Bronx, N.Y. (February 3, 2023) - Fordham University Head Football Coach
Joe Conlin announced the signing of 20 football student-athletes to letters of intent with Fordham for the 2023 season.
The new class features 12 offensive players and eight defensive players. By position, offensive line and defensive back lead the way with four each, followed by three each at defensive line, running back, and wide receiver, two quarterbacks, and one linebacker.
The 20 newcomers hail from ten different states. Four newcomers hail from Pennsylvania and three are from California. Connecticut, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, and New York are represented by two of the newly signed recruits with one coming from Georgia, Maryland, and Texas.
Here is a complete list of the 2022 newcomers:
| Name |
Pos. |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Hometown/High School (Last School) |
| Mason Dietrich |
OL |
6-4 |
275 |
Massapequa, N.Y./Chaminade |
| Owen Duetsch |
OL |
6-8 |
305 |
Oakdale, Conn./St. Thomas More |
| Justin Fontana |
LB |
6-2 |
196 |
Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII |
| Collin Gerger |
OL |
6-4 |
275 |
Oak Lawn, Ill./St. Rita of Cascia High |
| Ricky Gonzalez |
WR |
6-0 |
190 |
San Antonio, Texas/Antonian College Prep |
| Jamell James |
RB |
5-10 |
225 |
Youngstown, Ohio/Austintown-Fitch |
| Aiden Jeter |
DL |
6-3 |
255 |
Buford, Ga./Buford |
| Justin Johnson |
DB |
6-2 |
185 |
Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad |
| Nathan Lindsey |
DB |
5-10 |
195 |
Beaver, Pa./Aliquippa |
| CJ Montes |
QB |
6-2 |
200 |
Pasadena, Calif./Paraclete (New Mexico) |
| Kevin Nizolek |
DL |
6-3 |
225 |
Madison, Conn./Avon Old Farm |
| Andrew Osmun |
DB |
6-1 |
201 |
Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove Area |
| KJ Reed |
WR |
5-11 |
175 |
Irvine, Calif./Mission Viejo |
| Jacob Rodriguez |
RB |
5-8 |
177 |
Kearny, N.J./Hudson Catholic |
| Vincent Rugai |
RB |
6-0 |
190 |
Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep |
| Mathani Swinson |
DB |
6-0 |
180 |
Reisterstown, Md./McDonogh |
| John Scott |
DL |
6-2 |
225 |
State College, Pa./State College Area |
| Dante Torres |
QB |
6-3 |
190 |
Melville, N.Y./St. Anthony's |
| Nodin Tracy |
WR |
6-0 |
175 |
Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny |
| Colin Von Rooy |
OL |
6-5 |
300 |
Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville |
Mason Dietrich (OL, 6-4, 275, Massapequa, N.Y./Chaminade)
• A First Team All-Long Island selection.
• Named All-League.
• Served as a team captain.
• Played center as a senior in 2022.
• Named to
Newsday's annual list of the top 100 high school football players on Long Island heading into the 2022 season.
• Played for head coach Kevin Dolan
Owen Duetsch (OL, 6-8, 305, Oakdale, Conn./St. Thomas More)
• Played for head coach Ernest Anderson at St. Thomas More.
• Played at Summit High School from 2019-2021 in Summit, N.J.
Justin Fontana (LB, 6-2, 196, Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII)
• Recipient of the Super Football Conference Young Man of The Year Award.
• Named the Pope John XXIII High School Football Scholar-Athlete by the National Football Foundation.
• Played for head coach Dom Gaston.
• Played at the same high school as Fordham All-American linebacker
Ryan Greenhagen.
Collin Gerger (OL, 6-4, 275, Oak Lawn, Ill./St. Rita of Cascia)
• An Honorable mention
Chicago Sun-Times All-Area team selection.
• Led team to a 10-3 record in 2022 and a fifth-place ranking in Illinois by MaxPreps.
• Played for head coaches Todd Kuska and Martin Hopkins.
Ricky Gonzalez (WR, 6-0, 180, San Antonio, Texas/Antonian Prep)
• A First Team Division 1 All-State selection.
• First Team All-District
• Named Offensive MVP
• Played in the 2023 San Antonio Sports All-Star football game.
• Stats: 71 catches, 1100+ receiving yards, 11 touchdowns, 1300+ all-purpose yards.
• Played for a District Championship team.
• Played for head coach Danny Padron.
Jamell James (RB, 5-10, 225, Youngstown, Ohio/Austintown-Fitch)
• Member of the WKBN Big 22 Team in 2022.
• Rushed for 1,240 yards in 2022 and accounted for 22 total touchdowns while helping lead Austintown Fitch to 10 wins and a berth in the Division II playoffs.
• Had 305 yards rushing and six touchdowns against Mayfield in the playoffs, both school records.
• Played for head coach T.J. Parker.
Aiden Jeter (DT, 6-3, 255, Buford, Ga./Buford)
• Member of three Class AAAAAA State Championship teams.
