Photo by: Alec Turner/tfp.nyc
Mountain Hawks Add Eight to Football Class of 2024
2/5/2020 2:55:00 PM | Football
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – After signing 12 student-athletes during the early signing period in December, Lehigh head coach Tom Gilmore announced the addition of eight more student-athletes on Wednesday's National Signing Day.
"I was really happy with the guys that signed in December, and these guys that signed today really allow the class to take shape," Gilmore explained. "We were able to address every position group with this class. We're still working on a few more guys, but I'm really pleased with the quality and quantity of the guys that we brought in across the board."
The newest signees include four defensive backs, two offensive linemen, one defensive lineman and an athlete. Five states are represented among the February signees, with four hailing from Pennsylvania, including local product Trevor Harris, a defensive lineman from Liberty High School in Bethlehem. Lehigh has also brought in student-athletes from Florida, Maryland, Missouri and Texas.
"This class is going to help us immensely," Gilmore said. "One of our biggest issues last year was the depth across the board on our roster. We've added depth, but we've also added a lot of quality. We anticipate a lot of these guys being able to help us early because of some of those shortages that we have on the depth chart. A lot of these guys are going to be able to come in and help us in some capacity right away. That's really exciting. We're going to have to do a great job as a coaching staff getting these guys ready and making sure that they're ready, not only to be members of the team, but to be productive players on the field.
"Many of these student-athletes we signed to scholarships this year were highly-recruited players, that were recruited all around the country, at not only the FCS but the FBS level," Gilmore continued. "We really feel great about the quality of these players and their ability to impact the program."
Wednesday's offensive signees are heavily centered on the line, with George Padezanin and Justin Watson joining a December group that included three wide receivers, a tight end and a quarterback.
Five of Lehigh's six defensive signees from December were on the front seven. The addition of four defensive backs on Wednesday brings the number of incoming freshman in the secondary to five.
"It was interesting after we signed the group in December, there were still some holes in certain position groups," Gilmore said. "We would have loved to fill them earlier, but at the same time we were patient and allowed some guys to make decisions that allowed them to come our way, and that has made a huge difference in this class. Some guys weren't ready to decide in December. Some guys played into December with their state playoffs and championships, so they didn't have the opportunity to take official visits. There was no strategy as far as targeting one group or another, it was just a matter of when some of these guys were ready to make decisions or to take official visits."
Lehigh released its 2020 schedule on Tuesday. Season tickets (renewals and new season tickets) are now on sale and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during business hours.
Information on the February signees follows:
Trevor Harris - DL; 6-3/235; Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
First team All-State 6A defensive end by both coaches and media… EPC South Defensive MVP… named first team All-Area by The Morning Call… first team All-EPC Defensive End… Mini-Maxwell nominee… Coordinated Health Athlete of the Year… Bethlehem Press Athlete of the Year… first team All-Eastern PA… Liberty High School Male Athlete of the Year… four-year honor roll student.
Nick Lucien – DB; 5-11/175; Bath, Pa./Wyoming Seminary
Attended Bethlehem Catholic High School before taking post-graduate year at Wyoming Seminary… three-time District and State finalist… also competed in track and field where he was district qualifier… high honor roll student.
George Padezanin – OL; 6-3/290; McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour
Four-year starter and two-year team captain… All-State offensive lineman… three-time All-Conference as both offensive lineman and defensive lineman… Conference Defensive MVP… National Honor Society member.
Devari Robinson – ATH; 5-10/185; McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport
First team All-Conference quarterback and running back… second team All-Conference as a defensive back… Mon Valley Independent Offensive Player of the Year… Trib HSSN Scholar-Athlete of the Month for December 2019… Team Captain… also lettered and served as team captain in Track and Field… honor roll student… talent search ambassador… Duke and Ding Scholarship recipient.
Spencer Roof – DB; 6-0/190; Arlington, Texas/Nolan Catholic
TAPPS Honorable Mention Division 1 All-District… statistics include 91 tackles, one sack, two interceptions, 11 pass breakups, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries… also lettered in baseball… Broadcast Director for VSPN…. Videographer for Sroof Productions.
