Fordham Football Adds Five to 2020 Recruiting Class
14 Student-Athletes Set to Join Rams in 2020
Bronx, N.Y. (February 5, 2020) - Fordham University Head Football Coach
Joe Conlin announced the signing of five additional football student-athletes to letters of intent with Fordham for the 2020 season. They join the nine student-athletes who signed letters of intent in December.
The new signees are
Patrick Barr (Montclair, N.J./Montclair),
Andy Buttrell (Argyle, Texas/Liberty Christian School),
Mike Courtney (Mahopac, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep),
Jed Denobile (Upper Saddle River, N.J./Bergen Catholic), and
Grant Wilson (Arlington, Va./Yorktown).
The new class features seven defensive players and seven offensive players. By position, defensive backs lead the way with five, followed by three offensive linemen, two each at wide receiver and defensive line, and one each at running back and quarterback.
The 14 newcomers hail from six different states, with three being high school teammates. New Jersey is home to four signees while Georgia was kind to the Rams this year with three of the 14 signees hailing from the Peach State, all three products of Lanier High School. Maryland and Texas each provided two incoming freshmen for the Rams while the other four newcomers hail from New York, Ohio, and Virginia.
"We are excited to welcome these talented student-athletes to our program," said Conlin. "Each member of this class has had tremendous success in high school and we're looking forward to seeing them continue that success here at Fordham. We're anxiously awaiting their arrival to Rose Hill so that they can get their collegiate careers started."
The Rams are scheduled to open their 120th season of varsity football on Saturday, August 29, as they host the Stony Brook University Seawolves on Jack Coffey Field. Fordham is entering its 31st season as a member of the NCAA FCS Patriot League.
Here is a complete list of the 2020 newcomers:
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown/High School (Last School) |
| Taj Barnes |
RB |
5-9 |
185 |
Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier |
| Patrick Barr |
OL |
6-3 |
270 |
Montclair, N.J./Montclair |
| Andy Buttrell |
OL |
6-6 |
298 |
Argyle, Texas/Liberty Christian School |
| Mike Courtney |
DB |
5-11 |
190 |
Mahopac, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep |
| Jed Denobile |
DB |
6-0 |
185 |
Upper Saddle River, N.J./Bergen Catholic |
| Mekai Felton |
WR |
5-10 |
183 |
Reisterstown, Md./Franklin |
| Rich Hofus |
DL |
6-4 |
265 |
Canfield, Ohio/Canfield |
| Kyle Jacob |
DB |
6-0 |
210 |
Paramus, N.J./Paramus |
| Cody Johnson |
OL |
6-3 |
270 |
The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands |
| Nahil Perkins |
DB |
5-11 |
160 |
Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier |
| Jordan Riley |
DB |
6-1 |
191 |
Forestville, Md./National Christian Academy |
| Cole Thornton |
WR |
6-3 |
170 |
Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier |
| Jason Walker |
DL |
6-2 |
230 |
Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute |
| Grant Wilson |
QB |
6-3 |
203 |
Arlington, Va./Yorktown |
2020 Fordham University Football Recruiting Class
Taj Barnes, RB, 5-9, 185, Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier
- Named Region 8-AAAAAA Offensive Player of the Year
- Also named to the Region 8-AAAAAA All-Region team
- An All-County selection
- Rushed for 1,752 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior in 2019
- Also caught a pair of touchdown passes
- Helped the Longhorns to a 10-2 record in 2019
- One of three players from Lanier to sign with the Rams, joining Nahil Perkins, and Cole Thornton
- Played with LSU signee Phillip Webb at Lanier
- Played for head coach Korey Mobbs at Lanier High School in Buford, Georgia.
