STORRS, Conn. (February 5, 2014) – The following is a list of football players who signed a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday to enroll at the University of Connecticut and player for the Huskies.
James Atkins | DL | 6’5 | 255 | Saugus, Mass./Blair Academy (N.J.)
Alec Bloom | TE | 6’6 | 235 | Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley Senior High
Luke Carrezola | LB | 6’3 | 230 | Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy
Ryan Crozier | OL | 6’4 | 297 | Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas
Vontae Diggs | LB | 6’4 | 215 | Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North
Steve Hashemi | OL | 6’5 | 260 | Trumbull, Conn./St. Joseph
Ron Johnson | RB | 6’0 | 215 | Naples, Fla./Palmetto Ridge
Sheriden Lawley | DL | 6’4 | 252 | Abbotsford, British Columbia/Lawrenceville Prep (N.J.)
Brice McAllister | RB | 5’11 | 195 | East Longmeadow, Mass./Suffield (Conn.) Academy
Arkeel Newsome| RB | 5’7 | 170 | Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia
Daniel Oak | OL | 6’3 | 265 | Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers
Tom Rodrick | LB | 6’3 | 240 | Leicester, Mass./Leicester
Trey Rutherford | OL | 6’4 | 290 | King City, Ontario/Kent School (Conn.)
Anthony Watkins | CB | 6’1 | 190 | Fort Meade, Md./Fort Meade/Lawrenceville Prep (N.J.)
Two other members of the 2014 signing class, Chris Britton (LB | 6’3 | 235)
Jamar Summers (DB | 6’0 | 180), have already enrolled at UConn for the spring 2014 semester.
The following are profiles of each player
James Atkins | DL | 6’5 | 250 | Saugus, Mass./Blair Academy (N.J.)
Played offensive and defensive line at Blair Academy (N.J.)…team went 6-2 during his senior season and won the Mid-Atlantic Prep League title.…named to the Newark Star Ledger All-Prep team on defense…awarded Blair Academy’s Frere Football Award following his senior season.
Alec Bloom | TE | 6’6 | 235 | Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley Senior High
Following senior campaign, named to Pennsylvania Sportswriters Class AA All-State Team and earned a spot on the USA Today All-Pennsylvania team… first-team tight end on The Tribune-Democrat’s All-Area Team…selected to represent Pennsylvania in the Big 33 Classic on June 14 in Hershey, Pa. …finished his senior year with 45 receptions for 830 yards and 12 touchdowns…also rushed for 79 yards and a score…playing outside linebacker, recorded 57 tackles and a sack.
Chris Britton | LB | 6’2 | 235| Harrisburg, Pa./Harrisburg
Linebacker at Harrisburg High School…had more than 125 tackles in his senior season of 2012…Harrisburg went 11-3 in his senior season and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Pennsylvania Class AAAA playoffs…played in the Big 33 All-Star Game on June 15 in Hershey, Pa….was also a standout basketball player in high school.
Luke Carrezola | LB | 6’3 | 230 | Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy
Played tight end, defensive end and linebacker at Neshaminy High School…following senior season, named to Pennsylvania Football Writers Class AAAA All-State Team…helped Neshaminy High to a 13-2 record, culminating with a PIAA District 1 Class AAAA title and a berth in the state semifinals… selected to represent Pennsylvania in the Big 33 Classic on June 14 in Hershey, Pa. …had nine receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown in his junior and senior seasons…on defense, posted 56 tackles, 20.0 TFL and eight sacks as a senior…over his three-year varsity career at defensive end, notched 144 tackles, 40.0 TFL and 15.5 sacks.
Ryan Crozier | OL | 6’4 | 297 | Plantation, Fla./Saint Thomas Aquinas
Played tackle and guard in Florida at national powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas…helped the squad to a 10-3 record in 2013, including the top spot in the 7A District 15 standings…offense averaged 35.8 points per game…as a junior and senior, named Class 7A All-State second team.
Vontae Diggs | LB | 6’4 | 215 | Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North
Played defensive end, linebacker and quarterback at Downers Grove North…2013 Daily Herald DuPage County All-Area Team…a Pioneer Local West Suburan All-Conference Silver Division selection…notched 30 tackles during his senior season…also played basketball and high jumped for the track team.
Steve Hashemi | OL | 6’5 | 260 | Trumbull, Conn./St. Joseph
Played offensive tackle at St. Joseph…named CHSCA All-State First Team following his senior season… Hearst Connecticut Newspapers Super 33 selection…All-FCIAC selection…All-Walter Camp Football Foundation team member…New Haven Register All-State…helped St. Joseph to a 13-2 record in 2013, winning the Class M state title…blocked for a rushing attack that averaged 8.8 yards a carry…part of an offense that averaged 475 yards per game…also played basketball at St. Joseph, helping the school to two state titles.
