Virginia Athlete

 

Shawn Riley

6-3, 220 pound DB Shawn Riley from the Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, VA has committed to the Lions. 

Riley had offers from William & Mary, Lafayette, Fordham, and a few others.

Riley will be the first Trinity Episcopal grad to come to Columbia Football. 

Despite the COVID-19 uncertainty, we now have 21 reported commits for 2021. At this time in 2019, we had 15. 

So here is the updated list:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Bryson Canty WR 6-3 190 lbs. Reagan HS Pfafftown, NC

3. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

4. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

5. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

6. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

7. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

8. John Iannuzzi OL 6-4 300 lbs. Dexter Southfield HS Brookline, MA

9. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

10. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

11. Jack Larsen DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Seton Hall Prep West Orange, NJ

12. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

13. Rocco Milia 6-3 195 lbs. Brother Rice HS Bloomfield, MI

14. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

15. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

16. Jalen Smith CB/WR 6-0 170 lbs. McDonogh School Owings Mills. MD

17. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX

18. Shawn Riley DB 6-3 220 lbs. Trinity Episcopal HS Richmond, VA 

19. Charlie Sessa TE/WR 6-5 215 lbs. Hinsdale Central HS Hinsdale, IL

20. Justin Townsend LB 6-2 220 lbs. Randolph HS Randolph, NJ

21. Patrick Wade TE/WR 6-6 235 lbs. IMG Academy Bradenton , FL

Another Tall Order

Charlie Sessa

6-5, 215 pound TE/WR Charlie Sessa from Hinsdale Central HS in Hinsdale, IL has committed to the Lions.

He had offers from Brown, Colgate, and Valparaiso. 

Sessa is a newcomer to organized football. which is a profile that often leads to great success in the Ivies. (longer term stars usually get snatched up by bigger football programs).

Speaking of bigger programs. his brother Michael Sessa was a four-year backup QB at Michigan.

Sessa will be the third Hinsdale grad to come to Columbia Football, joining current senior Josh Bean and Mike Marsh '05. 

At 6-5, Sessa is just the latest Lion commit measuring in at 6 feet or taller. Looking at the current list of 20 commits, (see below), the average height is 6-3. 

Another trend may be coming into focus as well, which is it appears Columbia is aggressively recruiting during COVID while some other schools may be holding off a bit amid the uncertainty. It also appears that Columbia is targeting a number of offerees and commits playing at schools with suspended or severely cut back football seasons that are not getting the bigger time offers they would have received from major FBS programs. 

So here is the updated list:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Bryson Canty WR 6-3 190 lbs. Reagan HS Pfafftown, NC

3. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

4. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

5. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

6. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

7. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

8. John Iannuzzi OL 6-4 300 lbs. Dexter Southfield HS Brookline, MA

9. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

10. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

11. Jack Larsen DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Seton Hall Prep West Orange, NJ

12. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

13. Rocco Milia 6-3 195 lbs. Brother Rice HS Bloomfield, MI

14. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

15. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

16. Jalen Smith CB/WR 6-0 170 lbs. McDonogh School Owings Mills. MD

17. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX

18. Charlie Sessa TE/WR 6-5 215 lbs. Hinsdale Central HS Hinsdale, IL

19. Justin Townsend LB 6-2 220 lbs. Randolph HS Randolph, NJ

20. Patrick Wade TE/WR 6-6 235 lbs. IMG Academy Bradenton , FL

Winning Another Recruiting Battle

Bryson Canty

6-3 190 pound WR Bryson Canty from Reagan HS in Pfafftown, NC has committed to the Lions.

Here's an article from this summer describing Canty as a 3-star recruit. He also had offers from Princeton, Penn. Yale. Dartmouth, Army, Navy, Air Force, among others.

Canty will be the second Reagan HS grad to come to Columbia Football, following current freshman Gabriel Hollingsworth.  

Remember, you can check the names of every HS that's ever sent a player to the Columbia Football program on my exclusive Lionfeeders site.

