Clan 2016 Recruiting Class bolstered by Jana and two blue chippers (VIDEO)

BURNABY, BC – Simon Fraser University has bolstered its 2016 football recruiting class with the addition of former St. Thomas More Collegiate star running back Jalen Jana, who is returning home to play for Canada’s NCAA football team after two seasons at another Division 2 school, and two other blue chip prospects.

Clan head coach Kelly Bates has received commitments from Jana, a former BC provincial all-star, quarterback Jack Graham from St. Anthony high school in Long Beach, Calif., and linebacker Amir Zeisler, a Toronto native who attended Wilbraham & Monson Academy, a prep school in Massachusetts. SFU now has received commitments from 30 players in its 2016 Recruiting Class.

Jana, 5-foot-11 and 200-pounds, rushed for 130 yards and one touchdown playing in a back-up role this season at Cheyney University in Pennsylvania after redshirting his first year. The Burnaby native averaged 2.9 yards per carry.

“I feel Jalen can be a game-breaker for us, he’s so explosive,” said Clan head coach Kelly Bates. “Any time he has the ball in his hands he can take it the length of the field. He has great vision in the run game, he understands football and he has great hands.”

Last season Ante Milanovic-Litre moved from fullback to tailback and emerged as the Clan’s go-to running back, rushing for 694 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Bates envisions platooning Jana and Milanovic-Litre, giving opposing teams a variety of different looks and formations, and playing to each back’s strengths.

“Ante punishes people when he runs and Jalen is a different type of runner,” continued Bates.  “We will be able to use them in multiple ways and defences will have to prepare for both.”

Graham, 6-foot-3 and 200-pounds, is one of three quarterbacks in the 2016 recruiting class. Graham threw for 2,814 yards and 29 touchdowns, leading St. Anthony to a 6-5 record. Graham also rushed for 311 yards and three touchdowns. He had a 93.4 quarterback rating.

“Jack has shown he can be a drop back quarterback, run the zone read or be a quarterback who scrambles and makes plays with his feet,” said Bates. “His vision is exceptional and he goes through his reads, but when he takes off and runs with the ball he is rough and tumble and I like that attitude.”

“Jack is a very competitive individual and I want that from my quarterbacks because it holds everyone on the team accountable,” continues Bates.

The 2016 class also 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.”

Zeisler, a 6-foot, 230-pound linebacker, was a Western New England Second Team All-Star.

“Amir is a very physical linebacker who will have the opportunity to come in and learn from the Herdman brothers (Clan linebackers Jordan and Justin Herdman) and he relishes that opportunity,” said Bates.

The 2016 Recruiting Class will begin play in 2016 and features 17 players from British Columbia, including BC AAA Player of the Year Gavin Cobb from Mount Douglas, and 30 players overall from across Canada and the United States.

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
Jack Graham	QB	6’3″	200	Long Beach, CA	St. Anthony
Nicholas Grossi	LB	5’10	230	Bolton, ON	St. Andrew’s College
Cameron Hill	OL	6’1	265	Issaquah, WA	Skyline
Jalen Jana	RB	5’11	200	Surrey, BC	St. Thomas More/Cheyney University
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
Amir Zeisler	LB	6’0″	230	Toronto, ON	Wilbraham & Monson

 

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

 

Jack Graham (QB, 6’3″, 200, Long Beach, CA, St. Anthony) threw for over 2,800 yards and 29 touchdowns at St. Anthony High School in Long Beach, CA.

 

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.

 

Jalen Jana (RB, 5’11”, 200, Surrey, BC, St. Thomas More Collegiate/Cheyney University) transferred from Cheyney University, an NCAA D2 school in Pennsylvania, where he averaged 2.9 yards per carry in a backup role. He played high school football for STM.

 

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

 

Amir Zeisler (LB, 6’0″, 230, Toronto, ON, Wilbraham & Monson) played linebacker and fullback in high school