Donovan Thomas – DB; 6-3/205; Orange Park, Fla./Oakleaf
Two-time first team All-Conference… first team All-District as a senior… played for 2018 county champions and 2019 regional champions… team qualified for state playoffs in 2019… captained weightlifting team… served community feeding the homeless at the Clara White Mission.
Justin Watson – OL; 6-5/265; St. Louis, Mo./Eureka
Third team All-State… first team All-District and All-Conference… recipient of conference sportsmanship award… received Heart of a Wildcat Award as voted on by his teammates… first in program to receive Justin Watson Leadership Award… Andy Bedo Homecoming Game/Leadership Award… Glory of Missouri Award… Academic All-State… National Honor Society member… also played three years of baseball.
LaTreil Wimberly – DB; 5-10/175; Hyattsville, Md./C.H. Flowers
Team captain as a senior… more than 30 tackles and a forced fumble in senior season… selected to the PG vs. SMAC and PG vs. Baltimore City All-Star Games… also lettered in track and field… member of the "PeerForward" program.
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"I was really happy with the guys that signed in December, and these guys that signed today really allow the class to take shape," Gilmore explained. "We were able to address every position group with this class. We're still working on a few more guys, but I'm really pleased with the quality and quantity of the guys that we brought in across the board."
The newest signees include four defensive backs, two offensive linemen, one defensive lineman and an athlete. Five states are represented among the February signees, with four hailing from Pennsylvania, including local product Trevor Harris, a defensive lineman from Liberty High School in Bethlehem. Lehigh has also brought in student-athletes from Florida, Maryland, Missouri and Texas.
"This class is going to help us immensely," Gilmore said. "One of our biggest issues last year was the depth across the board on our roster. We've added depth, but we've also added a lot of quality. We anticipate a lot of these guys being able to help us early because of some of those shortages that we have on the depth chart. A lot of these guys are going to be able to come in and help us in some capacity right away. That's really exciting. We're going to have to do a great job as a coaching staff getting these guys ready and making sure that they're ready, not only to be members of the team, but to be productive players on the field.
"Many of these student-athletes we signed to scholarships this year were highly-recruited players, that were recruited all around the country, at not only the FCS but the FBS level," Gilmore continued. "We really feel great about the quality of these players and their ability to impact the program."
Wednesday's offensive signees are heavily centered on the line, with George Padezanin and Justin Watson joining a December group that included three wide receivers, a tight end and a quarterback.
Five of Lehigh's six defensive signees from December were on the front seven. The addition of four defensive backs on Wednesday brings the number of incoming freshman in the secondary to five.
"It was interesting after we signed the group in December, there were still some holes in certain position groups," Gilmore said. "We would have loved to fill them earlier, but at the same time we were patient and allowed some guys to make decisions that allowed them to come our way, and that has made a huge difference in this class. Some guys weren't ready to decide in December. Some guys played into December with their state playoffs and championships, so they didn't have the opportunity to take official visits. There was no strategy as far as targeting one group or another, it was just a matter of when some of these guys were ready to make decisions or to take official visits."
Lehigh released its 2020 schedule on Tuesday. Season tickets (renewals and new season tickets) are now on sale and can be purchased at LehighTickets.com or by calling 610-7LU-GAME during business hours.
Information on the February signees follows:
Trevor Harris - DL; 6-3/235; Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
First team All-State 6A defensive end by both coaches and media… EPC South Defensive MVP… named first team All-Area by The Morning Call… first team All-EPC Defensive End… Mini-Maxwell nominee… Coordinated Health Athlete of the Year… Bethlehem Press Athlete of the Year… first team All-Eastern PA… Liberty High School Male Athlete of the Year… four-year honor roll student.
