Lehigh announced today their incoming class of 2012 in football - a class which appears to reflect interesting new trends and even some new directions in football recruiting strategy. In my mind, the class that coach Coen has recruited to South Mountain is another outstanding class.
The first observation about the incoming class doesn't come from me but from the incredible RichH on the Lehigh boards. He noticed that there was only one recruit under 6 feet - that's pretty incredible. I can't remember any incoming class that had that much height - in comparison, the class of 2011 had eight players under 6 feet.
Interestingly, Lehigh nabbed four wide receivers over 6 feet in Jake Drwal, DeVaughn Gordon, Jimmy Jefferson and Preston Soeprasetyo. I think these four might be competing for receiver spots in the summer. They also got three 6 foot defensive backs (Kenyatta Drake, Jonathan Littlejohn, Colin Newton) and one 5'11 speedster (Isadore Carrie). It was encouraging to me to see so much emphasis on size and speed at wideout and defensive back - those needs appear to be filled with very good athletes.
Probably the biggest surprise of the class is the naming of only five recruits from Pennsylvania. In comparison, the incoming class of 2011 had thirteen recruits from the state last year. My opinion on this is that it reflects the new reality of the Patriot League in terms of recruiting: Lehigh has to recruit nationally to get the type of athlete that qualifies academically and athletically. In this class features recruits from North Carolina (LB Tanner Rivas), another recruit from Michigan (QB Chris Lum) and the first-ever recruit that I know of from Nebraska (Drwal).
Of note is rising senior P/K Jason Leo's heir apparent at kicker in P/K Alex Smith. He looks like a special kid out of Florida, and looks like a very good get.
Overall, as a Lehigh fan I am immensely pleased by the incoming class. There appears to be a lot of talent that addresses Lehigh's needs extremely well. I'll be looking forward to see how this class progresses as Mountain Hawks!
Below is the list of all the incoming recruits, complete with links to information about them and/or their signings - and videos, where available. (Check back for more video links as they turn up.)
Finally, I'm happy to say that I managed to compile 25 of the incoming class of 28 recruits *before* signing day. It wasn't all me, but thanks to everyone on the message boards and all you fans out there that made available to me video links or other information. Thank you!
Bryce Arruda LB/FB 6-1/220 Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield
Isadore Carrie DB 5-11/189 New Orleans, La./Ben Franklin Highlights
Cody Connare DL 6-4/255 Olmstead Falls, Ohio/Olmstead Falls Highlights
Kenyatta Drake DB 6-0/180 Columbia, Md./Hammond Signing
Jake Drwal WR 6-1/190 Omaha, Neb./Millard West Highlights
Matt Fitz RB 6-2/195 Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West
Stephen Ganoe OL 6-4/280 Ridge, N.H./Williston/Northampton,MA
DeVaughn Gordon WR 6-1/180 Newark, N.J./North Plainfield Highlights
Devin Greene LB 6-1/210 Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley
Mike Groome LB 6-2/220 Byram, N.J./Lenape Valley
Kyle Holmes TE 6-3/225 Pennsauken, N.J./Camden Catholic
Jimmy Jefferson WR 6-4/205 Hilltown, Pa./Pennridge
Andrew Knapp DL 6-4/250 Aurora, Ohio/Aurora Highlights
Ted Lasher LB/DL 6-2/255 West Pittston, Pa./Wyoming Area
Jim Liebler OL 6-3/280 Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus Highlights
Jonathon Littlejohn QB/DB 6-0/175 Orlando, Fla./Colonial
Chris Lum QB 6-2/190 Pontiac, Mich./Lake Orion Highlights
Bryce Martin LB 6-4/220 Teaneck, N.J./Bergen Catholic Highlights
Troy McKenna OL 6-4/275 Paramus, N.J./Bergen Catholic
Fred Mihal LB 6-4/235 Wyoming, Pa./Dallas
Colin Newton DB 6-1/195 Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley Training
Vinny Pellegrini OL 6-3/290 Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton Highlights
Alex Petroff LB 6-2/220 Chardon, Ohio/Chardon
Will Reich OL 6-4/285 Shrewsbury, Mass./Worcester Academy Highlights
Tanner Rivas LB 6-1/210 Lexington, N.C./Central Davidson
Alex Smith P/K 6-0/170 Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley
Preston Soeprasetyo WR 6-3/195 Patterson, N.Y./Carmel Highlights (WR #3)
Mark Wickware TE 6'3/220 Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East
The first observation about the incoming class doesn't come from me but from the incredible RichH on the Lehigh boards. He noticed that there was only one recruit under 6 feet - that's pretty incredible. I can't remember any incoming class that had that much height - in comparison, the class of 2011 had eight players under 6 feet.
