University of Richmond Athletics
Spiders Announce 2006 Football Signees
Feb. 1, 2006
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - After making a trip to the NCAA I-AA Quarterfinals in 2005, the I-AA.org National Coach of the Year, Dave Clawson, and his staff officially announced the signing of 16 student-athletes who plan to play football next season for the University of Richmond.
"This is a very solid class which will address needs we are going to have in our program," head coach Dave Clawson said. "We had a big emphasis in recruiting on the front seven of our defense -- eight of our signees are either defensive linemen or linebackers. Those numbers are anticipating what we will lose at the end of next season. Offensively, we signed a quality quarterback and two big athletic receivers who can run and catch the football, giving us some dynamic playmakers on offense."
The Spiders inked four from the Commonwealth of Virginia -- defensive lineman Jonathan Ashe (Kecoughtan HS), wide receiver Kevin Grayson (L.C. Bird HS) and linebackers Eric McBride (L.C. Bird HS) and James Smaugh (Blue Ridge HS). In addition, Clawson and his staff landed three from New Jersey, two from North Carolina and Texas, as well as individual student-athletes from Georgia, Connecticut, Tennessee, Louisiana and Pennsylvania.
"We want to do a great job in our backyard," Clawson said. "Last year we were excited we were able to get two players the caliber of Josh Vaughan and William Bischoff. This year, Kevin (Grayson) and Eric (McBride) continue with the quality of players we have been able to sign from the Richmond area."
Ricky Krautman, a transfer kicker from Syracuse who is included in Richmond's new signees, will be with the team when it begins spring drills next month. The Spiders will host its third Spring Game in Clawson's tenure, April 15, at First Market Stadium.
Biographical sketches for each of Richmond's signees are below.
Adam Abramowitz
DL, 6-4, 230, FR
Marietta, Ga./Lassiter High School
High School: Was a two-year letterwinner in football as a junior and senior... Lettered as a junior in track... Voted captain of the football team by his teammates as a senior... Selected an All-County Defensive End... Was part of the All-Region first team defense and named the All-Region Defensive Player of the Year... Honored as the team Defensive MVP at Lassiter... Played for head coach Greg Dirst. Personal: His father Sid was an offensive lineman in the NFL for four seasons from 1983-87.
Jonathan Ashe
DL, 6-1, 275, FR
Hampton, Va./Kecoughtan High School
High School: Has garnered nine letters throughout his high school career: four in football, three in track and two in wrestling... Served as captain at Kecoughtan as a senior... Was a First Team All-District defensive selection and an Honorable Mention All-District offensive honoree... Was a member of the Daily Press All-Star Team - Defensive Line... Played for head coach Tommy Austin.
L.J. Caprio
RB, 5-10, 180, FR
North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex High School
High School: Has lettered four years in football and baseball, while garnering two letters in wrestling... Served as captain on the football and baseball team in his high school career... Was a First Team All-County and First Team All-Conference (Iron Hills) selection... Was part of the Second Team All-State honorees in Group 2... Played for head coach David Drozjock.
Casey Cooley
DL, 6-3, 225, FR
McKinney, Texas/McKinney High School
High School: Was a three-year letterwinner in football and has won one letter in track... Was a Second Team All-Academic selection... Earned First Team All-Area honors... Was awarded Second Team All-District recognition... Named part of the All-State football squad... Was an Honorable Mention All-County selection... Played for head coach Todd McVey.
Kevin Grayson
WR, 6-3, 190, FR
Chesterfield, Va./L.C. Bird High School
High School: Has earned two letters in football and one in basketball... Was named an All-District wide receiver and kick returner after serving as captain his senior season... Earned All-Region honors at wide receiver before being named a Second Team All-State and All-Metro wide receiver... Caught 15 balls for 325 yards as a junior at L.C. Bird... Hauled in a school-record 30 catches for 500 yards as a senior... Scored nine touchdowns in his fourth year at Bird, and had 11 pass breakups, including eight interceptions... Scored four all-purpose touchdowns as a senior, including two as a kick returner and two as a punt returner... Played for head coach David Bedwell.
Ben Keating
LB, 6-0, 220, FR
Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day School
High School: Has been named to the First Team All-Conference and All-State squads three-straight years (2003-05)... Earned All-Conference track and field honors over the last two years... Named an All-State performer in track the last two seasons... Served as team captain as a senior... Earned the Charlotte Country Day School Team MVP award following his senior season... Was named the Defensive Player of the Year by the NCISAA... Awarded the Charlotte Country Day School Defensive Player of the Year honor twice, in 2003 and 2005... Leaves the school with a school-record 557 career tackles, 225 more than the previous record holder... Played for head coach Bob Witman.
