Feb. 7, 2007
KINGSTON, R.I. - Rhode Island head football coach Tim Stowers announced the signing of 14 recruits to national letters of intent on national football signing day, Wednesday.
The Rams welcome three players from the state of Rhode Island, including Gatorade State Player of the Year DB Matt Hansen (Providence, R.I.), and OL Stan Sturgis (Warren, R.I.) from LaSalle Academy. Linebacker Dan O'Connell (Barrington, R.I.) is already enrolled for the spring semester after playing in the fall at Milford Academy.
"I am excited about all the new players that we are bringing in," said Stowers. "We are expecting a number of our new signees to have an immediate impact on filling the needs we have on the defensive side of the ball. We don't have as many signees on offense because of how many players we have returning there. Although our new offensive guys are few in number, they are high in quality."
Following is a brief description of all the 2007 signees:
University of Rhode Island 2007 Football Signees
Chase Daniels, 6-3, 220, DE, Indian Hills H.S./Cincinnati, Ohio
Second-Team All-State, First-Team Southwestern Ohio defensive end ... also garnered First-Team CHL, First-Team All-City, First-Team Cincinnati Enquirer as a senior ... East-West All-Star Game participant ... team captain and co-defensive player of the year in 2006 ... totaled 76 tackles, nine sacks for coach Kieven Siple and the Braves.
Alex Francois, 5-11,185, CB, Valley Forge Military/Willingboro, N.J.
Transferring to Rhode Island after garnering First-Team All Seaboard Conference defensive back honors at Valley Forge Military...three-year starting running back at Holy Cross (N.J.) High School ... also played basketball and was a sprinter on the track team.
Graylord Gedeon, 6-1, 235, LB, Boca Raton Christian/Boca Raton, Fla.
Totaled 95 tackles in 2006 at Camden Military under head coach Will Rice ... was a second-Team All-Palm Beach County linebacker as a senior at Boca Raton Christian in 2005 under head coach William Hood...compiled 50 tackles, 8 TFL, two sacks, four fumble recoveries while also compiling 1,256 yards of total offense to go along with 16 TDs...selected to play in the Outback Bowl All-Star Game...was the starting shooting guard on the basketball team, averaging 18.8 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists as a senior.
Terence Glenn, 6-0, 175, QB, Stonebridge H.S./Ashburn, Va.
First-Team All-Liberty District quarterback in 2005 and 2006 at Stonebridge under coach Mickey Thompson ... two-year starter for the Bulldogs that were the Liberty District Champs last season (10-1) and the Virginia state runners-up (12-2) in 2005 ... rushed for 1,041 yards and 15 TDs while throwing for 1,420 yards and 11 TDs en route to being named Liberty League Offensive Player of the Year during a standout junior season ... also a standout guard in basketball.
Matt Hansen, 5-11, 195, LB, LaSalle Academy/Providence, R.I.
Named the 2006-07 Gatorade Thirst Quencher Rhode Island Football Player of the Year ... despite platooning at running back as a senior, still managed to rush for 1,353 yards on 105 carries (12.9 yards per carry) and scored 16 TDs ... also caught five passes for 114 yards and another TD ... led the Ram defense with 86 tackles, while recording four INTs, two fumble recoveries and three sacks ... "He only knows one speed on the football field: 100 miles per hour. He's a player the other kids look up to. He treats kids like he wants to be treated. He's a good kid with a good head on his shoulders," said La Salle coach Geoff Marcone ... is the third-straight La Salle Academy player to win the award in the past five years and fourth overall, joining a list that includes UMass quarterback Liam Coen (2003-04) and Bryant University running back Lorenzo Perry (2002-03).
Joseph Harris, 5-11, 200, LB, Lowell H.S./Lowell, Mass.
Will play linebacker at Rhode Island ... All-State selection and Shriner's All-Star Game participant in 2006 ... Boston Globe 2006 All-Scholastic team ... 2006 MVC Player of the Year for head coach Scott Boyle ... ran for 1,018 yards and 18 TDs, while totaling 80 tackles as a senior ... finished high school career with over 2,200 yards rushing, 40 TDs and 220 tackles ... rushed for 254 yards and three TDs on only 14 carries vs. Methuen in 2006 ... also a basketball and track letterman ... born in Monrovia, Liberia
Willie McGinnis, 6-3, 250, DL, Bainbridge-Guilford H.S./Norwich, N.Y.
