It was an exciting day for us on the Hill with the addition of the best class we have put together to date! The success we had this past season and ending on a 4 game winning streak carried a lot of momentum into the off-season and we capitalized. Our coaches did a tremendous job, especially winning some local battles and getting back into Western, PA better than we have in the past few years!
We were able to dip into Georgia a little bit with the addition of a new staff member with some ties there as well. This helped bolster some of our positions, especially on defense, bringing up some really talented players to fill out our roster. All in all I am so proud of our staff for this recruiting cycle. We brought in 32 players from 9 different states on signing day. The highest was still Pennsylvania and the DMV has also been really strong to us as well. We went all the way to CA to bring in a top rated passer in the state to our program to be able to build around as well. Unbelievable effort by our staff and a commitment to bringing in the right type of student athletes into SHU. This class will help us take the next step in becoming a perennial conference contender in this league!
Introducing this year's class of Griffins:
Wyatt Pearson
5-10 280 Nose guard from Concord University (WV)
Wyatt brings a great deal of experience to the defensive line room. He is a very stout and strong player that can hold his gap and stop the run at a really high level!
Anthony Stribling
6-1 210 Defensive end from Keystone Oaks HS (PA)
One of the top players in Western PA joining the Griffins! He is an EXPLOSIVE edge player that gives tackles nightmares in pass pro. He will be a FORCE in this defense!
Demario Manning-Walker
5-11 185 defensive back from Norcross HS (GA)
Demario was our first commit out of the Peach State, and what a tremendous player to bring up to PA! He can not only cover but MAN can he hit! Complete DB that will also bring a high level of leadership and character to the Hill!
Boden St Marie
6-0 195 quarterback from Bishop Union HS (CA)
The QB of the future comes out of California. Boden has a very talented arm with exceptional touch. He is exactly what you want in a QB - Fiery competitor, cerebral, and an awesome leader!
Darius Patterson
5-10 165 defensive back from Houston County HS (GA)
Absolute elite coverage skills coming out of GA! Darius is an exceptional athlete that could play multiple positions in our secondary. He is going to be a dominant player and leadership presence for SHU!
Donte Johnson
6-1 185 wide receiver from St Michael the Archangel (VA)
BIG TIME PLAYMAKER being added to the WR room. Donte is a complete WR that can stretch the field. He is a very raw athlete that can by physically dominant at the WR position.
Caleb Tetteh
6-3 240 defensive end from Buford HS (GA)
Caleb is a very strong, and powerful DE. His play style is a lot like Justice Griffin from years past. He can shut down an entire edge in the run game, but also win 1 on 1 battles with offensive tackles in pass pro.
Cooper Stigers
6-3 205 Defensive end/tight end from Bishop McCort HS (PA)
Cooper is a GREAT athlete from Bishop McCourt that can project into several different positions. I think his first home will be at the Tight End position where he will be able to be an every down player.
Josiah Wright
6-2 235 defensive end from Lebanon HS (PA)
Versatile Defensive Lineman that can play inside or outside. Really gets after the quarterback and adds an aggressive style of play up front.
Aidan Jones
6-2 180 quarterback from Knoch HS (PA)
Aidan is a versatile quarterback that is a threat in both the run and pass game. He can get the ball down field and also pick up the difficult yards with his legs.
Elijah White
6-0 185 defensive back from Morgan State (MD)
Versatile DB with college experience. Long, athletic, and rangy with a knowledge of a lot of different systems. Will bring leadership skills to the DB group as well.
Mina Elzek
5-11 180 kicker from Annville Cleona (PA)
Big time leg being added to the roster. He is absolutely money in terms of his accuracy in his FG's. His career is only just starting as he was a soccer player that just started kicking. His ceiling is incredibly high!
Jackson Clark
6-0 260 offensive lineman from Westminster (MD)
Jackson brings nastiness and physicality to the offensive line room. He will be a great interior offensive lineman that plays with great hands and leverage to win blocks and open up holes for the RB's!
Emmanuel Sale
6-3 265 offensive lineman from Weequahic HS (NJ)
The first of 2 Weequahic commits in the same class (Dioh's high school). Emmanuel is the lightning of the combination that is a phenomenal athlete at the OL position. He can do absolutely ANYTHING you ask him to from a production standpoint and will be a dominant OT in this class.
Anthony Campbell
5-11 170 wide receiver from Riverview HS (FL) Sarasota
Ant brings exceptional skill at the WR position to the room right away. To see a HS player with his understanding of route running and already knowing how to create separation is impressive. He is a versatile playmaker that can be moved all over the field to exploit match-ups.