Ricky Krautman
K, 5-9, 170, JR-TR
Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo High School/Syracuse
At Syracuse: Played against Boston College as a freshman in 2003, attempting a PAT and field goal... Redshirted as a sophomore at Syracuse in 2004... Ranked third in scoring as a redshirt-sophomore for the Orange in 2005 (20 points), going 1-for-2 on field goals and 17-for-18 on PAT's. High School: Named a 2002 All-American by PrepStar... Rated the No. 35 recruit in New Jersey by SuperPrep... Tri-State MSG Heisman All-Star... Was a First Team All-State selection by the Associated Press, Newark Star-Ledger and Gannett Newspapers... Made seven field goals, 42-of-44 PATs and recorded 28 touchbacks as a senior... Ranks as the career-leader in kicking points in the state of New Jersey... Was a member of the National Honor Society... Played for head coach Drew Gibbs.
Drew Lachenmayer
OL, 6-3, 290, FR
Plainsboro, N.J./West Windsor Plainsboro South High School
High School: Was a four-year letterwinner in football... Named captain at WWPS as a senior... Was a First Team All-Conference selection and First Team All-Area pick... Earned Third Team All-Group III honors... Played for head coach Todd Smith.
Jonathan Mayfield
WR, 6-3, 170, FR
Mocksville, N.C./Davie County High School
High School: Was a two-year letterwinner in football, while earning a letter in basketball and two in track over the last two seasons... Served as team captain last season when he was named an All-Conference performer... Was honored as a Winston-Salem Journal All-Northwest selection... Was part of the N.C. Preps 4A All-State squad... Will leave Davie County High School as the only 1,000 yard receiver in school history after hauling in 61 balls for 1,081 yards as a senior... He also scored 11 touchdowns and recorded two catches of over 90 yards... He also holds school records in single-season receiving yards and single-season receiving touchdowns... Played for head coach Doug Illing.
Eric McBride
LB, 6-2, 210, FR
Richmond, Va./L.C. Bird High School
High School: Was named Defensive Player of the Year in the Commonwealth of Virginia by the Virginia High School Football Coaches Association... Also picked up Dominion District Defensive Player of the Year and Central Region Defensive Player of the Year honors... Was a First Team All-District, All-Central Region and All-State selection... He also was named to the First Team All-Group AAA by the Associated Press... As a senior he recorded 101 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, six sacks, four interceptions and seven blocked kicks... He also scored seven defensive touchdowns... Offensively, McBride rushed for 432 yards, grabbed 279 yards in receiving and scored 13 touchdowns as a tight end... He set a school-record for touchdown catches by a tight end with three against Matoaca... Played for head coach David Bedwell.
Martin Parker
DL, 6-3, 260, FR
New Haven, Conn./Hyde Leadership School
High School: Was a three-year starter and four-year letterwinner in football... Was an All-Area second team selection, after serving as captain this past season... Earned Third Team All-State honors... Picked as an All-Conference and All-Division performer... Was twice awarded the Linemaster Award at Hyde Leadership School... Named a Scholar Athlete this past season... Recorded 45 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries as a senior... Also returned one of the fumble recoveries 42 yards for a touchdown... Played for head coach John Acquavita.
Max Prokell
WR/DB, 6-1, 185, FR
Memphis, Tenn./Memphis University School
High School: Was a three-year letterwinner in football, while earning three letters in baseball and two in track... Listed as an All-State selection the past two seasons (2004-05)... Selected to the All-Metro squad following his senior season... Was a member of the All-Metro Elite Team in 2005... Was an All-Region selection in baseball last season... Helped his team to the Tennessee State Championship in 2004 and 2005... Recorded 981 yards in receiving on 67 catches and 13 touchdowns his senior season... Played for head coach Bobby Alston.
Justin Rogers
DB, 5-10, 165, FR
Baton Rouge, La./Redemptorist High School
High School: Was a three-time letterwinner in football and basketball, while earning two letters in track... Served as captain for the football squad as a senior... Was a First Team All-District award winner... Received First Team All-State and First Team All-Metro honors... Selected as the All-Metro Offensive MVP... Played for head coach Guy Mistretta.
Jordan Shoop
QB, 6-2, 195, FR
Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch High School
High School: Was a three-year letterwinner in football and has earned four letters in basketball... Served as captain of the football and basketball team as a senior... Earned Second Team All-Conference and All-County selections as a quarterback his junior and senior seasons... Was a First Team All-Conference and All-County selection as a defensive back during his junior and senior seasons... Won First Team All-Conference and All-County awards as a wide receiver his sophomore year... He averages over 20 points per game as a senior this basketball season and has posted a season-high of 38 points in a game... Threw for more than 2,000 yards combined over the past two seasons at quarterback and rushed for more than 1,000 combined in each of those two seasons... Played for head coach Mike King.
James Smaugh
LB, 6-2, 200, FR
Falls Church, Va./Blue Ridge High School
High School: Lettered three seasons in football, while garnering four letters in track and two in basketball... Was an All-League and All-State selection in football... Logged a second-place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 45-0 at the State Championships... Played for head coach Mike Alley
Tyler Sullivan
LB, 6-0, 215, FR
Flower Mound, Texas/Flower Mound Marcus High School
High School: Was a two-year letterman in both football and track... Served as captain of the football team last season... Was named a two-time All-District linebacker during his junior and senior seasons... Played for head coach Randy Mayes.