John Skelton to be Inducted into the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame

Bronx, N.Y. - Today is day six of the release of the Fordham Athletic Hall of Fame, Class of 2017, and we'll stay on Jack Coffey Field for our next honoree, a player who set numerous records on the gridiron, John Skelton, GABELLI '10. He joins Joe Moorhead, FCRH '96, Javier Martinez, FCRH '07, Kerri Gallagher, FCRH '11, Krystle Henry, FCRH '07, and Suzanne Maguire, FCRH '97 and they will be joined by five others who will be announced over the next week.
 
Skelton, Moorhead, Martinez, Maguire, Henry and Gallagher will join the likes of Frankie Frisch, Vince Lombardi, Wellington Mara and Vin Scully in the Fordham Athletics Hall of Fame when the new class is inducted on Saturday, April 22, 2017, at 583 Park, during the Inaugural Fordham Athletics Gala.
 
As part of the Gala, Fordham will also present the initial Victory Bell Award as well as honor all former team captains. The Victory Bell will be presented to individuals who have brought distinction and honor to Fordham University Athletics through achievements not related to competition, coaching and/or administration. The honoree(s) will be selected by the Hall of Fame Committee and will embody a sense of leadership and passion for Fordham Athletics and serve as inspiration to the Fordham Athletics Family.
 
A four-year starter, Skelton wrapped up a record-shattering career for the Rams as a senior in 2009, closing out the year completing 284 of 441 passes (64.4%) for 3,708 yards and 26 touchdowns, setting new school marks for completions, passing yards and completion percentage. He earned Second Team All-Patriot League honors that season.
 
Skelton led the NCAA FCS in passing yards/game (337.09) in 2009 and was ranked second in total offense (348.18 yards/game), fourth in completions per game (25.82) and total passing yards and tenth in passing efficiency (149.95). He threw for over 300 yards eight times in eleven games that fall, including four 400-yard games. Skelton completed 20 of 27 passes for 420 yards and five touchdowns against Cornell, breaking the school record for passing yards in a game, and then reset his own record two weeks later, completing 43 of 67 passes for 427 yards, all school records, against Holy Cross (he finished one passing attempt shy of the NCAA FCS record for most pass attempts in a game without an interception).
 
Twice named a Preseason All-American by Consensus Draft Services, Skelton graduated with school career records for most completions (802), passing yards (9,923) and touchdown passes (69) as well as single season records for completions (284), completion percentage (.644) and passing yards (3,708).
 
Following his senior year, Skelton was selected to play in the prestigious East-West Shrine game and he received an invitation to the NFL Combine. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals becoming the 18th Ram to be drafted by an NFL team, the first since Kenny Parker in 1968.