Stanford Football Signs 16 Recruits to National Letters of Intent
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For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 6, 2002 Stanford Football Signs 16 Recruits to National Letters of Intent First-year head coach Buddy Teevens today announced the signing of 16 high school student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to join the Stanford football program in the Fall of 2002. Included in the group are some of the most coveted prep players in the country. Eight of the Cardinal's 16 recruits were named Prep All-Americans in 2001 while the other eight were named All- Region. Six members of the class are ranked among the best at their positions in the nation. "I am very excited about the quality of our recruiting class," said Teevens, who was named Stanford's head coach on January 9, 2002. "I think we hit our need areas quite effectively and that several of these young players will challenge for playing time early in their careers. By adding six offensive linemen, four defensive backs, two quarterbacks and two linebackers, we were able to add depth to those areas which were hurt due to graduation. "Depth on the offensive line was a concern because of the number of players who graduated off last year's team," said Teevens. "We are very pleased with the quality and quantity of offensive lineman in this class. In the secondary, we added the speed and one-on-one coverage skills that will work well with the defensive scheme we will employ next season. The two quarterbacks in the class are very talented and the combination of those two will help our depth at that position next season. "Overall, in this transition year, I am pleased with the entire class and am looking forward to getting them on campus and in our program," said Teevens. By position, the class includes nine offensive and seven defensive players. The offensive players include six linemen, two quarterbacks and one tight end. Defensively, the Cardinal recruited four defen- sive backs, one defen- 2002 Stanford University Football Recruiting Class sive end and two Name Pos Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) linebackers. David Beall OL 6-5 300 Vancouver, WA (Mountain View) Those earning Prep Jon Cochran OL 6-6 290 West Des Moines, IA (Valley) All-America honors Gerald Commissiong DB 6-0 201 Toronto, CAN (Vieux-Montreal) this past season Jeff Edwards OL 6-7 265 Atlanta, GA (Marist) include OL David Trent Edwards QB 6-4 195 Los Gatos, CA (Los Gatos) Taualai Fonoti LB 6-2 245 Honolulu, HI (St. Louis) Beall (Vancouver, Trevor Hooper DB 6-1 190 Mountain View, CA (Mtn. View) WA / Mountain View Julian Jenkins DE 6-4 240 Atlanta, GA (Woodward Academy) HS), OL Jon David Lofton QB 6-4 200 Plano, TX (Plano West) Cochran (Des Moine, Matt McClernan OL 6-6 260 Norcross, GA (Norcross) IA / Valley HS), OL Marcus McCutcheon DB 6-0 180 Huntington Beach, CA (Edison) Jeff Edwards (At- T.J. Rushing DB 5-10 170 Pauls Valley, OK (Pauls Valley) lanta, GA / Marist Mike Silva LB 6-3 220 San Diego, CA (Saint Augustine) HS), QB Trent Ismail Simpson OL 6-5 300 Lawton, OK (Eisenhower) Edwards (Los Gatos, Matt Traverso TE 6-6 245 Sacramento, CA (Christian Brothers) CA / Los Gatos HS), Josiah Vinson OL 6-4 310 Irving, TX (Irving) DE Julian Jenkins (Atlanta, GA / Woodward Noting the 2002 Recruiting Class Academy), DB Marcus McCutcheon (Hun- • 16 high school recruits (nine offense, seven defense) tington Beach, CA / Edison HS), TE Matt • Eight Prep All-Americas; eight All-Region Traverso (Sacramento, CA / Christian Brothers • By position: six offensive line, four defensive backs, two HS) and OL Josiah Vinson (Irving, TX / Irving quarterbacks, two linebackers, one tight end, one defensive end. HS). • Seven states represented: California, Georgia, Texas, Players earning recognition as one of the Oklahoma, Washington, Iowa, Hawaii top recruits in their region are DB Gerald • 15 from the U.S., one from Canada Commissiong (Toronto, Canada / Vieux- • Three recruits from the Northern California: QB Trent Montral HS), LB Taualai Fonoti (Honolulu, HI Edwards, Los Gatos; DB Trevor Hooper, Mountain View; TE Matt Traverso, Sacramento / St. Louis HS), DB Trevor Hooper (Mountain • Three recruits have fathers who played in the NFL: Julian View, CA / Mountain View HS), QB David Jenkins (father, Eddie, Miami Dolphins); David Lofton Lofton (Plano, TX / Plano HS), OL Matt (father, James, Packers, Raiders, Bills, Eagles); Marcus McClernan (Norcross, GA / Norcross HS), DB McCutcheon (father, Lawrence, Rams, Broncos, Bills) T.J. Rushing (Pauls Valley, OK / Pauls Valley • Four recruits have brothers who have played or are currently playing college football: Taualai Fonoti (brother, HS), LB Mike Silva (San Diego, CA / Saint Toniuolevaiavea, Nebraska, 1999-2001); Marcus Augustine HS) and OL Ismail Simpson McCutcheon (brother, Daylon, USC, 