDEO
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Santoni Graham LB 6-1, 220
Arlington, VA/ Bishop O'Connell/Fork Union Military Academy*Versatile player is equally adept at stuffing the run and playing in pass coverage
*Registered 136 tackles, including 13 for loss, along with six sacks and eight pass breakups as a senior
*Widely-recruited student-athlete who attracted interest from several FBS programs
*Gained experience while adding muscle during a prep school year spent at Fork Union Military Academy
WATCH VIDEO
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Tevaughn Grant Fr. LB 6-4, 220
Paterson, NJ/Eastside*Impact player with a high motor and uncanny ability to rush the passer
*Excellent student who had multiple offers
*First-Team Big North All-Liberty Division selection
*Versatile athlete who excelled as a stand-up defensive lineman as well as a down lineman in high school
WATCH VIDEO
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Naesean Howard So.* DB 6-0, 190
Syracuse, NY/ West Genesee/Syracuse University *Transfer*Standout two-way high school performer who starred at running back and cornerback
*Rushed for 861 yards as a senior, with a high output of 229 yards vs. Fayetteville-Manlius HS
*Originally attended Syracuse University
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Alexander Hodge Fr. WR 6-2, 175
Waldorf, MD/North Point*Member of the American Football Worldwide Elite Team that will travel to and take on the Italian National Team in Milan on April 4.
*Had 18 receptions for 297 yards and one touchdown as a senior for an Eagles team that went 9-2 and reached the Class 4A East Region Playoffs
prior to a mid-season foot injury that sidelined him the rest of the way.
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Brady Hudik Fr. OL 6-5, 275Bordentown, NJ/Bordentown Regional*Sturdy, physical and mobile two-way lineman for the Scotties
*Earned First-Team All-County honors
The Burlington County Times*Widely-recruited prospect who held a number of offers
WATCH VIDEO
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Ryan Jensen Fr. TE 6-3, 245
Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood*Versatile performer with excellent size and agility
*Former quarterback who has also played H-Back as well as defensive end and middle linebacker
*Smart, heady player whose father is a longtime high school coach
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Sidque Kamara DB 6-0, 195
Columbus, OH/ Whetstone*Standout at both running back and defensive back during his high school career
*Possesses combination of strong vision and ball skills in the secondary
*Blends physicality with top-end speed
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Nick Kovacs FR. OLB 6-1, 215
Rutherford, NJ/ St. Mary*Recorded 9.5 sacks his senior season with 52 total tackles while excelling at both outside linebacker and defensive end
*Quick and explosive edge rusher with a high motor
*Standout two-sport athlete as he earned All NJIC Second-Team honors on the wrestling mat
WATCH VIDEO
_____________________________________________________________Grant Ludgar Fr. LB 5-10, 215
Dallas, TX/Bishop Lynch*Was a physical middle linebacker/fullback for the Friars
*Tough, heady and smart performer
*Selected to play in the USA vs. Canada U18 Game
WATCH VIDEO
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Luke Massei Fr. QB 6-1, 185
Cary, NC/Green Hope*An efficient and productive performer who passed for 3,229 yards and 29 touchdowns in his senior year
*Named Southwest Wake Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year
WATCH VIDEO
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Julian McCleod Fr. DL 6-2, 255
Miramar, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas*Widely-recruited student-athlete who hails from a traditional prep powerhouse
*One of a host of St. Thomas Aquinas players who will be furthering their careers at FBS and FCS institutions
*Helped lead the Raiders to a 15-1 record in 2014 and to the Class 7A State Championship
*Earned
Miami Herald Honorable Mention All-Broward County honors in one of the nation's most talent-rich regions
WATCH VIDEO
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Josh Mercado Fr. LB 6-0, 210Hoboken, NJ/Hoboken*Extremely productive and durable two-way performer
*Registered 72 tackles for the Red Wings, highlighted by 12-tackle games vs. Dickinson and Dunellen
*As a senior, rushed for 1,075 yards and 9 TDs and had another 226 receiving yards and two TDs
*Gained 239 yards on 16 carries with four TDs vs. Memorial
WATCH VIDEO
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Everett Minchew Fr. K/P 6-1, 185
Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic*Strong-legged kicker who ranked 19th in state of New Jersey in PATs made with 40
*Converted on 6 of 7 on field goal attempts, including a 42-yarder
*Also a consistent and reliable punter
WATCH VIDEO
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Jared Nash FR. LS 6-0, 220
Ft, Myers, FL/ Ft. Myers *Strong, accurate and consistent long-snapper
*Versatile athlete who also saw time at guard and linebacker during his high school career
*Helped lead the Red Knights to a 12-1 season as a senior in 2014
WATCH VIDEO
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Anthony Pontoriero Fr. DB 5-8, 170
Lyndhurst, NJ/St. Mary*A smart, physical player throughout his high school career
*A sure tackler who registered 30 stops in the secondary as a senior for the Gaels
*Earned Second-Team All-County honors for a tradition-rich Bergen County program
WATCH VIDEO
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Alex Rowe Fr. DB 5-8, 170
Lake Mary, FL/Lake Mary*Speedy secondary performer with great quickness and agility
*Helped led team to an 11-2 record in his final season for the Rams
*One of the top players in talent-rich Seminole County
WATCH VIDEO
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Alex Roberts Fr.
