Fordham Football Announces 2017 Recruiting Class

Bronx, N.Y. (February 1, 2017) - Fordham University Head Football Coach Andrew Breiner announced the signing of 16 football student-athletes to letters of intent with Fordham for the 2017 season.
 
The new class features seven offensive players and seven defensive players along with two special team players. By position, defensive line leads the way with four, followed by three offensive linemen, two linebackers, two wide receivers, one running back, one defensive back, one tight end, one kicker and one long snapper.
 

The 16 newcomers hail from eight different states, from Connecticut to Florida and west to Illinois. The Nutmeg state was kind to the Rams this year with six of the 16 signees hailing from Connecticut followed by two each from Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania and one each from Florida, Indiana, Illinois and New York.
 
The new recruiting class will join 14 returning starters in 2017, eight on offense and six on defense.

In his first year, Breiner led the Rams to another winning season as Fordham compiled an 8-3 overall mark, 5-1 in the Patriot League, marking the first time the Rams have posted five consecutive winning campaigns since 1938-1942. The eight wins were the most for a first-year Fordham head football coach in modern times.
 
The 2016 Rams were led by a powerful offense, commanded by consensus All-American running back Chase Edmonds, who finished fourth in voting for the 2016 Walter Payton Award. Presented to the NCAA FCS offensive player of the year. Edmonds led the NCAA FCS in rushing yards per game (163.5) and was second in total rushing yards as well as ranking second in all-purpose yards per game (194.6) and third in rushing touchdowns. The 1,799 yards was just 39 yards shy of Edmonds' school single season record set in 2014.
 
Edmonds was one of ten Rams to earn 2016 All-Patriot League honors, with four of those also being named to the ECAC All-Star Team.
 
As a unit, the Fordham offense led the Patriot League and ranked fourth in the NCAA FCS in total offense, averaging 498.2 yards/game, and led the league and ranked 12th in the NCAA FCS in rushing offense, averaging 229.7 yards/game. The Rams also led the Patriot League and were fourth in the nation in scoring, averaging 40.1 points per game.
 
Over the past four years Fordham has won 40 games, the sixth most of any NCAA FCS program, with 29 of those coming at home, the fourth most of any FCS squad.
 
"We are thrilled to welcome the 16 new student-athletes to our program," said Breiner. "This group has great potential and brings a wealth of speed and size to our team. We can't wait for them to arrive on campus this summer and help us build on the tremendous accomplishments of the past four years."

The Rams are scheduled to open their 118th season of varsity football on Friday, September 1, as they travel to West Point, N.Y., to face the Army West Point Black Knights. Fordham is entering its 28th season as a member of the NCAA FCS Patriot League.

Here is a complete list of the 2017 newcomers:
 

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown/High School (Last School)
Marcus Alleyne	DB	5-10	180	Middletown, Conn./Taft School
Will Conley	OL	6-7	260	New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan
Glenn Cunningham	LB	6-2	220	Glastonbury, Conn./Xavier
Zach Davis	RB	5-10	170	Wallingford, Conn./Sheehan
Anthony Diodato	DL	6-4	265	Warminster, Pa./Archbishop Wood
Hamze Elzayat	WR	5-10	170	Dearborn, Mich./Fordson
Jack Gildea	TE	6-4	230	Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming
Hunter Harris	WR	6-2	181	Detroit, Mich./Detroit Loyola
Jeremy Imperati	LB	6-1	220	North Haven, Conn./Cheshire Academy
Mike Marinelli	DL	6-3	260	Staten Island, N.Y./DePaul Catholic
Andrew Mevis	K/P	5-11	190	Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community
Sawyer Schwarz	DL	6-2	260	Naples, Fla./Naples
Ellis Taylor	DL	6-3	230	Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick
Jake Trautman	OL	6-3	275	Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic
Paul Williams	LS	6-0	210	Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich
Nick Zakelj	OL	6-5	282	Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights

 

2017 Fordham University Football Recruiting Class
 
Marcus Alleyne, DB, 5-10, 180, Middletown, Conn./Taft

• Averaged 9.7 yards/carry and 16.3 yards/reception
• Led team in tackles
• 2016 team captain
• Played for head coach Tyler Whitley
• Also a member of the track squad at Taft
• Two-time New England 100m champion
• Member of the school record-setting 4x100m relay

 
 
Will Conley, OL, 6-7, 260, New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan

• Member of four state championship teams
• 2016 First Team All-FCIAC
• Played for head coach Lou Marinelli

 
 
Glenn Cunningham, LB, 6-2, 220, Glastonbury, Conn./Xavier

• 2016 First Team CHSCA All-State
• 2016 First Team All-SCC
• 2016 First Team Walter Camp All-Connecticut
• Recorded 83 tackles, 4.5 sacks and one interception in 2016
• Rushed for 1,107 yards and scored 15 touchdowns
• Served as a team captain
• Played for head coach Sean Marinan