1995-98); Mike Silva (Lawton, OK / Eisenhower HS). (brother, Billy, Northwestern, 1998-2001); Matt Traverso Six of Stanford's recruits were ranked (brother, Joe, current sophomore at Harvard). among the top 15 at their position nationwide. They include Trent Edwards ,ranked by one publication as the No. 2 quarterback in the nation and defensive end Julian Jenkins, ranked No. 4 by one recruiting service. TE Matt Traverso was ranked as the No. 7 tight end, OL David Beall was rated by a recruiting service as the No. 7 offensive lineman in the country, OL Jon Cochran was ranked No. 11 and Josiah Vinson was rated the No. 12 offensive lineman in the nation by one recruiting source. Once again, Stanford's recruiting efforts were national, even international. Of the Cardinal's 16 recruits, seven states and two countries were represented. The Cardinal had 15 recruits from the U.S. and one from Canada. Stanford had five recruits from California, three from Georgia, two from Texas and Oklahoma and one each from Washington, Iowa and Hawaii. -- player profiles to follow -- Player Profiles Hobson (Toronto, Ontario) and FS O.J. Atogwe (Windsor, Ontario) as the fourth Canadian on the 2002 David Beall Cardinal … Super Prep named him to their All- Canadian Team … Gerald attended Saint Michael's OL, 6-5, 300, College Prep in Toronto for two years (1999-2000) Vancouver, WA (Mountain View HS) before attending Vieux-Montreal Prep for his 13th year One of the top offensive line prospects in the nation … (Canada has a 13th year of high school) … At Vieux- Named a Prep All-America by Super Prep and Prep Montreal in 2001, he was the starting safety for a team Star … Super Prep also ranked him as the seventh best that won the 2001 Bol D'or AAA Provincial champion- offensive line prospect in the country and the No. 2 ship … He also played hockey and ran track (100m recruit overall in the state of Washington … An All- and 200m) … While at Saint Michael's, he was one of Far West selection by Tom Lemming's Report … First- the top prep players in the Toronto area … In his final Team Best in the West by the Long Beach Press season as a running back and safety, Gerald rushed for Telegram, Northwest Nugget (one of eight) by the 1,253 yards, accounted for 1,622 all-purpose yards and Tacoma News Tribune and a Blue Chip player (one of scored 27 touchdowns … Defensively, he had 94 three) by the Seattle Times … Four-year starter and tackles, including 19 special teams tackles, four four-year Scholar-Athlete at Mountain View HS in interceptions and six forced fumbles … He was named Vancouver, Wash … Three-time First-Team 4A All- First-Team All-Canadian, First-Team All-Eastern League selection and two-time First-Team Academic Canada and First-Team All-Ontario … Toronto Sun All-Conference … As a senior, he was named First- All-Star running back … Starting safety for the 2001 Team All-State and All-Conference … Chosen to All- Junior National Football Team … While at Saint County Dream Team by the Columbian Newspaper … Michael's, he was also named MVP on the Metro Bowl 4A All-Conference Lineman of the Year … Started on for four straight years and MVP of the All-Star game both offensive and defensive line as a senior while as a junior and senior … Has played the violin for six helping his team to a third place finish in the state years … Also plays piano … One of his three sisters, playoffs … Has played center, guard and tackle Nicole, was an All-America in track at the University throughout his high school career … As a junior, he of Oregon. was named to the county Dream Team, was a First- Team All-Conference selection and a Northwest Jeff Edwards Nugget in waiting. OL, 6-7, 265 Atlanta, GA (Marist HS) Jon Cochran Talented offensive lineman who was named All- OL, 6-6, 290 America by Prep Star, All-Dixie by Super Prep and West Des Moines, IA (Valley HS) All-Southeast by Tom Lemming's Report … High Prep All-America offensive lineman from Valley High school teammate of current Cardinal Leigh Torrence School in Iowa … Prep Star named him to their All- … Three-year starter at Marist HS … Named All- America team and ranked him as the No. 11 offensive County the past two years and All-State following his line prospect in the nation and the No. 2 offensive junior season … Four-year letterman in basketball, lineman in the Midwest … Selected to the All-Mid- two-year starter and team captain … Member of the lands teams by Tom Lemming's Report and Super Prep National Honor Society. … Pro Prep Sports All-America Dream Team member … First-Team All-State and All-Conference as a senior Trent Edwards … Also named Academic All-State and All-Confer- QB, 6-4, 195 ence … Participates in basketball and track as well … Los Gatos, CA (Los Gatos HS) A state qualifier in the shot and discus as a junior … One of the premiere recruits in the nation … Rated by Elected an Iowa Scholar.