So here is the updated list:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Bryson Canty WR 6-3 190 lbs. Reagan HS Pfafftown, NC

3. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

4. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

5. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

6. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

7. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

8. John Iannuzzi OL 6-4 300 lbs. Dexter Southfield HS Brookline, MA

9. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

10. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

11. Jack Larsen DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Seton Hall Prep West Orange, NJ

12. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

13. Rocco Milia 6-3 195 lbs. Brother Rice HS Bloomfield, MI

14. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

15. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

16. Jalen Smith CB/WR 6-0 170 lbs. McDonogh School Owings Mills. MD

17. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX

18. Justin Townsend LB 6-2 220 lbs. Randolph HS Randolph, NJ

19. Patrick Wade TE/WR 6-6 235 lbs. IMG Academy Bradenton , FL

2021 Harvest Continues

Rocca Milia

6-3 195 pound DB Rocco Milia from Brother Rice HS in Bloomfield Hills, MI (Detroit area), has committed to Columbia. I know the coaches must be overjoyed to grab a DB taller than 6-1.

Milia had offers from several schools including Penn, Fordham, Indiana State, and a preferred walk-on offer from Michigan.

At Brother Rice, he also plays WR, and he caught a TD pass in a game Friday. 

According to my LionFeeders database Milia will be the third Brother Rice grd to come to Columbia Football, and the first since DL standout Dominic Perkovic '18. 

John Iannuzzi

Also joining the pride is 6-4 300 pound OL John Iannuzzi from the Dexter Southfield School in Brookline, MA. 

Iannuzzi had offers from Cornell and Lafayette, among others.

He will be the first Dexter grad to come to Columbia (last year's Dexter commit Stephen Brooks changed his commitment to Georgetown).

So here is the updated list:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

3. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

4. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

5. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

6. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

7. John Iannuzzi OL 6-4 300 lbs. Dexter Southfield HS Brookline, MA

8. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

9. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

10. Jack Larsen DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Seton Hall Prep West Orange, NJ

11. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

12. Rocco Milia 6-3 195 lbs. Brother Rice HS Bloomfield, MI

13. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

14. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

15. Jalen Smith CB/WR 6-0 170 lbs. McDonogh School Owings Mills. MD

16. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX

17. Justin Townsend LB 6-2 220 lbs. Randolph HS Randolph, NJ

18. Patrick Wade TE/WR 6-6 235 lbs. IMG Academy Bradenton , FL

A Good Gamble

Justin Townsend #36

6-2, 220 pound LB Justin Townsend from Randolph HS in Randolph, NJ has committed to Columbia.

Townsend is a extremely impressive-looking prospect who may have become a plausible target for Columbia instead of a major FBS program because of a left knee injury he suffered in his freshman year.

It's not clear what position Townsend will play for the Lions, but a tweet he posted announcing his commitment put him at DE. 

In Randolph's first game of the season this weekend, Townsend starred on offense with two TD receptions.

Townsend will be the first Randolph grad to come to Columbia Football.

So here is the updated list:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

3. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

4. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

5. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

6. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

7. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

8. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

9. Jack Larsen DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Seton Hall Prep West Orange, NJ

10. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

11. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

12. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

13. Jalen Smith CB/WR 6-0 170 lbs. McDonogh School Owings Mills. MD

14. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX

15. Justin Townsend LB 6-2 220 lbs. Randolph HS Randolph, NJ

16. Patrick Wade TE/WR 6-6 235 lbs. IMG Academy Bradenton , FL

#15

Jack Larsen

The 15th reported commit to the incoming 2021 freshman class is 6-4 235 pound DE/TE Jack Larsen from Seton Hall Prep in West Orange, New Jersey. 

Larsen will be the ninth Seton Hall grad to come to Columbia, in a group that includes recent TE grad Rory Schlageter.

So here is the updated list:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

3. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

4. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

5. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

6. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

7. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

8. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

9. Jack Larsen DE/TE 6-4 235 lbs. Seton Hall Prep West Orange, NJ

10. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

11. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

12. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

13. Jalen Smith CB/WR 6-0 170 lbs. McDonogh School Owings Mills. MD

14. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX

15. Patrick Wade TE/WR 6-6 235 lbs. IMG Academy Bradenton , FL

Two More

 Two more high school seniors have committed to Columbia in the last 36 hours. 

