Northwestern Football Welcomes 18 Newcomers On Early Signing Day

Northwestern Football Welcomes 18 Newcomers On Early Signing Day

EVANSTON, Ill. —Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald on Wednesday announced the signing of 18 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent during the early signing period.

The #NULevel19 class features Adetomiwa “Tommy” Adebawore (Kansas City, Mo./North Kansas City), Coco Azema (Cypress, Texas/Langham Creek), Dominick D’Antonio (Woodstock, Ga./Etowah), Wayne Dennis, Jr. (Tampa, Fla./Armwood), Connor Foster (Milford, Ohio/Milford), Zachary Franks (Baltimore, Md./The Gilman School), Bryce Gallagher (Raynham, Mass./St. Sebastian’s), Jason Gold, Jr. (League City, Texas/Clear Springs), Thomas Gordon (Houston, Texas/Strake Jesuit College Prep), Rod Heard (Farmington, Mich./Farmington Hills Harrison), Genson Hooper Price (Houston, Texas/St. John’s), Michael Jansey, Jr. (Batavia, Ill./Batavia), Brandon Joseph (College Station, Texas/College Station), Bryce Kirtz (Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg), Cameron Mitchell (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook), Duke Olges (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier), Conrad Rowley (Independence, Mo./Blue Springs) and Malik Washington (Lawrenceville, Ga./Parkview).

“Our staff did an incredible job to find a class of young men who will continue to uphold our standard on and off the field, and help us take that next step as a championship program,” Fitzgerald said. “We are excited to officially welcome the newest members of our football family. Each and every one of these young men has tremendous ability, and they all love the game of football and want to improve. We aim to be the best player development staff in college football, so our mission now is to make them even better than they thought possible.”

The 18 students will arrive in Evanston from across the nation, led by five from Texas, three from Illinois, two from Georgia and Missouri and one each from Florida, Ohio, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and Indiana. The group includes nine signees on offense and nine on defense, including four wide receivers, defensive backs and offensive linemen, three defensive linemen, two linebackers and a superback.

Northwestern claimed the Big Ten West Division title with an 8-1 mark in conference play this season to earn the program’s first berth in the Big Ten Championship Game. The No. 22 Wildcats will take on No. 17 Utah in the San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl on New Year’s Eve in San Diego, California (6 p.m. CT, FS1, WGN Radio AM-720)

Complete bios for the 18 signees are below.

Adetomiwa “Tommy” Adebawore
Defensive End
6-2 / 251
Kansas City, Mo.
North Kansas City

Verbally committed to Northwestern on April 17, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect and the 23rd-ranked player in Kansas according to 247sports … Earned Kansas Class 5 First-Team All-State honors as a senior … Named All-Suburban White League  Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-District, First-Team All-Conference and Academic All-State … Nominee for the Buch Buchanan Memorial Award, presented annually to the most outstanding lineman or linebacker in the big class (Missouri classes 5-6 and Kansas Classes 5A-6A) category …  … Chose Northwestern over offers from Air Force, Army, Navy and Washington State.

Coco Azema
Defensive Back
5-11 / 180
Cypress Creek, Texas
Langham Creek

Verbally committed to Northwestern on May 29, 2018 … Rated a three-start prospect and the 108th-ranked player in Texas by 247sports … Three-year letterwinner … Two-time Team Captain … Finished senior season with 60 tackles and three interceptions on defense … Added 309 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on offense … Also had an interception return for a touchdown and two punt return touchdowns … Registered a prep career-high 94 tackles and four interceptions as a junior … Finished prep career with 220 tackles, 11 interceptions, seven forced fumbles and 15 total touchdowns … Earned First-Team All-District honors three times … All-Houston First Team … Also earned Houston Defensive Back of the Year … A/B Honor Roll Student … Chose Northwestern over offers from Arkansas, Duke, Houston, Indiana, Iowa State, Memphis, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Stanford, Utah and Vanderbilt.

Dom D’Antonio
Offensive Line
6-4 / 278
Woodstock, Ga.
Etowah

Verbally committed to Northwestern on April 7, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect by 247sports … Played just two years of high school football and was named a Team Captain his senior campaign … Earned All-Region and All-County honors as a junior and senior … Led Etowah to a pair of playoff appearances … Father David played football at Army … Chose Northwestern over Rutgers, USF and Appalachian State.

Wayne Dennis, Jr.
Wide Receiver
6-3 / 183
Tampa, Fla.
Armwood

Verbally committed to Northwestern on June 19, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect by 247sports … Three-time letter winner … Helped lead Armwood to a Florida High School Athletic Association 7A State Runner Up … Appeared in the Legends All-Star Game … Finished senior campaign with 15 catches for 266 yards and four touchdowns … Henry O. Langston Scholar-Athlete Award recipient … Mother Conya played basketball at South Florida and father Wayne played football at Florida State … Played on Team Tampa (7-on-7) with current Wildcat defensive back A.J. Hampton … Chose Northwestern over Army, Air Force and North Dakota State.

