University of Delaware Athletics
Football Inks 18 Recruits on Early Signing Day
12/4/2024 12:27:00 PM | Football
NEWARK, Del. – Head Coach Ryan Carty and the University of Delaware football team announced the addition of 18 newcomers to the program on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period. The 18 newcomers, who will all join the Blue Hens as all members of the Delaware Class of 2029, include 11 defensive and seven offensive players.
Overall, the newest Blue Hens hail from eight different states, including five from Florida and four from New Jersey. They consist of 10 student-athletes who were ranked three-star recruits by major recruiting outlets, 17 who were team captains of their high school programs, and 16 who were multi-sport athletes. The class combined to win five state championships and 12 other championships on the gridiron during their high school careers.
EJ Archield Jr.
EJ Archield Jr.
QB | 6-4 | 220
Tampa, Fla. / Gaither
Bio: Three-year starter and team captain in high school … Spent first three seasons at Robinson High School before playing senior season at Gaither High School … Led Gaither to a district championship and state runner-up finish in 2024 … Hillsborough County Rising Stars Academy Scholarship recipient in 2024 … Passed for 2,448 yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior with a .602 completion percentage … Rushed for 300 yards and seven scores … Led Robinson to a district championship in 2023 … Passed for 2,019 yards and 23 touchdowns as a junior while rushing for 531 yards and five scores … Also a three-year captain of the track & field team, reaching the state finals in the discus … In the classroom, was an honors student … Named a three-star recruit by On3 and a two-star by Rivals.
Jaxson Bowman
Jaxson Bowman
TE | 6-5 | 255
Cherry Hill, N.J. / Cherry Hill East
Bio: Four-year starter and team captain at Cherry Hill High School East … Helped lead Cherry Hill East to conference championships in 2022 and 2024 … Three-time All-WJFL selection … Finished career with 46 tackles, 598 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns … A two-way player, recorded 90 career tackles with 24.0 TFLs and 7.5 sacks … Also a starter on the lacrosse team, earning all-conference honors and winning a conference championship in 2022 … Father, Michael, played football at Saint Francis … In the classroom, was an honor roll student.
Emmanuel Doku
Emmanuel Doku
WR | 6-5 | 190
Willingboro, N.J. / Holy Cross Prep
Bio: Three-year starter at Holy Cross Prep Academy, serving as a team captain … Helped lead Holy Cross to a WJFL United Division championship as a senior … Earned first team all-conference honors as a junior and All-Burlington County honors as a senior … Finished career with 1,005 receiving yards, 1,511 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns … As a senior, caught 42 passes for 612 yards and six touchdowns … Also a starter on the basketball team, earning Burlington County Player of the Year honors … Cousin, Eamonn Dennis, played football at Michigan and Ohio, and cousin, Demie Sumo Karngebaye, is a running back at Kentucky.
Nasir Eatmon
Nasir Eatmon
DB | 6-0 | 180
Waldorf, Md. / North Point
Bio: Four-year starter and team captain in high school … Spent one year at Friendship Collegiate Academy and played final three years at North Point High School … Helped lead North Point to a 2022 state championship, a state runner-up finish in 2023 and a county championship in 2024 … Earned first team all-conference honors as a senior … Finished career with 160 tackles, five interceptions, four forced fumbles, a sack and nine total touchdowns … Set the state record for blocked field goals and PAT attempts … Also a starter on the basketball team … In the classroom, was an honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society … Named a three-star recruit by On3.
Brandon Gorham
Brandon Gorham
DL | 6-3 | 235
Odenton, Md. / Arundel
Bio: Two-year starter and team captain at Arundel High School … Helped lead Arundel to state runner-up finishes in 2022 and 2023 … As a senior, recorded 20 tackles, 9.0 sacks and two forced fumbles … Recovered four fumbles for three touchdowns … Also a member of the basketball, wrestling and track & field teams … Named a three-star recruit by 247.
AJ Graham
AJ Graham
DB | 6-1 | 195
Mooresville, N.C. / Mooresville High School
Bio: Four-year starter and two-time captain at Mooresville High School … Helped lead Mooresville to three conference championships … Had two interceptions in a game six different times … Selected to play in the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas, the national’s oldest high school all-star game … Also a member of the track & field and basketball teams.
Yamdry Hernandez
Yamdry Hernandez
DL | 6-3 | 210
Atlantic City, N.J. / ACIT
Bio: Three-year starter and team captain in high school … Played at Atlantic City High School for two years before playing senior season at Atlantic County Institute of Technology … In three games as a junior, recorded 10 tackles, 4.0 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery … Also played basketball, leading the division in blocks, and track & field … Broke school records in 100-meter (10.80) and was on record-setting relays in 4x400, 4x200 and 4x100 … Recipient of ACIT’s 2023-24 Scholar Athlete Award.
Noah Jefferson
Noah Jefferson
DB | 6-1 | 187
Hampton, Va. / Phoebus
Bio: Three-year starter and a team captain at Phoebus High School … Helped lead Phoebus to three state championships … Earned first team all-district and all-region honors as a senior as well as all-state and All-Tidewater honors as a junior … Recorded 45 tackles, 10 TFLs, eight pass breakups and two interceptions as a senior … Had six catches for 75 yards in 2023 state championship game … Older brother, Nolan James, is a quarterback at Norfolk State … Named a three-star recruit by On3.