Jalen Smith

First is 6-0, 170 pound CB/WR Jalen Smith from the McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland.  Smith seems like another one of those 6-foot and taller corners Al Bagnoli's staff has been keen on for years now. 

Smith had offers from Morgan State and Trinity, but I feel like he had some other schools sniffing around as well. 

Smith will be the fourth McDonogh School graduate to come to Columbia Football, and joining current freshman QB and McDonogh grad Kris Jenner.

Patrick Wade

Next we have 6-6, 235 pound TE/WR Patrick Wade, who is doing his senior year at IMG Academy in Florida but also attended St. Sebastian's School in Needham, MA. 

Wade will be the first IMG grad to come to Columbia and the second player from St. Sebastian's.

Wade is also an extremely highly-rated 1st baseman, and it appears he will be playing both varsity football and baseball at CU.

Here now is our list of 14 reported commits for 2021:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

3. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

4. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

5. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

6. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

7. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

8. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

9. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

10. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

11. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

12. Jalen Smith CB/WR 6-0 170 lbs. McDonogh School Owings Mills. MD

13. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX

14. Patrick Wade TE/WR 6-6 235 lbs. IMG Academy Bradenton , FL

Filling out the List

The good news is that we now know the names of all the new 2021 commits the coaches have been crowing about on social media. I'll briefly profile them and add them to the list below. 

The bad news is that parents of current students tell me that Columbia is still not planning to return to normal on-campus living and classes through the NEXT fall semester. In other words, no real campus life until 2022. 

If that's the case, I don't see how Ivy League football or any team sports recruiting can go on or whether these sports will ever be able to really recover. 

So, let's just keep an eye on all of this for now.

Chase Harleston

CA WR, part one

The first of two California-based WR's the coaches tweeted about is 6"3 185-pound Chase Harleston from the Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles.  Harleston is a great combination of speed, hands, and height. 

He had offers from Penn, Dartmouth, Cornell, Army, Air Force, Cal Poly, Fordham, UC Davis, UNLV, San Diego, and Northern Arizona.

Harleston will be the fifth Harvard-Westlake grad to come to Columbia Football.

Terrell Long

CA WR, part two

Next is 6"3 180-pound Terrell Long from the Sierra Canyon School in Chatsworth, CA.  Long also had solid offers from Princeton, Harvard, Dartmouth, and Cornell. 

Long will be the second Sierra Canyon grad to come to Columbia Football.

Jake Langdon

Indy RB

Another new commit is 6"0 185-pound RB Jake Langdon from Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. He had offers from local schools like Valparaiso and Butler. 

Langdon will be the first Cathedral HS grad to come to Columbia Football. 

So, here is the list of our 12 known 2021 commits:

1. William Butz LB 6-2 210 lbs. Riverside HS Leesburg, VA

2. Patrick Colicchio OL 6-4 280 lbs. Bergen Catholic Oradell, NJ

3. Anthony D'Angelo OL 6-4 245 lbs. Kent Island HS Stevensville, MD

4. Raleigh Erwin DL 6-2 245 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX

5. Austin Grier QB 6-0 200 lbs. Vance HS Charlotte, NC

6. Chase Harleston WR 6-3 185 Harvard-Westlake School Los Angeles, CA

7. Hayden McDonald DB/WR 5-10 170 lbs. O'Dea HS Seattle, WA

8. Jake Langdon 6-0 185 lbs. Cathedral HS Indianapolis, IN

9. Terrell Long 6-3 180 lbs. Sierra Canyon Chatsworth, CA

10. Lucas Mireur DB 6-1 180 lbs. Westlake HS Austin, TX

11. Judge Niland OL 6-4 237 lbs. Lake Travis HS Austin, TX 

12. Augustus Rice OL 6-6 305 lbs. Waller HS Waller, TX