Hashim Muhammad
6-3 280 offensive lineman from Weequahic HS (NJ)
With Emmanuel being the "Lightning" here comes the "Thunder" to the pair. He is an absolutely physical masher of an offensive lineman. If you are in his way, he is going to move you out of the way against your will. Very excited to add both a physical and cerebral player to our offensive line unit!
Billy Maloney
5-9 160 free safety from Scranton HS (PA)
Billy is a great, versatile athlete from Scranton, PA. He played and excelled on both sides of the ball. He was a 1,000 yard rusher and passer with 21 touchdowns on offense and flew around in the backend as a physical tackler and pass disrupter.
Hunter Jantzi
6-1 220 flex from Canisius (NY)
Physical linebacker being added to the corps that LOVES to hit! He will fit into the flex room perfectly as one of the LB's that plays tight to the LOS to utilize both physicality and quickness to defeat blocks and disrupt plays. Couldn't be more excited to get Canisius back on the roster!
Khari Rogers
5-10 175 defensive back from Chevy Chase HS (MD)
Fundamentally sound DB that is excellent in coverage and can insert in the run game. Brings a winner's mentality to the program and outstanding leadership skills.
Zack Schrockman
6-0 165 wide receiver from Burgettstown HS (PA)
A local talent who possesses great route running ability and ball skills. A young man who succeeded in multiple sports and will really bloom as a football player once he is able to focus solely on one sport.
Richard Smith Jr
6-2 245 defensive lineman from Bishop Timon St Jude (NY)
Dominant big man on both sides of the ball. Will start off on the defensive side and provide some immediate depth. Has the versatility and strength to play multiple positions.
Ryan Keith
6-3 185 wide receiver from McGuffey HS (PA)
Ryan brings a really strong skill set as a WR. He has exceptional hands and has shown his ability to create separation on film. He had a limited role to be able to stretch the field as a WR, but he brings a LOT of physicality to the position from his pervious play style.
Ryan Hazlett
6-3 250 defensive lineman from Keystone Oaks HS (PA)
Ryan battled a shoulder injury during his senior season and never really got to show his full potential. He will be able to plug and play at multiple spots on the defensive line. He is physical and moves very well for his size.
Zander Coleman
6-2 220 tight end from Hazelton HS (PA)
Absolute complete player at the TE position. Zander can DO IT ALL, and if you watch his highlights you will see that. He literally played every position on the field for Hazleton and gives maximum effort every snap. He will win blocks with power and create separation with his frame. He will be a matchup nightmare for safeties and linebackers!
Aaron Volz
6-2 285 offensive lineman from Archbishop Spalding HS (MD)
Winning pedigree, but Aaron was a big part of the success during Archbishop Spaulding's state championship run. He is a PHYSICAL football player with
Dominic Morello
6-0 205 tight end/running back from Courtland HS (VA)
Dom in an offensive athlete that will be able to have a very versatile role within our system. He is a good runner with the ball in his hands, but also a physical player that isn't afraid to stick his nose in and block. He will be utilized in that way, as a ball carrier and blocker in our unique H-back position. Having someone with his versatility is important to be able to create matchup and formation issues for a defense.
Brady Greenough
6-1 220 flex from St Francis (NY)
Coming from a program with a rich history of winning, Brady will come in knowing how to compete and how to win. He was all over the field and is intelligent enough to pick up the defense in a hurry. He is a hart hitting backer who runs well as well.
Luke Snyder
5-10 210 flex from Shikellamy (PA)
Luke is a hardworking, tough linebacker from Central, PA. He is a downhill, physical player who can make the tough tackles all over the field.
Dwayne Wright
6-1 245 defensive lineman from Virginia Episcopal (VA)
Dwayne embodies an exemplary motor with a super fast get off. He can be a dominant defensive end in both run and pass down situations. He is an every down type player that has a very bright future in our defense.
Jacob Grimes
6-3 185 mike from Wilde-Lake (MD)
Jacob's physical presence and athletic ability shows that he can be a very diverse player in our style of defense. Our conference leading unit has been successful with fitting players into the system, not the other way around. You will see from his film, he can do it ALL on defense, and will be a versatile weapon on the defensive side of the ball.
Etienne Somuah
5-11 175 defensive back from Mountain View HS (VA)
Etienne brings a high level of both physicality and elite athleticism to the 24 class. He is another VERY explosive athlete that has the ability to be a lockdown defensive player!