Welcome Home Mr. Harris! Keeping the best talent in the Valley home! OLineman better get some air in that helmet! #BirdGang #NSD2020 pic.twitter.com/PGjXF6AAn7
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
Nick Lucien – DB; 5-11/175; Bath, Pa./Wyoming Seminary
Attended Bethlehem Catholic High School before taking post-graduate year at Wyoming Seminary… three-time District and State finalist… also competed in track and field where he was district qualifier… high honor roll student.
When you look 21 but you're way more savage!! "Lockdown Lucien" is here to put the clamps on ya best! How many PBU's and INT's...A LOT!! pic.twitter.com/bO65fGG9jC
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
George Padezanin – OL; 6-3/290; McKees Rocks, Pa./Montour
Four-year starter and two-year team captain… All-State offensive lineman… three-time All-Conference as both offensive lineman and defensive lineman… Conference Defensive MVP… National Honor Society member.
Big GP!! Good luck spilling power you might get bodied! That's what happens when you are #RoxBred Welcome George! #BirdGang #NSD2020 pic.twitter.com/gNC6Po3dRQ
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
Devari Robinson – ATH; 5-10/185; McKeesport, Pa./McKeesport
First team All-Conference quarterback and running back… second team All-Conference as a defensive back… Mon Valley Independent Offensive Player of the Year… Trib HSSN Scholar-Athlete of the Month for December 2019… Team Captain… also lettered and served as team captain in Track and Field… honor roll student… talent search ambassador… Duke and Ding Scholarship recipient.
Fresh off the press to start the day right!! Check the resume...he can run, tackle, return kicks and he can pass!🤫 Some people like Boobie Miles I'll put my paycheck on Devari Robinson! #BirdGang #NSD2020 pic.twitter.com/kZODGFrphe
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
Spencer Roof – DB; 6-0/190; Arlington, Texas/Nolan Catholic
TAPPS Honorable Mention Division 1 All-District… statistics include 91 tackles, one sack, two interceptions, 11 pass breakups, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries… also lettered in baseball… Broadcast Director for VSPN…. Videographer for Sroof Productions.
The Roof...the Roof...the Roof is on FIRE!!! 🔥 Texas boy not coming to play games! Welcome Spencer! #BirdGang #NSD2020 pic.twitter.com/tWD0hRNvcW
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
Donovan Thomas – DB; 6-3/205; Orange Park, Fla./Oakleaf
Two-time first team All-Conference… first team All-District as a senior… played for 2018 county champions and 2019 regional champions… team qualified for state playoffs in 2019… captained weightlifting team… served community feeding the homeless at the Clara White Mission.
When we said this class is special we weren't playing games! Check the resume and realize that "Air Traffic Control" is gonna have to be a new major at Lehigh! Welcome Donovan! #BirdGang #NSD2020 pic.twitter.com/pfFLiRWZ5N
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
Justin Watson – OL; 6-5/265; St. Louis, Mo./Eureka
Third team All-State… first team All-District and All-Conference… recipient of conference sportsmanship award… received Heart of a Wildcat Award as voted on by his teammates… first in program to receive Justin Watson Leadership Award… Andy Bedo Homecoming Game/Leadership Award… Glory of Missouri Award… Academic All-State… National Honor Society member… also played three years of baseball.
Eureka!!! We struck gold with this one!! Good luck rushing the passer...🤷♂️ Welcome Justin! #BirdGang #NSD2020 pic.twitter.com/MCfGmgWykp
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
LaTreil Wimberly – DB; 5-10/175; Hyattsville, Md./C.H. Flowers
Team captain as a senior… more than 30 tackles and a forced fumble in senior season… selected to the PG vs. SMAC and PG vs. Baltimore City All-Star Games… also lettered in track and field… member of the "PeerForward" program.
DMV in the building!! We're gonna have to see your license and registration if you plan on passing his way! Welcome LaTreil! #BirdGang #NSD2020 pic.twitter.com/l6KHeGGiJI
— Lehigh Football (@LehighFootball) February 5, 2020
Like Lehigh Football on Facebook and follow on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive updates throughout the season.
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