Interestingly, Lehigh nabbed four wide receivers over 6 feet in Jake Drwal, DeVaughn Gordon, Jimmy Jefferson and Preston Soeprasetyo. I think these four might be competing for receiver spots in the summer. They also got three 6 foot defensive backs (Kenyatta Drake, Jonathan Littlejohn, Colin Newton) and one 5'11 speedster (Isadore Carrie). It was encouraging to me to see so much emphasis on size and speed at wideout and defensive back - those needs appear to be filled with very good athletes.
Probably the biggest surprise of the class is the naming of only five recruits from Pennsylvania. In comparison, the incoming class of 2011 had thirteen recruits from the state last year. My opinion on this is that it reflects the new reality of the Patriot League in terms of recruiting: Lehigh has to recruit nationally to get the type of athlete that qualifies academically and athletically. In this class features recruits from North Carolina (LB Tanner Rivas), another recruit from Michigan (QB Chris Lum) and the first-ever recruit that I know of from Nebraska (Drwal).
Of note is rising senior P/K Jason Leo's heir apparent at kicker in P/K Alex Smith. He looks like a special kid out of Florida, and looks like a very good get.
Overall, as a Lehigh fan I am immensely pleased by the incoming class. There appears to be a lot of talent that addresses Lehigh's needs extremely well. I'll be looking forward to see how this class progresses as Mountain Hawks!
Below is the list of all the incoming recruits, complete with links to information about them and/or their signings - and videos, where available. (Check back for more video links as they turn up.)
Finally, I'm happy to say that I managed to compile 25 of the incoming class of 28 recruits *before* signing day. It wasn't all me, but thanks to everyone on the message boards and all you fans out there that made available to me video links or other information. Thank you!
Bryce Arruda LB/FB 6-1/220 Haddonfield, N.J./Haddonfield
Isadore Carrie DB 5-11/189 New Orleans, La./Ben Franklin Highlights
Cody Connare DL 6-4/255 Olmstead Falls, Ohio/Olmstead Falls Highlights
Kenyatta Drake DB 6-0/180 Columbia, Md./Hammond Signing
Jake Drwal WR 6-1/190 Omaha, Neb./Millard West Highlights
Matt Fitz RB 6-2/195 Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks West
Stephen Ganoe OL 6-4/280 Ridge, N.H./Williston/Northampton,MA
DeVaughn Gordon WR 6-1/180 Newark, N.J./North Plainfield Highlights
Devin Greene LB 6-1/210 Carnegie, Pa./Chartiers Valley
Mike Groome LB 6-2/220 Byram, N.J./Lenape Valley
Kyle Holmes TE 6-3/225 Pennsauken, N.J./Camden Catholic
Jimmy Jefferson WR 6-4/205 Hilltown, Pa./Pennridge
Andrew Knapp DL 6-4/250 Aurora, Ohio/Aurora Highlights
Ted Lasher LB/DL 6-2/255 West Pittston, Pa./Wyoming Area
Jim Liebler OL 6-3/280 Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus Highlights
Jonathon Littlejohn QB/DB 6-0/175 Orlando, Fla./Colonial
Chris Lum QB 6-2/190 Pontiac, Mich./Lake Orion Highlights
Bryce Martin LB 6-4/220 Teaneck, N.J./Bergen Catholic Highlights
Troy McKenna OL 6-4/275 Paramus, N.J./Bergen Catholic
Fred Mihal LB 6-4/235 Wyoming, Pa./Dallas
Colin Newton DB 6-1/195 Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley Training
Vinny Pellegrini OL 6-3/290 Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton Highlights
Alex Petroff LB 6-2/220 Chardon, Ohio/Chardon
Will Reich OL 6-4/285 Shrewsbury, Mass./Worcester Academy Highlights
Tanner Rivas LB 6-1/210 Lexington, N.C./Central Davidson
Alex Smith P/K 6-0/170 Longwood, Fla./Lake Brantley
Preston Soeprasetyo WR 6-3/195 Patterson, N.Y./Carmel Highlights (WR #3)
Mark Wickware TE 6'3/220 Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East
Comments
Saddle Brook NJ
Is he coming as basketball player only?