27 players sign with Clan on NCAA National Signing Day (VIDEO)

BURNABY, BC – A talented group of 27 high school seniors from British Columbia, across Canada and the United States have signed National Letters of Intent to attend and play football for Simon Fraser University on NCAA national signing day.

In addition, the Clan has received a commitment from quarterback Conner Richardson, who is transferring from a US junior college after two seasons at NCAA Division 1 Eastern Washington.

The 2016 Recruiting Class features 16 players from British Columbia, including three of the province’s top players, BC AAA Player of the Year Gavin Cobb, a receiver, from Mount Douglas, 6-foot-7 receiver Rysen John from Vancouver College, and quarterback Nathanael Durkan of John Barsby in Nanaimo, who will play receiver for the Clan.

The BC recruits also include Notre Dame quarterback Anthony Crescenzo, who will play defensive back at SFU, following in his late father’s footsteps to play for the Clan.

There are Simon Fraser head coach Kelly Bates also received commitments from three high school seniors from Alberta, three from Ontario and one from Saskatchewan as well as players from Washington State, California and Alaska.

“We were looking for the best of all worlds – an individual who is a great athlete, a great student and a great person,” said Bates. “As I got to know these individuals through the recruiting process I feel like they will fit into what we are trying to accomplish, and a big part of my job will be to mentor them as young men and help them grow as individuals by putting them in situations where they can be successful.”

Simon Fraser graduated its starting and backup quarterbacks from last season. The 2016 signing class features quarterbacks Connor Richardson, who played two seasons at Eastern Washington and last season was a medical redshirt at Pima Junior College, and Patrick Pearson, who threw 82 touchdown passes in four years at Fenelon Falls high school in Kinmount, ON.

“The QB position is the key building block in creating your team and we are trying to create an environment where younger QBs can learn and grow until they are ready to step in,” said Bates. “We have to be building and fostering that position at all times.”

Richardson, a 6-foot-3 lefthander, has university experience as a backup at Eastern Washington in 2014 after redshirting his first season. Richardson graduated from Kennedy HS in Washington State in 2013, earning honorable mention all-league honors after helping to lead Kennedy to the 2012 2A/3A Seamount League title with a 6-0 record. He will have three seasons of eligibility.

“Conner is athletic, intelligent, and has a great frame,” said Bates. “He has the ability to understand what the defence is giving him and he can take a bad situation on the field and create a positive outcome because of his intelligence and his vision. That gives us a chance to be successful much more often.”

The Clan signed six receivers. Gavin Cobb caught nine touchdown passes and rushed for five more at Mount Douglas, going for 971 yards receiving and 497-yards rushing. Cobb was named MVP of the game after Mt. Douglas won the provincial AAA championship. Rysen John caught five touchdowns, accumulated 971-yards receiving, and was a BC provincial all-star for Vancouver College. Nathanael Durkan, who played quarterback and defensive back at John Barsby, passing for 637 yards and 19 TDs, will move to receiver at SFU.

“We will have the ability to role an assortment of different athletes at receiver that will create tough mismatches next season,” said Bates.

“Based on our numbers and where we ended the season there will be opportunities for players to play right away and I think that was attractive to some individuals,” Bates added. “They know they have a chance to come in and be a part of something immediately.”

“Last year, I could barely dress 54 players some weeks so we really needed to recruit players at all positions,” explained Bates. “We play against teams that roll seven defensive linemen, six receivers and three different tailbacks and we need to get to that point. We need to be in position to grow the next players coming up while still maintaining the ability to compete at the highest level. This recruiting class goes a long way towards building that future.”

The Clan also added Simon Fraser University student Tom Franklin, who played receiver at South Delta in 2014.

Simon Fraser University is Canada’s only NCAA football team.

2016 SFU Football Signing Class (in alphabetical order)

NAME POS HT WT HOMETOWN HIGH SCHOOL/PREVIOUS SCHOOL
Luca Bellini LB 6’2 195 Burnaby, BC St. Thomas More Collegiate
Gavin Cobb REC 5’10 170 Victoria, BC Mount Douglas
Anthony Crescenzo DB 5’11 170 Vancouver, BC Notre Dame
Nathanael Durkan REC 6’2 190 Nanaimo, BC John Barsby
Isaac Evans DE 6’3 205 Coquitlam, BC Terry Fox
Quintin Fisk OL 6’4 300 Kelowna, BC Kelowna
Tom Franklin WR 6’4 200 Ladner, BC South Delta
Brayden Gatland OL 6’6 250 Surrey, BC Clayton Heights
Nicholas Grossi LB 5’10 230 Bolton, ON St. Andrew’s College
Cameron Hill OL 6’1 265 Issaquah, WA Skyline
Rysen John WR 6’7″ 195 Vancouver, BC Vancouver College
Jamyl Johnson RB 6’0 175 Calgary, AB Robert Thirsk
Sage King DE 6’2 215 Salmon Arm, BC Salmon Arm
Justice Kremler LB 5’10 205 Victoria, BC Mt. Douglas
Brendan Lowry DB 5’9 170 Okotoks, AB Foothills Comp
Jeff Lugtu LB 5’9 190 New Westminster, BC New Westminster
Oliver Mackenzie DB 5’11 165 Victoria, BC Mount Douglas
Colton Maddock DE 6’5 200 Red Deer, AB Hunting Hills
Brandon Mason DE 6’2 240 Regina, SK Winston Knoll
Jordan Moore DT 6’4″ 235 Anchorage, AK South High School
Tristan Moulton RB 5’8 185 Toronto, ON Proctor Academy
Patrick Pearson QB 6’2 185 Kinmount, ON Fenelon Falls
Diego Pineda DT 6’4 260 Chilliwack, BC GW Graham
Devin Pott DE 6’5 200 Mission, BC Mission
Conner Richardson QB 6’3 215 Burien, WA Kennedy HS/Eastern Wash., Pima JC
Noah Samsen REC 5’10 180 Half Moon Bay, CA Gig Harbor
Adam Turrin REC 5’9 175 Burnaby, BC Notre Dame