Ron Johnson | RB | 6’0 | 215 | Naples, Fla./Palmetto Ridge
Played running back and outside linebacker at Palmetto Ridge…named to the Naples Daily News All-Area team in 2013…rushed for 1,522 yards on 255 carriers with 16 touchdowns as a senior in 2013…also notched 18 tackles at linebacker…in three varsity seasons, rushed for 3,343 yards and 32 touchdowns, averaging 6.0 yards per carry…named honorable mention All-State by the Associated Press…also played basketball at Palmetto Ridge.
Sheriden Lawley | DT | 6’4 | 252 | Abbotsford, British Columbia/Lawrenceville Prep (N.J.)
Spent one year at Lawrenceville Prep in Lawrenceville, N.J. after his high school career in Abbotsford, British Columbia at W.J. Mouat Secondary…was a two-year starter at defensive end and guard at W.J. Mouat…first player from Mouat to receive a Division I scholarship…named to the Newark Star Ledger All-Prep Team after his season with Lawrenceville.
Brice McAllister | RB | 5’11 | 195 | East Longmeadow, Mass./Suffield (Conn.) Academy
Played a year at East Longmeadow High School before moving to Suffield (Conn.) Academy for three years…played defensive back and wide receiver in high school as well…following his junior season at Suffield in 2012, was named New England Prep School Class B Player of the Year…earned the same honor as a senior in 2013…rushed for 1,723 yards and 28 touchdowns in 2012 to lead Suffield to the Norm Walker Bowl title…added 1,188 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground in 2013…team won the Arthur Valicenti Bowl during his senior year…Suffield had perfect seasons during his junior and senior campaigns.
Arkeel Newsome| RB | 5’7 | 170 | Ansonia, Conn./Ansonia
Parade Magazine All-American at running back in 2013, UConn’s first player to receive that honor…led Ansonia to the 2013 Class S Championship, its third straight…Ansonia went 43-0 in his final three seasons, reaching the No. 1 ranking in the state…three-time Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year…in his senior season, carried 333 times, setting state records with 3,867 yards and 68 touchdowns (64 rushing)…holds Connecticut career records with 10,672 yards, 187 touchdowns and 1,162 points…led the country in rushing yards as a sophomore and senior…just the ninth player in United States high school football history to rush for more than 10,000 yards in a career…named a ‘Small School All-American’ by MaxPreps.com…New Haven Register 2013 All-State and Player of the Year… CHSCA All-State First Team…named U.S. Army All-American Bowl High School Player of the Week, for the week ending Oct. 19. after a 396-yard and six touchdown performance.
Daniel Oak | OL | 6’3 | 265 | Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Meyers
Played offensive guard at Fort Myers High School… two-time Class 7A All-State second team…helped Fort Myers to a 7-3 record and a co-conference title as a senior, serving as a team captain…was named Team MVP at the end of the season…named a 2014 ‘Offensive Lineman To Watch’ by the Tampa-area recruiting site Big County Preps.
Tom Rodrick | LB | 6’3 | 240 | Leicester, Mass./Leicester
Played fullback, linebacker and defensive end at Leicester High…2013 ESPN Boston MIAA All-State…GoLocal Worcester All-Star……as a senior in 2013, recorded 79 tackles, 11 sacks and two interceptions….also carried 77 times for 779 yards and nine touchdowns, adding four more touchdowns through the air…served as a team captain…helped Leicester win the MIAA Division 5 Super Bowl title in 2011 and earned another title trip in 2012…in 2012, recorded 92 tackles and led Central Mass. with 14 sacks, also rushing for 437 yards and eight touchdowns.
Trey Rutherford | OL | 6’4 | 290 | Markham, Ontario/Kent School (Conn.)
Attended high school at Villanova College in Canada before moving to Kent School in Kent, Conn. …ranked as the top Canadian lineman prospect in the 2014 signing class by CanadaFootballChat.com…also threw shot put, javelin and discus in high school.
Jamar Summers | CB | 5’11 | 178 | East Orange, N.J./East Orange
Played high school football at Orange High School…was named honorable mention All-State by MSG Varsity and first team All-Essex County by the Newark Star-Ledger…spent the 2013 season at Milford Academy (New Berlin, N.Y.) and led the team in interceptions with five and had 20 tackles on the season…was also a standout track and field performer in high school.
Anthony Watkins | CB | 6’1 | 190 | Fort Meade, Md./Fort Meade/Lawrenceville Prep (N.J.)
Played one year of varsity football in high school at Fort Meade High in Fort Meade, Md., before moving to Lawrenceville Prep in Lawrenceville, N.J. for the 2013 season… named to the Newark Star Ledger All-Prep Team…made 49 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns in 2013 as a wide receiver…a 2012 Maryland Small School All-State Honorable Mention… hauled in 47 catches for 812 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2012 at Fort Meade…played three years of varsity basketball at Fort Meade.
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