* Class of 2015 Football Recruit Release
ITHACA, N.Y. – Cornell Head Football Coach Kent Austin and his staff are excited to announce the newest members of the Big Red Football family. The Class of 2015, featuring 26 members, joins Cornell football at a time when enthusiasm, excitement and anticipation is at an all-time high with the recent launch of InsideCornellFootball.com and a full season of the new staff in place on East Hill.
Hailing from 13 states, the class of 2015 will attempt to help secure the Big Red's first Ivy title on the gridiron since 1990. A class-high six recruits will attend Cornell from California, while four come from Florida and three come from the home state of New York. Georgia, Maryland and Ohio will send two student-athletes to Cornell, while seven other states send one player each. In all, 15 of the players will join the offense and 12 will aid the defense.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Big Red brings in five defensive back/safeties, four linebackers and three defensive linemen. The three defensive linemen average a sizable 6-2 and 265 pounds. Cornell went for plenty of skill players on the offense, bringing in four wide receivers, two running backs, two quarterbacks and two tight ends. The offensive line will also be bolstered with the addition of four offensive linemen who average 6-4 and 275 pounds.
The 2011 Big Red returns 41 letter winners and 22 total starters (9 offense, 8 defense, 5 special teams) from last year's 2-8 squad. Included are reigning Ivy League Rookie of the Year Jeff Mathews at quarterback, as well as All-Ivy selections Rashad Campbell (cornerback) and linebacker/defensive end Zack Imhoff.
Cornell will put the Class of 2015 to the test when fall practice begins in mid-August. The Big Red opens the 2011 season at home against Bucknell on Saturday, Sept. 17 at Schoellkopf Field.
CLASS OF 2015 BIG RED PLAYER ROSTER
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last School
Arndt, Curtis OL 6-2 275 Moorpark, Calif./Moorpark HS
Avery, Ahmad RB 5-10 190 Whittier, Calif./La Habra HS
Betros, Taylor LB 5-11 205 Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School
Boseman, Andrew WR 6-2 195 Brandywine, Md./Gwynn Park HS
Brovender, Evan TE 6-4 235 Boca Raton, Fla./Pine Crest School
Cook, Guy LB 6-1 200 New Hope, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep HS
Green, Ben TE 6-7 245 Belvedere, Calif./Phillips Andover Academy
Hancock, Aaron DB 5-8 165 Monroe, N.C./Sun Valley HS
Lavrentios, Alex OL 6-5 265 Wellesley, Mass./Salisbury School
Ledet, Dylan RB 5-10 215 Thibodaux, La./Edward Douglas White Catholic HS
McDonough, Peter S 6-2 195 Darien, Conn./Darien HS
McManamon, Shane DL 6-2 275 Westlake, Ohio/St. Edward HS
Miller, Rush S 6-2 195 Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School
Nelson, Andrew S 6-1 195 Plymouth, Mich./Detroit Catholic Central HS
Osborn, Kyle OL 6-5 300 Tuttle, Okla./Tuttle HS
Parker, Cole QB 6-2 170 Valdosta, Ga./Lowndes HS
Pavlov, Don LB 6-1 225 Avon Lake, Ohio/St. Edward HS
Pearce, Ryan OL 6-4 265 Staten Island, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School
Pettit, Sawyer LB 6-2 215 Talking Rock, Ga./Gilmer HS
Rodriguez, Javier WR 5-10 175 Miami, Fla./Belen Jesuit Prep HS
Shapiro, Lucas WR 6-5 210 Antioch, Calif./De La Salle HS
Togiaso, Fiaalii DL 6-1 270 Encinitas, Calif./La Jolla Country Day School
Turner, Michael DB 6-0 190 Pikesville, Md./Boys Latin School
Ur, Ryan WR 6-0 180 Laguna Hills, Calif./Laguna Hills HS
Williams, Cadell DL 6-1 260 Brooklyn, N.Y./Poly Prep Country Day School
Wood, Sam QB 6-5 215 Jacksonville, Fla./Fletcher HS
CLASS OF 2015 BIG RED PLAYER BIOGRAPHIES
OL Curtis Arndt – 6-2/275 — Moorpark, Calif. (Moorpark HS)
Arndt was a first-team all-league and all-county selection as a senior offensive lineman at Moopark HS. A National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete award winner, Arndt helped block for an offense that passed for nearly 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns and rushed for more than 1,000 yards in his final season despite being the only returning starter on the line. He helped his 2009 team go 11-2-1 with a spot in the sectional finals as a junior.