LB 6-0 190 Potomac, MD / Winston Churchill*Athletic outside linebacker prospect
*Made his presence felt at running back as well
*Also a standout on the Bulldogs' basketball team
Watch Video
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Jordan Schafer Fr. ATH 6-0, 215
Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse*Sturdy two-way player in high school who amassed 80 tackles from his linebacker position as a senior while excelling as a blocking fullback
*Physical at the point of attack in both blocking and tackling
WATCH VIDEO
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Brandon Searles FR. OL 6-4, 260
Hometown/HS: Medford, NJ/ Lenape*Big and powerful lineman who excelled at both offensive and defensive tackle for the Indians
*All-County performer
*Served as a captain for a team that finished 9-1 in his senior season
WATCH LIVE
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Ben Sieczkowski Fr. LB/FB 6-2, 220
Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan*Showed good burst throughout his scholastic career, primarily as a defensive end
*Amassed 88 tackles as a senior, a 7.3 average per game, in helping to lead the Braves to the Central Jersey, Group III State Title
*Recorded 56 solo stops as a senior
*Also a solid blocker from his fullback spot where he ran for 77 yards on 12 carries
WATCH VIDEO
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Yejun Song Fr. LB 6-0, 215
Ellicot City, MD/Mt. Hebron*Tough, strong and intelligent linebacker
*Recorded 80 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and three sacks in his senior season
*Second- Team All-County Selection
WATCH VIDEO
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Jake Vogel Fr. OL/DL 6-4, 275
Sparta, NJ/Sparta*First-Team All County, First-Team All Conference and Morris/Sussex All Unruly Team selection as a senior
*Standout on a 2014 Spartan team that became NJ Group 1, Section III back-to-back state champions
*Spatans were also also conference champs and named
New Jersey Herald Team of the Year
*Versatile performer who also excelled as a long-snapper
*Three-sport athlete who competed in Football, Wrestling and Track & Field
WATCH VIDEO
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Brian Weintraub FR. LB 6-0, 220Staten Island, NY/ St. Joseph by the Sea*Local product who gained reputation of being an Instinctive playmaker
*Consisent and durable performer for the Vikings throughout his scholastic career
*CHSFL All-League Defense selection from his linebacker position following his senior year
WATCH VIDEO
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Peter Williams Fr. OL 6-4, 275
Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan*Strong and quick offensive lineman with excellent balance
*Has the ability to play multiple positions along the interior of the offensive line
*Also a standout on the wrestling mat for the Braves
WATCH VIDEO
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Chris Woodard Fr. ATH 6-4, 190
North Tonawanda, NY/North Tonawanda*Talented and versatile athlete who excelled in football and basketball
*Passed for 2,620 yards and 17 TDs at quarterback during his career
*Rushed for 2,604 career yards, including 1,365 yards and 21 touchdowns in his senior season
*Accumulated 38 tackles and two interceptions while starring in the Lumberjack's secondary
WATCH VIDEO
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