Lehigh Announces 15 As Part Of Football Class Of 2021
2/1/2017 4:28:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh head coach Andy Coen has announced the addition of 15 student-athletes who have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Mountain Hawks in the fall. The Mountain Hawks' Class of 2021 is smaller than many of Lehigh's recent classes but the Patriot League champions addressed most position groups and a number of need areas with this group, which features student-athletes from six different states, plus Canada.
Eight of the signees will bolster the defensive side of the ball, with the class also featuring six offensive players and one specialist. The newcomers on defense include two linemen, two linebackers and four defensive backs.
"We really accomplished what we were looking for here," said Coen, the 2016 Patriot League Coach of the Year. "One of the reasons it's a smaller class is because we're going to have a couple of fifth year guys: Zach Duffy, Brandon Short and Jimmy Mitchell will be coming back next fall. We recruit all positions, but we're always trying to find good defensive linemen and young guys in the secondary and we were able to accomplish that."
On the defensive line, Lehigh has brought in Jason Dooling from Florida power St. Thomas Aquinas and Jack Kircher from Connecticut. With three senior starting linebackers expected to graduate, the Mountain Hawks have added Nate Norris from Central Bucks South, the newcomer who hails from closest to Lehigh's campus and Pete Haffner from State College.
The quartet of defensive backs includes Divine Buckrham from Queens, N.Y. who attended Kiski Prep in Western Pennsylvania, Tre Cundiff from Immaculata High School in New Jersey, Jaylen Floyd from Miramar, Florida and Tre Neal from Harrisburg, Pa.
"The four defensive backs are not only capable of being corners but can also play safety or potentially grow into our rover position," Coen explained. "That's always good when you have kids who start out with the ability to be very versatile in our defense."
After bringing in five offensive linemen in last year's class, Lehigh added two in its class of 2021 in Jackson Evans from 2016 Pennsylvania 6A state champion St. Joseph's Prep, and Christopher Fournier, a native of Ottawa, Ontario, who is currently at Episcopal High School in Virginia.
"We're adding to some of that size up front we brought in last fall," Coen said. "Jackson Evans was a standout for a state championship team and it's always great to recruit guys from winning teams. Fournier
Is a Canadian-born guy who went to prep school in Virginia. He came to our camps and showed to be a really good player. He has good length and will continue to get bigger."
At the skill positions, the Mountain Hawks have added a pair of wide receivers in Matt Jordan from Brother Rice High School in Michigan, and Jorge Portorreal from St. Peter's Prep in New Jersey. Portorreal is a dynamic player who also figures to factor in Lehigh's return game. Lehigh has also added the versatile Evan Chadbourn from Bishop Guilfoyle High School in Altoona, Pa. Chadbourn came back from an early-season injury to contribute in Bishop Guilfoyle's 1A state championship win.
"Another young man who won a state championship," Coen said of Chadbourn. "Earlier in the season he had a knee injury but he came back from that and played a little bit in the state championship game. He's a very versatile player. We're going to use him as a running back but he could easily be a defensive back or a wide receiver. He's just one of those triple threat-types of guys."
Lehigh has also brought in one quarterback in Addison Shoup from Marietta, Georgia.
"Addison is a very active quarterback," Coen said. "He has a strong arm and does a lot of different things with his feet. He's a little different from Nick (Shafnisky) as he's more of a pure passer than Nick but he's capable of beating defenses by throwing the ball and running with it."
Rounding out the class is long snapper Jack Dean from Chatham, N.J.
Several members of the incoming class continue a trend of Lehigh tapping into strong regional and national programs. Chadbourn joins Sam McCloskey '19 as Bishop Guilfoyle players on Lehigh's roster. Dooling gives the Mountain Hawks a defensive lineman from St. Thomas Aquinas for the second straight year, while Lehigh has tapped into both Immaculata (N.J.) and State College (Pa.) for student-athletes for the second consecutive year.
"It's important when you develop relationships with these coaches and their families," Coen explained. "The kids like seeing familiar faces from their team and have the opportunity to play alongside each other again. That's one way we gain inroads in some of these very strong programs."
The Mountain Hawks won their 11th Patriot League football championship in 2016 and were also recently recognized as the ECAC FCS Team of the Year. While offseason workouts are in progress, Lehigh will officially begin its spring practice segment on March 24.
The complete list of recruits follows:
Divine Buckrham – DB; 6-0/180; Queens, N.Y./Kiski Prep; Arts and Sciences
Two-year varsity team captain…finished high school career with 120 tackles, 16 interceptions, 30 passes defended, four forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries… also played running back, receiver and returned kicks… also lettered and earned All-State recognition in wrestling and track and field… four year honor roll member… Dean's List student.
Evan Chadbourn – RB; 5-11/180; Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle; Business
PIAA Class A Player of the Year in 2015… USA Today All-USA Pennsylvania second team running back in 2015… led PIAA Class A with 2,297 rushing yards and 53 touchdowns as a junior… led state of Pennsylvania (all classifications) with 3,466 total yards from scrimmage in 2015… Western PA Football, PA Football News and Altoona Mirror Player of the Year in 2015… missed most of senior season due to injury but contributed to state championship game victory… high school team won three straight straight titles and owns 47 game winning streak… 57-3 high school record… also lettered in baseball, basketball and track and field… high honor roll student.
Stuart "Tre" Cundiff – DB; 6-0/185; Somerville, N.J./Immaculata; Arts and Sciences
Two-time All-Conference selection (one first-team, one second-team)… second team All-Area honoree… team captain and Defensive MVP.