RB Ahmad Avery – 5-10/190 — Whittier, Calif. (La Habra HS)
Avery was a member of four league, city and sectional championship teams with a cumulative 49-6 record at La Habra HS. A National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award winner, Avery was named one of the top 100 players in Orange County prior to his senior season by OCVarsity.com. As a junior, Avery averaged 11.2 yards per carry and rushed for 560 yards and eight scores while splitting carries with a BYU recruit. He also caught seven passes for 60 yards.
LB Taylor Betros – 5-11/205 — Jacksonville, Fla. (The Bolles School)
Betros was part of two state title-winning teams at the Bolles School as a linebacker and safety. A team captain as a senior, Betros was a first-team all-area pick by the Florida Times Union and Friday Night Football Magazine. Jax Prep Sports earned a spot on the “Cream De La Crop” list after earning a spot on the “Best of 2011 Linebackers” list by Gator Country Magazine. Betros earned spots on the all-state tournament team in 2008 by the Miami Herald and 2009 by the Orlando Sentinel. As a junior, Betros posted 110 tackles with 13 tackles for loss, four sacks, 12 quarterback pressures and two fumbles caused and recovered. The four-year letter winner on the gridiron also lettered three times in baseball. His brother, Scott, plays linebacker at Wake Forest.
WR Andrew Boseman – 6-2/195 — Brandywine, Md. (Gwynn Park HS)
An all-league and all-county selection as a senior at Brandywine HS, Boseman was a three-year letter winner on offense at wide receiver and defense at outside linebacker. He was a two-star prospect by scouting service Scout.com served as team captain as a senior. Boseman was a preseason all-state selection as a senior. A track star, he was part of the 4x200 indoor relay team that won a state title. The three-year team captain finished second in the state in the 300 meter dash and was all-county in both the indoor and outdoor season as a junior. He also placed among the top six in the state in the 100 and 200 meter dash and as part of the 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams.
TE Evan Brovender – 6-4/235 — Boca Raton, Fla. (Pine Crest School)
Brovender was a first-team all-county selection at defensive end by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel and a second-team all-county tight end by the Miami Herald as a senior at Pine Crest School. The four-year member of the football team averaged 23.8 yards per catch with a touchdown as a senior while posting 21 tackles, including 10 for a loss and nine sacks, on defense. He played swingman on a pair of state championship basketball teams and a state runner-up squad. Brovender also competed for two seasons in weightlifting, finishing on the podium at sectionals as both a junior and senior.
LB Guy Cook – 6-1/195 — New Hope, Pa. (St. Joseph's Prep HS)
A two-time academic all-state selection, Cook was a first-team all-league selection as a defensive end as a senior at St. Joseph's Prep HS. He was a third-team All-Southeastern Pennsylvania pick as a senior, and was named one of the top 40 players at his position as both a junior and senior by the Philadelphia Inquirer. A team captain as a senior, Cook was a three-year letter winner at both defensive end and offensive guard. He was chosen to compete in the Philadelphia Catholic League vs. Public League senior all-star game in 2011.
TE Ben Green – 6-7/245 — Belvedere, Calif. (Phillips Academy)
An all-league selection at tight end and defensive end, Green led his Brentwood School team to a league title and a spot in the CIF Southern section finals in 2007. He went on for a postgraduate season playing at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass. playing both ways. He hauled in 14 passes for 216 yards in seven games, including a two-point conversion, and also made 36 tackles with a sack. Green was a two-year captain of the lacrosse team, earning honorable mention All-America accolades as a senior at Brentwood School on attack.
DB Aaron Hancock – 5-8/165 — Monroe, N.C. (Sun Valley HS)
A first-team all-conference and all-county selection as a senior at Sun Valley HS, Hancock was a four-time academic all-conference pick. He posted 43 tackles, three interceptions and 15 pass breakups as a senior, recovering two fumbles and registering a sack along the way. The team's defensive captain was named the SVHS Student-Athlete of the Year twice for football. He was part of the school's first conference championship team in 2009 and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski/Bojangle's Student-Athlete of the Year as a senior. Hancock earned FOX Charlotte and Sonic Drive-In Scholar-Athlete of the Week honors in the fall of 2010. He was a four-year starter and letter winner on the gridiron.
OL Alex Lavrentios – 6-5/265 — Wellesley, Mass. (Salisbury School)
Lavrentios was an all-league selection on the offensive line at the Salisbury School. A member of the 2011 New England football championship squad, he played on both the offensive and defensive lines and also served as the team's long-snapper. He also played lacrosse on defense and basketball as a center.