 

 

Luca Bellini (LB, 6’2”, 195, Burnaby, BC, St. Thomas More Collegiate) rushed for 901 yards, 8 TDs and registered 36 tackls, 3 sacks, and 1 INT as a linebacker at STM. He was a BC AAA Eastern Conference All-Star

 

Gavin Cobb (REC, 5’10”, 170, Victoria, BC, Mount Douglas) was AAA Player of the Year after catching nine touchdown passes and rushing for five more. He also had 971 yards receiving and 497-yards rushing.

 

Anthony Crescenzo (DB, 5’11”, 170, Vancouver, BC, Notre Dame) was a BC School Sports AAA Western Conference All-Star at DB after registering 39 tackles and 2 INTs. As a QB, he passed for 767 yards and 5 TDs and rushed for 423 yards and 4 TDs.

 

Nathanael Durkan (REC, 6’2”, 190, Nanaimo, BC, John Barsby) played QB and DB in high school, passing for 637 yards and 19 TDs. He also had 29 tackles and 3 INTs

 

Isaac Evans (DE, 6’3”, 205, Coquitlam, BC, Terry Fox) had 47 tackles, 13 sacks at Terry Fox.

 

Quintin Fisk (OL, 6’4”, 300, Kelowna, BC, Kelowna)

 

Tom Franklin (WR, 6’4”, 200, Ladner, BC, South Delta) registered 504 yards receiving and had 7 TDs in 2014 playing for South Delta, the BC provincial champion.

 

Brayden Gatland (OL, 6’6”, 250, Surrey, BC, Clayton Heights) was named the 2014 Cloverdale Community – Best Offensive Player

 

Nicholas Grossi (LB, 5’10”, 230, Bolton, ON, St. Andrew’s College) recorded 21 tackles, 7 Tackles For Loss, 5 sacks, and 1 INT

 

Cameron Hill (OL, 6’1”, 265, Issaquah, WA, Skyline) played offensive guard and defensive tackle. He runs a 5.1 40-yard dash and benches 310-pounds.

 

Rysen John (WR, 6’7″, 195, Vancouver, BC, Vancouver College) caught 5 TDs, accumulated 971-yards receiving, and was a BC provincial all-star for Vancouver College.

 

Jamyl Johnson (RB, 6’0”, 175, Calgary, AB, Robert Thirsk)

 

Sage King (DE, 6’2”, 215, Salmon Arm, BC, Salmon Arm) had 46 tackles and 8 sacks and was named a BC AAA Pacific Conference All-Star

 

Justice Kremler (LB, 5’10”, 205, Victoria, BC, Mt. Douglas) had 57 tackles, 3 INTs, 1 sack for the provincial champions

 

Brendan Lowry (DB, 5’9”, 170, Okotoks, AB, Foothills Comp) played strong safety and slot back for the Alberta provincial champions. He runs a 4.78 40-yards dash.

 

Jeff Lugtu (LB, 5’9”, 190, New Westminster, BC, New Westminster) had 89 tackles, 4 sacks, 2 INTs at New West where he was a BC AAA Western Conference All-Star.

 

Colton Maddock (DE, 6’5″, 200, Red Deer, AB, Hunting Hills)

 

Oliver Mackenzie (DB, 5’11”, 165, Victoria, BC, Mount Douglas) had 34 tackles, 4 INTs playing linebacker and had 430 yards receiving with 6 TDs. He was a BC AAA Provincial All-Star

 

Brandon Mason (DE, 6’2”, 240, Regina, SK, Winston Knoll) played defensive end and outside linebacker in high school

 

Jordan Moore (DT, 6’4″, 235, Anchorage, AK, South High School) ran a 4.80 40 and bench presses 250 pounds

 

Tristan Moulton (RB, 5’8”, 185, Toronto, ON, Proctor Academy) rushing for 1,090 yards and 11 TDs

 

Patrick Pearson (QB, 6’2”, 185, Kinmount, ON, Fenelon Falls) passed for 82 TDs in 4 years

 

Diego Pineda (DT, 6’4”, 260, Chilliwack, BC, GW Graham) played defensive end and tackle. He runs a 4.95 40-yard dash and benches 315-pounds.

 

Devin Pott (DE, 6’5”, 200, Mission, BC, Mission) registered 27 tackles and 7 sacks

 

Conner Richardson (QB, 6’3”, 215, Burien, WA, Kennedy HS/Eastern Washington, Pima JC) was a backup at Eastern Washington. He graduated from Kennedy HS in 2013, earning honorable mention all-league honors after helping to lead Kennedy to the 2012 2A/3A Seamount League title with a 6-0 record.

 

Noah Samsen (REC, 5’10”, 180, Half Moon Bay, CA, Gig Harbor) had 722 receiving yards and caught 7 TDs while rushing for another 4 TDs

 

Adam Turrin (Rec., 5’9”, 175, Burnaby, BC, Notre Dame) rushed for 749 yards and 5 TDs, while catching 219-yards passing and 1 TD. He also had 42 tackles and 2 INTs as a DB

 

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