Jack Dean – LS; 6-2/185; Chatham, N.J./Chatham; Business
Three-year letter winner… long snapper on 2015 North Jersey Section 2, Group 3 runner-up team… four-year letter winner and team captain in fencing… National Honor Society member… Scout Scholar-Athlete Award… Eagle Scout.
Jason Dooling – DL; 6-3/275; Sunrise, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas; Arts and Sciences
Registered five sacks and 14 tackles for loss as a senior, despite missing eight games… member of St. Thomas Aquinas team that won three state titles… honor roll student.
Jackson Evans – OL; 6-3/300; Garnet Valley, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep; Arts and Sciences
First team All-Philadelphia Catholic League, All-City and 6A All-State as a senior… second team All-Philadelphia Catholic League as a junior… team captain on 2016 state championship team that went 14-0 and ranked sixth in the nation… also won state title as a sophomore… honor roll student.
Jaylen Floyd – DB; 5-9/175; Miramar, Fla./Miramar; Arts and Sciences
Selected for Florida Public vs. Private School All-Star Game… National Honor Society member.
Christopher Fournier – OL; 6-4/275; Ottawa, Ont./Episcopal (Va.); Engineering
All-Conference and All-State selection for 2016 Interstate Athletic Conference champions… also lettered in track and field (shot put)… High List student with academic average over 90 percent… Benjamin I Johns Scholarship for biology.
Pete Haffner – LB; 6-0/210; State College, Pa./State College; Business
Name first team All-State (6A) but the PA Sportswriters and PA Football News in 2016… PA Football News second team All-State in 2015… two-time All-Mid Penn Commonwealth…. Mid Penn Commonwealth Defensive MVP in 2015 and 2016… high school team won conference championships in final two years and sub-region championships in final three seasons… high honor roll student… three-year letter winner and team captain in wrestling… also lettered in lacrosse.
Matt Jordan – WR; 6-1/175; Beverly Hills, Mich./Brother Rice; Business
In three seasons totaled 1,847 all-purpose yards, 85 receptions and 12 touchdowns… All-State performer… first team All-Catholic League… All-Metro Team selection… three-year varsity letter winner… also letters in lacrosse for state championship program/
Jack Kircher – DL; 6-5/265; Norwalk, Conn./New Canaan; Business
Firs team all FCIAC (All-County/Conference)… All-State Class L… All-State selection by the New Haven Register as a senior… high school team won back-to-back state titles in 2015-2016… All-Conference in track and field (javelin) as a junior.
Tre Neal – DB; 5-11/180; Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp.; Arts and Sciences
Team captain… member of PSFCA Hot 100… two interceptions in his senior season… had three interceptions, 12 pass breakups and 37 tackles as a junior… state runner-up as a freshman… also competed in track and field… National Honor Society member… four-year honor roll student… ranks in top eight of his graduating class.
Nate Norris – LB; 6-1/225; Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South; Arts and Sciences
Team captain as a junior and senior… three-time All-Conference (second team as a sophomore, third team as a junior, first team as a senior)… second team All-Southeastern PA as a senior… Mini-Maxwell Award recipient… Philadelphia Inquirer Comeback Player of the Year in 2016-17… honor roll student.
Jorge Portorreal – WR; 5-9/170; Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep; Arts and Sciences
News 12 first team All-Metro and All-State as a senior… first team All-County and All-Division… third team All-State honorable mention as a junior… high school team ranked No. 1 in the tri-state area as a sophomore and No. 3 in New Jersey as a senior… three-year basketball starter and team captain… third-team All-County as a junior.
Addison Shoup – QB; 6-0/190; Marietta, Ga./Walton; Arts and Sciences
All-County and honorable mention All-State selection… owns 13 school records… won a state championship in baseball… member of National Latin Honor Society and Raider Pride.
Lehigh Football Class of 2021
| Name | Pos. | Ht./Wt. | Hometown/High School | College |
| Divine Buckrham | DB | 6-0/180 | Queens, N.Y./Kiski Prep | Arts and Sciences |
| Evan Chadbourn | RB | 5-11/180 | Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle | Business |
| Tre Cundiff | DB | 6-0/185 | Somerville, N.J./Immaculata | Arts and Sciences |
| Jack Dean | LS | 6-2/185 | Chatham, N.J./Chatham | Business |
| Jason Dooling | DL | 6-3/275 | Sunrise, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas | Arts and Sciences |
| Jackson Evans | OL | 6-3/300 | Garnet Valley, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep | Arts and Sciences |
| Jaylen Floyd | DB | 5-9/175 | Miramar, Fla./Miramar | Arts and Sciences |
| Christopher Fournier | OL | 6-4/275 | Ottawa, Ont./Episcopal (Va.) | Engineering |
| Pete Haffner | LB | 6-0/210 | State College, Pa./State College | Business |
| Matt Jordan | WR | 6-1/175 | Beverly Hills, Mich./Brother Rice | Business |
| Jack Kircher | DL | 6-5/265 | Norwalk, Conn./New Canaan | Business |
| Tre Neal | DB | 5-11/180 | Harrisburg, Pa./Susquehanna Twp. | Arts and Sciences |
| Nate Norris | LB | 6-1/225 | Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks South | Arts and Sciences |
| Jorge Portorreal | WR | 5-9/170 | Jersey City, N.J./St. Peter's Prep | Arts and Sciences |
| Addison Shoup | QB | 6-0/190 | Marietta, Ga./Walton | Arts and Sciences |
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