RB Dylan Ledet – 5-10/215 — Thibodaux, La. (Edward Douglas White HS)
Ledet was a two-time first-team all-state selection at running back at Edward Douglas White Catholic HS. He led the area with 1,699 rushing yards on 7.8 yards per carry with 23 touchdowns. The two-time all-region offensive MVP and team captain was selected to the Bayou Region All-Star Team. Ledet led his team to a district title and state semifinal finish as a junior and a district runner-up and state quarterfinal appearance as a senior. He was also named to the academic all-state team. He also competed in track and field and basketball. Ledet was ranked as the 12th-best fullback in the high school ranks by ESPN Rise scouting.
S Peter McDonough – 6-2/195 — Darien, Conn. (Darien HS)
McDonough was a first-team all-league selection as a senior at Darien HS, helping his team to a league crown and a trip to the state semifinals. He posted 45 tackles and three interceptions as a senior captain. He also added 19 pass breakups, one caused and two recovered fumbles. As a junior, McDonough earned all-league and all-county honors. In track, McDonough served as captain of both the indoor and outdoor teams, specializing in the 100 and 200 meters. He was all-state in the 4x200 relay, winning all-county accolades in the event.
DL Shane McManamon – 6-2/275 — Westlake, Ohio (St. Edward HS)
As a senior, McManamon recorded 80 tackles, including 37 for a loss and 20 sacks for St. Edward HS. He also had 25 quarterback hurries. A National Football Foundation and College Football Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete award winner, he helped his team to an undefeated (15-0) state championship and the No. 2 ranking in the country by Rivals.com. His late brother, Jaime, was a member of the Cornell football team during the 2003 campaign before passing away. Jaime served as a posthumous team captain with his senior classmates in 2006.
S Rush Miller – 6-2/195 — Brooklyn, N.Y. (Poly Prep Country Day School)
Miller was a four-year member of the varsity team, playing defensive back, linebacker and wide receiver. He was rated the No. 11 player in New York City by MSG Varsity as a senior. Miller competed twice in the Golden Gloves. His cousin is six-time Pro Bowler NFL great Jerome Bettis, the fifth-leading rusher in history (13,662 yards, 91 touchdowns).
S Andrew Nelson – 6-1/195 — Plymouth, Mich. (Detroit Central Catholic HS)
An academic all-state pick as a senior at Detroit Catholic Central HS, Nelson was a two-year starter and played a key role on a state championship team as a junior. A team captain in 2010, he was part of a district title-winning squad. He posted the highest team grade point average and won an award as the school's top defensive back. He missed half of his senior season with an injury. As a junior, Nelson posted 51 tackles and led the team with four interceptions, including one in the state championship game en route to a perfect 14-0 season. He was named to the all-league and all-county teams and was named to the Detroit News All-Metro North team.
OL Kyle Osborn – 6-5/300 — Tuttle, Okla. (Tuttle HS)
Osborn was a two-time all-city selection on the offensive line and was District and County Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior at Tuttle HS. He served as team captain as a senior and was selected to play in the Oil Bowl (Oklahome vs. Texas) following his final campaign. Osborn was a four-year member of the varsity, helping the team to state playoffs each season and winning three district titles. He also competed three seasons in track and field and powerlifting, finishing sixth in the state at his weight class as a senior. Osborn is a two-star prospect by scouting service Scout.com.
QB Cole Parker – 6-2/170 — Valdosta, Ga. (Lowndes HS)
Parker was an all-region selection as a junior and senior at Lowndes HS and guided his team to regional titles as a sophomore and senior. He was picked to play in the Georgia North-South All-Star game and was the Great American Rivalry MVP of the 2010 Lowndes/Valdosta game (the Winnersville Classic). In his final season, Parker completed 59 percent of his passes (68-of-115) for 1,217 yards and 15 touchdowns against four interceptions. The team co-captain also ran for two scores for his 10-3 team. As a junior, Parker completed 46-of-86 passes for 821 yards and 12 touchdowns and only one interception. He was a three-year starter and letter winner for football and played four seasons of varsity baseball. Parker was part of a team that won a regional and state title as a freshman and was a three-time Valdosta Daily Times player of the week.
LB Don Pavlov – 6-1/225 — Avon Lake, Ohio (St. Edward HS)
Pavlov was among the team's leading tackler at middle linebacker as a senior at St. Edward HS. He helped the team to a state title and a No. 2 national rank in 2010. Pavlov was selected to compete in the Cuyahoga County East-West All-Star Football Game as a senior. Pavlov totaled 85 tackles with three sacks and four tackles for loss during the regular season and ended the 15-0 season with 120 stops. In a tremendous performance in the state semifinals, Pavlov recorded 13 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble to get the team to the state final.