 
 
Zach Davis, RB, 5-10, 170, Wallingford, Conn./Sheehan

• 2016 Max Preps All-American
• 2016 USA Today Connecticut Offensive Player of the Year
• 2016 Hartford Courant Offensive Player of the Year
• Averaged 358.8 yards/game in 2016
• Rushed for 3,588 yards and scored 52 total touchdowns in 2016
• Served as a team captain
• Amassed 5,232 career rushing yards and scored 95 total career touchdowns
• Played for head coach John Ferrazzi

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Anthony Diodato, DL, 6-4, 265, Warminster, Pa./Archbishop Wood

• 2016 First Team All-State 5A (OL)
• 2016 First Team All-State 5A (DL)
• 2016 5A Lineman of the Year (PA Football News)
• 2016 All-State Super 25 Class 5A Team
• Member of the 2016 District 5A and State Championship team
• Served as a team captain
• Played for head coach Steve Devlin

 
 
Hamze Elzayat, WR, 5-10, 170, Dearborn, Mich./Fordson

• 2016 MLive First Team All-State
• 2016 Detroit News First Team All-Metro
• Named 2016 Wayne County First Team All-Area
• 2016 First Team All-Conference selection
• Named team Most Valuable Player of the Year
• Named team Offensive Player of the Year
• Served as a team captain
• Played for head coach Fouad Zaban

 
 
Jack Gildea, TE, 6-4, 230, Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming

• 2016 Second Team All-CHFL
• Led team to a 12-1 record in 2016, 7-0 in the conference
• Recorded 28 receptions for 328 yards and five touchdowns
• Recorded 28 total tackles, 15 solo, and 4.5 sacks in 2016
• Served as a team captain
• Played for head coach Aaron Hancock

 
 
Hunter Harris, WR, 6-2, 181, Detroit, Mich./Detroit Loyola

• 2016 Detroit Free Press All-State
• 2016 First Team All-Detroit Catholic League
• 2016 Detroit News All-Metro
• Served as a team captain
• Member of the 2014 state championship team
• Also competed with the track team
• Earned First Team All-State honors in the 100m, 200m and 400m
• Played for head coach Paul D'Luge

 
 

Jeremy Imperati, LB, 6-1, 220, North Haven, Conn./Cheshire Academy

• 2016 First Team All-New England
• Recorded 43 total tackles, 18 tackles for loss and six sacks in 2016
• Registered 27 quarterback hurries, five forced fumbles and seven pass breakups
• An Honor Roll student
• Played for head coach David Dykeman

 
 
Mike Marinelli, DL, 6-3, 260, Staten Island, N.Y./DePaul Catholic

• 2016 Second Team All-State
• 2016 First Team All-Conference
• 2016 First Team All-County
• 2016 First Team All-Area
• 2015 First Team All-State
• Played for head coach John McKenna

 
 
Andrew Mevis, K/P, 5-11, 190, Warsaw, Ind./Warsaw Community

• A 2016 Under Armour All-American game participant where he kicked a 46-yard field goal
• 2016 Kohl's Kicking All-American
• Under Armour Skills Kicking Challenge winner
• 2016 All-State
• A two-sport athlete and Scholar-Athlete
• Played for head coach Phil Jensen

 
 
Ellis Taylor, DL, 6-3, 230, Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick

• 2016 First Team All-Chicago Catholic League
• 2016 Second Team Chicago Tribune All-Area
• 2016 team captain
• Played for head coach Gene Nudo

 
 
Sawyer Schwarz, DL, 6-2, 260, Naples, Fla./Naples

• A 2016 Florida North vs. South All-Star selection
• 2016 First Team All-FACA
• 2016 First Team All-District
• 2016 First Team All-Area
• Recorded a state-best ten sacks at defensive tackle as a senior
• Served as a team captain
• Played for head coach Bill Kramer

 
 
Jake Trautman, OL, 6-3, 275, Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Central Catholic

• 2016 First Team All-WPIAL 6A
• Member of the 2016 Pennsylvania District 7 championship team
• Member of the 2016 Pennsylvania 6A state runner-up team
• Blocked for the number one ranked rushing offensive in Pennsylvania
• Two-sport athlete who also earned All-Conference honors in baseball
• Played for head coach Terry Totten

 
 
Paul Williams, LS, 6-0, 210, Greenwich, Conn./Greenwich

• 2016 First Team All-State
• 2016 First Team All-FCIAC
• 2016 Second Team Walter Camp All-Connecticut
• Three-sport athlete (football, baseball and skiing)
• Played for head coach John Marinelli

 
 
Nick Zakelj, OL, 6-5, 282, Broadview Heights, Ohio/Brecksville-Broadview Heights

• 2016 First Team All-Suburban League
• 2016 Cleveland.com All-Star
• Led team to a school-record 425 points in 2016
• Recorded 270 total tackles during his high school career
• Served as a team captain
• Played for head coach Jason Black