- Brother, Ashton, signed to play football at Air Force in 2015
Patrick Barr, OL, 6-3, 270, Montclair, N.J./Montclair
- Member of the 2017 New Jersey State championship team
- Led the Montclair offense to over 2,300 rushing yards in 2019
- Served as a team captain
- Played for head coach John Fiore at Montclair High School
- Also competed with the wrestling and baseball squads
Andy Buttrell, OL, 6-6, 298, Argyle, Texas/Liberty Christian School
- Named a Top 2020 Lone Star OL prospect
- A 2019 TAPPS All-State selection
- Also named All-District in 2019
- Played for head coach Steven Greek at Liberty Christian School
Mike Courtney, DB, 5-11, 190, Mahopac, N.Y./Don Bosco Prep
- A 2019 All-County selection
- Led team to a 2019 State Championship appearance
- Senior stats: 103 tackles, three interceptions
- Played for head coach Dan Sabella at Don Bosco Prep
Jed Denobile, DB, 6-0, 185, Upper Saddle River, N.J./Bergen Catholic
- A 2019 All-County selection
- Led team to a 2018 State Championship appearance
- Senior stats: 49 tackles, three pass breakups, one interception
- Played for head coach Vito Campanile at Bergen Catholic
Mekai Felton, WR, 5-10, 183, Reisterstown, Md./Franklin
- 2019 All-County selection
- 2019 Crab Bowl selection
- Member of the 2018 Maryland State Championships team
- Played for head coach Anthony Burgos at Franklin High School in Reisterstown, Maryland
Rich Hofus, DL, 6-4, 265, Canfield, Ohio/Canfield
- Named Honorable Mention All- Division III OPSWA All-Ohio
- Named First Team All-Northeast Inland District by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association
- A First Team All-County and All-Conference selection
- Preseason contender for the 2019 WKBN Big 22 Award
- Led Cardinals to back-to-back regional finals
- Also competed with the wrestling, baseball and track and field teams
- Played for head coach Mike Pavlansky at Canfield high School in Canfield, Ohio
Kyle Jacob, DB, 6-0, 210, Paramus, N.J./Paramus
- Named 2019 First Team All-Group 3
- 2019 All-Bergen County selection
- The Paramus all-time rushing leader with 2,934 career rushing yards
- Recorded 107 total tackles, nine forced fumbles and four interceptions as a senior in 2019
- Also competed with the wrestling squad at Paramus, advancing to the state finals as a junior in 2018
- Played for head coach Joe Sabella at Paramus High School in Paramus, N.J.
Cody Johnson, OL, 6-3, 270, The Woodlands, Texas/The Woodlands
- 2019 All-District selection
- Named a Top 100 recruit in Houston
- Led 2019 team to the 6A State Playoffs
- A multi-year starter
- Played for head coach Jim Rapp at The Woodlands High School in The Woodlands, Texas
Nahil Perkins, DB, 5-11, 160, Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier
- 2019 All-County selection
- 2019 All-Region pick
- Recorded 52 total tackles with 17 PBUs as a senior in 2019
- Helped the Longhorns to a 10-2 record in 2019
- One of three players from Lanier to sign with the Rams, joining Taj Barnes and Cole Thornton
- Played with LSU signee Phillip Webb at Lanier
- Played for head coach Korey Mobbs at Lanier High School in Buford, Georgia.
Jordan Riley, DB, 6-1, 191, Forestville, Md./National Christian Academy
- 2019 team captain
- Led team to a 7-3 record in 2019
- Recorded 33 total tackles with two interceptions as a senior in 2019
- Played for head coach Andre Kates at National Christian Academy in Fort Washington, Maryland
Cole Thornton, WR, 6-3, 170, Sugar Hill, Ga./Lanier
- 2019 All-Region selection
- 2019 Honorable Mention All-County pick
- Caught 35 passes for 674 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior in 2019
- Helped the Longhorns to a 10-2 record in 2019
- Lanier's 2019 Kevin Maloof Award recipient
- One of three players from Lanier to sign with the Rams, joining Taj Barnes and Nahil Perkins
- Played with LSU signee Phillip Webb at Lanier
- Played for head coach Korey Mobbs at Lanier High School in Buford, Georgia.
Jason Walker, DL, 6-2, 230, Buffalo, N.Y./St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute
- 2019 All-Western New York selection
- Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association Co-Defensive Player of the Year
- Recorded 11.5 TFLs as a senior in 2019
- A Trench Trophy Hall of Fame inductee
- A three-year starter
- Played for head coach Derek Landri at St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute in Buffalo, N.Y.
Grant Wilson, QB, 6-3, 203, Arlington, Va./Yorktown
- Two-time District 6A Offensive Player of the Year
- Two-time First Team All-District selection
- Senior Stats: 179-264, 2,632 yards, 24 TDs
- Senior Stats: 315 rushing yards, eight TDs
- Junior Stats: 134-213, 1,770 yards, 15 TDs
- Played for head coach Halfpint Stewart at Yorktown High School