OL Ryan Pearce – 6-4/265 — Staten Island, N.Y. (Poly Prep Country Day School)
Pearce was named the team's most valuable player as a senior at Poly Prep Country Day School as an offensive and defensive tackle as a senior. He was an all-state selection as a senior on the offensive line. The three-year letter winner also earned the team's best two-way lineman award. Pearce was also a four-year letter winner and three-time team MVP in wrestling. He served as team captain as a senior.
LB Sawyer Pettit – 6-2/215 — Talking Rock, Ga. (Gilmer HS)
A two-time team defensive Player of the Year, Pettit helped Gilmer HS football to a reversal of fortunes during his playing career. The four-year member of the varsity was part of a winless team in 2008 and helped guide the team to a playoff appearance just two seasons later. Pettit posted 283 career tackles, including 91 as a senior. The team's leading tackler as a junior and senior, Pettit posted 17 tackles in a win over Dalton HS, one of the biggest upsets in program history, to earn a spot on the Atlanta Journal Constitutions' “Individual Top Performances of the Week.” He was named a Gilmer HS Scholar-Athlete in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
WR Javier Rodriguez – 5-10/175 — Miami, Fla. (Belen Jesuit Prep HS)
Rodriguez was a two-time all-county selection at wide receiver at Belen Jesuit Prep HS. He helped guide his team to a state runner-up finish as a junior. A track and field star, he won district and regional long jump and 100 meter titles as a junior after capturing district crowns in the long jump as a freshman and sophomore. He was part of a state title-winning 4x100 relay team as a junior and was part of a title winning team as an eighth grader.
WR Lucas Shapiro – 6-5/210 — Antioch, Calif. (De La Salle HS)
A second-team all-state selection as a senior at wide receiver, Shapiro helped guide De La Salle HS to a pair of league, regional and state titles. He was an all-league and all-area receiver in his final season and earned the team's Most Valuable Back award for his 14-0 squad. Shapiro caught 35 passes for 642 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 18.3 yards per catch in 2010. As a junior, Shapiro caught 21 passes for 412 yards and five touchdowns in leading his team to a 13-2 record. A three-sport athlete (football, basketball and baseball), Shapiro earned played a combined 10 varsity seasons.
DL Fiaalii Togiaso – 6-1/270 — Encinitas, Calif. (La Jolla Country Day School)
A three-time first-team all-league selection at La Jolla Country Day School, Togiaso played on both the offensive and defensive lines. As a senior, Togiaso recorded 129 tackles with 4.5 sacks, two caused fumbles, two blocked kicks and an interception on the defensive side of the football. On offense, his team averaged nearly 200 yards per game with 23 touchdowns in 12 contests. He was the recipient of the Willie Jones Most Inspirational Award by the San Diego Chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
DB Michael Turner – 6-0/190 — Pikesville, Md. (Boys Latin School)
Turner was a first-team all-state selection by ESPN Rise as a senior at Boys Latin School at defensive back. A three-time all-league pick, he led his team to an undefeated regular season as a junior. The four-year starter was a team captain as a senior. Turner was a three-sport star, also playing three years of basketball and two years of lacrosse. He served as team captain of the lacrosse squad as a senior.
WR Ryan Ur – 6-0/180 — Laguna Hills, Calif. (Laguna Hills HS)
Ur was named league most valuable player as a senior at Laguna Hills HS. A two-time all-county pick, he was a three-time first-team all-league selection while playing wide receiver and corner back, as well as returning punts and kicks. Ur served as team captain as a senior and was part of a CIF championship team as a sophomore. A four-year member of the football team, he also lettered in basketball and track and field. He was honored by the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame for his achievements on the field and in the classroom.
DL Cadell Williams – 6-1/260 — Brooklyn, N.Y. (Poly Prep Country Day School)
Williams was named to the New York All-Star team as a senior defensive end at Poly Prep Country Day School. He was named the team's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and was the Most Improved Player as a junior. Williams played on both the offensive and defensive lines. He is one of three incoming freshmen from Poly Prep CDS in Brooklyn.
QB Sam Wood – 6-5/215 — Jacksonville, Fla. (Fletcher HS)
An all-district selection as a senior at Fletcher HS, he was a two-star prospect by scouting service Rivals.com. A two-year team captain, Wood led his team to the state playoffs as a senior en route to earning all-conference accolades. He passed for more than 4,300 career yards, including more than 1,500 yards as a senior. Wood was named the North team's MVP at the 22nd annual Shrine Bowl All-Star game, passing for two touchdowns and running for another. Wood played at Stanton College Preparatory HS as a junior. He was a three-sport athlete, also competing in basketball and track and field.
