Photo Gallery (Practice) | Photo Gallery (Wide Receivers/Tight Ends)
 
Bronx, N.Y. (August 14, 2014) – After checking out the 2014 Fordham football running game yesterday, today it's time to look at the receiving unit, including the tight ends.
 
To say the Rams return a wealth of receiving options would be an understatement. Fordham returns not one, not two, but three wide receivers who amassed more than 1,000 receiving yards in 2013: Sam Ajala, Brian Wetzel and Tebucky Jones, Jr. Those three combined for 3,894 receiving yards, more yards than all but six NCAA FCS schools had in total for the season.
 

Ajala, a 2013 consensus All-American, led the way last fall with 93 receptions for 1,646 yards, both team highs, with 14 touchdowns, tying for the team lead. He broke Javarus Dudley's 2003 school record of 1,439 receiving yards in a season and tied Dudley's school record for receiving touchdowns in a season, also set in 2003. Ajala was second in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards and second in the Patriot League and fourth in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards per game (117.6). He also ranked among the top 20 nationally in receiving touchdowns (tied for fourth) and receptions per game (12^th).
 
Wetzel, who received second team All-Patriot League accolades at both wide receiver and punt returner in 2013, was the second leading receiver for the Rams last year, catching 89 passes for 1,094 yards and 14 touchdowns (tying Ajala's and Dudley school mark) while also returning 24 punts for 287 yards with one score. He is the first player in school history to have two 80-yard punt returns, returning one for 84 yards at Saint Francis and then another for 81 yards and a score at Colgate. He tied for the Patriot League lead and was tied for fourth in the NCAA FCS in receiving touchdowns and was fourth in the League and 17^th in the NCAA FCS in receptions per game and fourth in the conference, and 17^th in the NCAA FCS, in receiving yards. Wetzel also led the Patriot League and was eighth in the NCAA FCS in punt return average (12.0/return).
 

Jones, a second team All-League pick last fall, enjoyed a prolific first season at Fordham, after transferring in from UConn. On the year, he caught 85 passes for 1,154 yards and five touchdowns. He ranked third in the Patriot League and 15^th in the NCAA FCS in receptions per game (6.5) and was third in the League and 13^th in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards and fourth in the conference and 23^rd in the NCAA FCS in receiving yards/game (88.8).
 
The fourth leading receiver in 2013 for the Rams was tight end Dan Light, who earned All-America and First Team All-Patriot League honors after catching 66 passes (a school record for tight ends) for 588 yards (the second most receiving yards for a Fordham tight end) and two touchdowns. Light ranked second among all NCAA FCS tight ends in receptions per game (4.7) and third in receiving yards per game (42.0) and was eighth in the Patriot League in receptions per game (4.7) and tenth in receiving yards per game (33.2).
 
The top four are the tip of a big iceberg for the deep Fordham receiving corps, as the Rams return eight players who caught at least one pass last year. Marcus Jones, who caught ten passes for 126 yards in seven games last year, Jorge Solano, who hauled in ten passes for 116 yards and a score last fall, and Tony Patrignelli.
 
Also back at wide out for the Rams in 2014 are Luke Arlotto, Kyvaune Brammer, Robbie Cantelli, and Ben Johnson while Phazahn Odom and Adam Malkiewicz join Light at tight end.
 
Newcomers joining the mix include wide receiver Liam Cadman and Conor Cassidy and tight end James Orfini. Cadman is a graduate of Benet Academy in Lisle, Illinois, where led the team in catches (24) and yards (352) as a senior while Cassidy comes to Fordham from Don Bosco Prep where he helped the team to a pair of state championships (2010, 2011) and one National Championship (2011). Orfini was an All-Conference player at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C.