• Recipient of the Kevin Maloof Award (Player who puts team above himself).
• Played for head coach Bryant Appling
Justin Johnson (DB, 6-2, 185, Carlsbad, Calif./Carlsbad)
• Named First Team All-CIF.
• Rated the #14 recruit in the San Diego Section.
• Had 32 receptions for a team-high 732 yards and a team-best ten touchdowns in 2022.
• Helped Carlsbad to four straight Avocado League titles.
• Played for head coach Thadd MacNeal.
• Member of the 2022 State Championship squad at Aliquippa.
• Named one of the
Beaver Times' Top 40 Football Players.
• Named to the All-Academic team.
• Played for head coach Mike Warfield.
CJ Montes (QB, 6-2, 200, Pasadena, Calif./Paraclete (New Mexico)
• A transfer from the University of New Mexico.
• Saw action in three games as a freshman.
• Completed 7-of-13 passes for 28 yards and rushed for 28 yards as well against UNLV.
• Part of Paraclete High School's Division 3-AA state title team.
• Threw for 2,200 yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior.
• Played for head coach Dean Harrington at Paraclete.
Kevin Nizolek (DL, 6-3, 225, Madison, Conn./Avon Old Farms)
• Earned First Team All-New England Honors.
• Played for head coach Jon Wholley, a former Fordham assistant coach.
Andrew Osman (DB, 6-1, 201, Spring Grove Area/Spring Grove, Pa.)
• A two-time All-State selection.
• Played for head coach Will Thompson.
KJ Reed (WR, 5-11, 175, Irvine, Calif./Mission Viejo)
• Appeared in the 63rd Orange County North-South All-Star Classic.
• A First Team All-League selection.
• Named one of the top 50 unsigned seniors in California prior to signing day.
• Hauled in 33 passes for 549 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior.
• Played for head coach Chad Johnson.
Jacob Rodriguez (RB, 5-8, 177, Kearny, N.J./Hudson Catholic)
• A NJ.com Third Team, All-Non-Public Offense selection.
• Rushed 140 times for 1,002 yards and ten touchdowns in just eight games while also catching 22 passes for 159 yards and a score as a senior.
• Rushed 152 times for 1,344 yards and 18 scores as a junior in 2021.
• Career stats: 305 rushes for 2,442 yards and 30 touchdowns
• Played for head coach
Louie Zampella
Vincent Rugai (RB, 6-0, 190, Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius College Prep)
• CCL Lawless Player of the Year.
• An All-State selection.
• Named to Sun-Times All Area team.
• The #4 rated running back in Illinois.
• Played for head coach Matt Miller.
John Scott (DL, 6-2, 225, State College, Pa./State College Area)
• Led 2022 team to semifinals of the state championship.
• Member of the 2022 PIAA District 6 Champs.
• 139 total tackles, 87 solo, 5.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks with one interception as a senior.
• Team went 13-1 in 2022.
• 105 total tackles, 65 solo, 21.0 TFL, 7.0 sacks as a junior.
• Played for head coach Matt Lintal
Mathani Swinson (DB, 6-0, 185, Reisterstown, Md./The McDonogh School)
• 44 total tackles, 1 TFL, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery as a senior.
• Recorded two interceptions, three tackles for loss, and five pass break-ups as a junior.
• Played for head coach Hakeem Sule.
• Also a member of the McDonogh basketball squad.
Dante Torres (QB, 6-3, 190, Melville, N.Y./St. Anthony's)
• 2022-23 Gatorade New York Football Player of the Year.
• 2022 MaxPreps New York High School Football Player of the Year.
• Recipient of
Newsday's Rich Reichert Award as Long Island's best Catholic League football player.
• Named to Long Island's Elite 11 Team.
• Helped St. Anthony's overcome a 20-point third-quarter deficit, running for two fourth quarter touchdowns, to capture the state title with a 27-20 win over St. Francis of Buffalo.
• Passed for 3,320 yards and 35 touchdowns, and also rushed for 504 yards and 13 scores, in 2022.
• Totaled a school-record 509 all-purpose yards to lead the Friars to the CHSFL title with a 50-18 win over Iona Prep.
• Played for head coach Joe Minucci.
Nodin Tracy (WR, 6-0, 175, Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny)
• First Team WPIAL All-Conference selection.
• Named WPIAL Class 4A Parkway All-Conference by
Post-Gazette.
• 110 carries for 493 yards with eleven touchdowns and 15 catches for 178 yards and three scores as a senior.
• Career stats: 255 rushes for 1,185 yards and 20 touchdowns/62 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns
• Played for head coach Dave Schoppe.
Colin Van Rooy (OL, 6-5, 300, Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville)
• Named First Team Division 1 All Ohio.
• Named 2022 First Team All-Area.
• A First Team OPSWA All-Ohio selection.
• Played for head coach Louis Cirino.