Jamarion Kolagbodi
Jamarion Kolagbodi
DB | 5-11 | 168
Fort Wayne, Ind. / Snider High School
Bio: Four-year starter and two-time captain at Snider High School … Helped lead Snider to a state championship title in 2023 … Named first team all-conference as a senior and earned all-state honors as a junior … Recorded five interceptions as a junior and averaged 36.4 yards on kickoff returns… Also a member of the track & field team … Named a three-star recruit by On3 and 247.
Gevaris Lassiter
Gevaris Lassiter
LB | 6-2 | 213
Upper Marlboro, Md. / Bishop McNamara
Bio: Three-year starter and team captain at Bishop McNamara High School … Earned first team all-conference honors in 2024 after being named second team all-conference in 2023 … Recorded at least 60 tackles in both his junior and senior seasons … Also a member of the basketball team, earning team MVP honors.
Azir Lee
Azir Lee
DB | 6-0 | 170
Camden, N.J. / Camden
Bio: Three-year starter at Camden High School … Helped lead Camden to back-to-back sectional championships in 2022 and 2023 … Earned first team all-conference and First Team All-South Jersey honors as a junior after recording six interceptions and returning one for a touchdown … Recorded 30 tackles, two interceptions and a fumble recovery as a senior … Also a member of the track & field team … In the classroom, was an honor roll student … Named a three-star recruit by On3, 247, ESPN, Rivals.
Keveun Mason
Keveun Mason
RB | 5-10 | 185
Avon Park, Fla. / Sebring
Bio: Was a four-year starter and three-time captain in high school … Spent two seasons at Lake Placid High School before playing his junior season at Fort Meade Middle-Senior High School and his final year at Sebring High School … Helped lead Fort Meade to a district championship in 2023 … Ran for 1,807 yards and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore … Rushed for 1,334 yards and 15 touchdowns, as well as two kickoff return scores, as a junior … As a senior, ran for 1,112 yards and 15 scores … Had 25 career games with at least 100 yards rushing, including six games with at least 200 yards … Also a starter and captain on the basketball team and a member of the track & field team, winning a state championship … Named a three-star recruit by 247.
Jared Porter
Jared Porter
RB | 5-7 | 157
Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East
Bio: Four-year starter and team captain at Central Dauphin East High School … Earned all-state honors as a junior … Rushed for 1,807 yards on 198 carries, averaging 9.1 yards per carry, and totaled 2,157 all-purpose yards and 17 total touchdowns … Set a school record with six touchdowns in one game … Rushed for 3,106 yards and 30 touchdowns through first three seasons … Also a member of the wrestling team … Named a three-star recruit by On3 and Rivals.
Micah Pryor
Micah Pryor
DL | 6-3 | 245
Stone Mountain, Ga. / Greater Atlanta Christian
Bio: Three-year starter at Greater Atlanta Christian School … Earned all-state honorable mention honors … Recorded 49 tackles, 9.0 TFLs and 5.0 sacks as a senior … Finished career with 108 tackles, 19.0 TFLs and 11.5 sacks … Set a school record with 3.5 sacks in one game … Also a member of the soccer and wrestling teams.
Julius Puryear
Julius Puryear
LB | 6-2 | 215
Stuart, Fla. / Jensen Beach
Bio: Four-year starter and two-time captain at Jensen Beach High School … Helped lead Jensen Beach to a district championship and regional finals appearance in 2023 … ESPN South Florida Top-63 All-State selection … Set school record for tackles, finishing with 252 over his final three seasons … Had 33 sacks, 92 TFLs and six interceptions … Earned first team all-area honors as a sophomore and junior … Recorded 103 tackles, 47 TFLs, 11 sacks and three interceptions as a junior … In the classroom, was an honor roll student … Named a three-star recruit by On3.
Jalen Ross
Jalen Ross
DB | 6-0 | 165
Jacksonville, Fla. / The Bolles School
Bio: Two-year starter at The Bolles School, serving as a team captain as a senior … Finished career with 83 total tackles, six interceptions and 13 passes defended … Also a member of the track & field team … Named a three-star recruit by On3.
Chandler Telfaire
Chandler Telfaire
OL | 6-3 | 250
Garner, N.C. / Enloe Magnet
Bio: Four-year starter and team captain at Enloe Magnet High School … Earned all-conference honors as a sophomore, junior and senior … Named Enloe Magnet’s Most Valuable Player in 2024 and Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 … Also a member of the track & field team, winning a conference championship.
Calvin Thomas
Calvin Thomas
WR | 6-2 | 185
Gainesville, Fla. / Gainesville
Bio: Three-year starter and two-time captain in high school … Spent first three years at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School before playing senior year at Gainesville High School … Had 23 catches for 640 yards and nine touchdowns in 2024 … Finished career with 38 catches for 899 yards and also had 1,050 all-purpose yards, 352 passing yards and 14 total touchdowns … Had six catches for 211 yards and four touchdowns in final career game … Also played baseball, twice leading the team in batting average … Father, John, played football at Howard.
The Blue Hens finished the 2024 season with a 9-2 overall record and a 6-2 mark in the CAA. The offense ranked 12th in the country in total offense (434.9 yards per game) and 15th in scoring offense (34.9 points per game). UD’s defense ranked in the top 25 nationally in total defense (319.6 yards per game), scoring defense (21.0 points per game) and sacks per game (2.55). It was Delaware’s final season in the FCS as it will move to Conference USA and the FBS level starting in 2025.
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