Intense, active linebacker who will play defensive lineman for the Rams ... also saw time at offensive guard and fullback ... three-year starter and captain for coach Tim Mattingly at Bainbridge-Guilford ... Daily Star All-Defensive Team selection ... had a five-TD game, rushing for 155 yards, in a 52-7 win over Hancock in 2006 ... also a standout basketball and baseball player ... played basketball in last summer's Empire State Games.
Robert Meredith, 6-3, 330, DL, Lackawanna C.C./Brooklyn, N.Y.
Already enrolled for the spring semester ... junior College transfer from Lackawanna C.C. ... defensive tackle for coach Mark Duda and the Falcons ... was a four-year starter at Boys & Girls High School in Brooklyn ... was a Brooklyn All-Star and team captain for coach Barry O'Conner and the Kangaroos.
Dan O'Connell, 6-0, 210, LB, Milford Academy/Barrington, R.I.
Already enrolled for the spring semester ... played the 2006 season at Milford Academy under coach Bill Chaplick ... before that, was a four-year starter for coach Bill McCagney at Barrington ... was named the MVP of the Division I title game after rushing for 167 yards, including a 32-yard TD, and returning a punt 56 yards for another score to lead the Eagles to victory .... rushed for over 1,400 yards for the season, while registering 65 tackles from his safety position.
Matt Patterson, 6-4, 220, FS, Glendale C.C./Burbank, Calif.
Already enrolled for the spring semester .... junior College transfer from Glendale C.C. ... 2006 Western State Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Second-Team All-American ... seven career interceptions at Glendale ... two-year starter at John Burroughs High School totaling 156 tackles and 6 interceptions and garnering all-league honors twice ... also was and all-league triple jumper on the track team.
Evan Shields, 5-10, 175, WR, Gonzaga College H.S./Adelphi, Md.
A speedy wideout who was a two-year letterman for coach Kenny Lucas at Gonzaga ... also a standout 400- and 800-meter runner on the track team ... older brother Arman is a junior wide receiver at Richmond that garnered second-team All-Atlantic 10 honors in 2006.
Stan Sturgis, 6-0, 280, OL, LaSalle Academy/Warren, R.I.
A first-team All-State football player and a second-team All-State lacrosse player ... captain for his senior season as the Rams finished with a 10-2 record and in the RIIL State Semifinals ... father Greg played three years at Rhode Island and was an All-American offensive lineman for the 1985 Yankee Conference Championship team.
Steven Weedon, 6-3, 240, LB, Valley Forge Military/Silver Spring, Md.
Junior college transfer from Valley Forge Military ... played linebacker for Dennis Orlando and the Trojans ... was an All-County and All-State linebacker at Richard Montgomery High School ... started all four years for coach Mike Bonavita ... had 91 tackles as a junior and was named All-Met by the Washington Post in his senior season when he had 113 tackles and 8 sacks on defense, while rushing 199 times for 1,769 yards (8.9 YPC) and 18 TDs on offense to lead the state in rushing yards ... also threw three touchdown passes ... as a senior, he was named to George Michael's Golden 11, a top honor in the state of Maryland ... also was an All-Met basketball player that averaged 20 points and 7 rebounds per game during his senior season ... father, Steve Sr., also played football for Richard Montgomery and played college football at the University of Minnesota.
Jarrod Williams, 6-1, 200, RB, West Chester East H.S./Glen Mills, Pa.
Athletic utility back who could see time at a number of positions ... rushed for 881 yards and 11 TDs as a senior, averaging 10.5 yards per carry ... First-Team All-Ches-Mont League selection as a junior and senior under coach Joe Carroll ... scored two TDs as the Vikings won the Ches-Mont League Championship, 28-7, over Downington East in 2006 ... rushed for three TDs, including a 53-yarder, in a 49-48 victory over Upper Darby last season.