Connor Foster
Offensive Line
6-7 / 276
Milford, Ohio
Milford

Verbally committed to Northwestern on April 12, 2018 … Rated a three-start prospect, the No. 30 player in Ohio and the No. 56 offensive tackle in the nation by 247sports … Three-time letterwinner … Team Captain … Played defensive end and tight end in high school … Finished senior season with 15 catches for 272 yards and four touchdowns … Earned First-Team All-State and was named Team MVP as a senior … Earned All-District honors each of his final two prep seasons … Focal point of the Milford running game, with 62 pancake blocks in helping pave the way for nearly 2,000 yards rushing as a team … Posted 19 catches for 202 yards and a touchdown as a junior … Finished prep career with 42 catches, 570 yards and seven touchdowns in a run-heavy offensive system … Invited to the World Bowl in Mexico City and National Team Bowl in Dallas, Texas … Led Milford to the program’s first playoff appearance since 1980 and first consecutive playoff appearances in school history … Father Trevor played football at Cincinnati … Attended the same high school as Northwestern Athletics Hall of Famer and retired New Orleans Saints offensive lineman Zach Strief … Sister plays basketball at the University of Indianapolis and step sister played softball at Bowling Green State … National Honor Society Member and Student Council Class representative … Chose Northwestern over Cincinnati, Kentucky, Purdue and Vanderbilt.

Zachary Franks
Offensive Line
6-6 / 287
Baltimore, Md.
The Gilman School

Verbally committed to Northwestern on August 10, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect and the 17th-ranked player in Maryland by 247sports … Four-year letterwinner … Earned All-MIAA and All-Metro Baltimore City honors … Named a Pro Football Hall of Fame All-American … Invited to the Pro Football Hall of Fame World Bowl …  Honor Roll Student … Father David played football at UConn … Attended the same high school as current NU wide receiver Jelani Roberts and cornerback Alonzo Mayo … Chose Northwestern over offers from Penn State, Arizona, Baylor, Boston College, Cal, UConn, Duke, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Pitt, Rutgers, Syracuse, UCF, Utah, Vanderbilt, Virginia and Washington State.

Bryce Gallagher
Linebacker
6-2 / 205
Raynham, Mass.
St. Sebastian’s

First member of the signing class to verbally commit to Northwestern on Sept. 27, 2017 … Ranked a three-star prospect and the No. 4 player in the state of Massachusetts by 247sports …   Team Captain … Tallied 95 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks and four interceptions in nine games as a senior to lead St. Sebastian’s … Earned All-League Independent School League and All-New England Honors … Led St. Sebastian’s to a 2018 ISL title with a 7-2 record … Tallied 23 tackles and a pair of sacks, while rushing for 205 and two scores in the Tod Marble Bowl … Finished high school career with 210 tackles, 32 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and seven interceptions …Earned All-ISL Honorable Mention in football and basketball as a sophomore … Named to the Boston Herald All-Scholastic Team … Honor Roll Student all four years of high school … Older brother Blake is the starting WILL linebacker and leading tackler for the Wildcats … Father Michael played college football at New Hampshire … Chose Northwestern over offers from Boston College, Duke, Vanderbilt and Army.

Jason Gold, Jr.
Defensive Line
6-3 / 260
League City, Texas
Clear Springs

Verbally committed to Northwestern on May 19, 2018 … Rated a three-start prospect and the 118th-ranked player in Texas by 247sports … Three-year letterwinner … Team Captain … Registered 35 tackles, five sack, eight tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and 11 hurries as a senior … Finished prep career with 107 tackles, 19.5 sacks, 35 tackles for loss and 28 hurries … Had a prep career-best 18 tackles for loss as a junior … Three-time First-Team All-District and All-County Honoree … Earned Academic All-State honors in 2018 … National Honor Society Member … National Technical Honor Society Member … National English Honor Society member … Member of Mu Alpha Theta and Rho Kappa … Chose Northwestern over TCU, Air Force, Arkansas, Army, Boston College, Colorado, Colorado State, Duke, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Texas Tech.

Thomas Gordon
Superback
6-5 / 225
Houston, Texas
Strake Jesuit College Prep

Verbally committed to Northwestern on Jan. 21, 2018 … Ranked a three-star prospect, the No. 32 tight end in the nation and No. 92 player in Texas by 247sports … Four-time letter winner in football and basketball … Three-time All-District selection … Earned Second-Team All-Houston as a senior … Caught 33 passes for 550 yards and prep-career high 10 touchdowns in 2018 … Finished prep career with 104 catches, 1,550 yards and 20 touchdowns … Chose Northwestern over Baylor, Boston College, Colorado, Duke, Iowa State, Louisville, LSU and Maryland.

Rod Heard
Defensive Back
5-10 / 160
Farmington, Mich.
Farmington Hills Harrison

Early Enrollee who will join the Wildcats during the winter quarter … Verbally committed to Northwestern on March 11, 2018 … Ranked a three-star prospect, the No. 24 player in the state of Michigan and No. 86 cornerback in the country according to 247sports … Three-time letter winner … Team Captain … Registered 49 tackles, six pass break ups and an interception on defense with 1,492 yards rushing, 277 yards receiving and 26 total touchdowns as a senior to earn All-State honors from MLive, Detroit Free Press and Detroit News … Had 30 tackles, nine pass breakups and an interception returned for a touchdown as a junior … Also rushed for 1,566 yards and hauled in 302 receiving yards for 27 touchdowns on offense in 2017 to earn All-State honors from the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News … Two-time team MVP … Ranks fourth in school history in rushing and scoring … Honor Roll Student … Also lettered three times in track and field … Father Roderick played football at Eastern Illinois … Chose Northwestern over Michigan, Purdue, Syracuse, Iowa State, Indiana, Cincinnati and Army.

Genson Hooper Price
Wide Receiver
6-5 / 206
Houston, Texas
St. John’s

Verbally committed to Northwestern on October 30, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect, the 64th-ranked player in Texas and the No. 66 wide receiver in the nation according to 247sports … Had 59 catches, 1,027 yards and 12 touchdowns receiving in 30 games as a prep star at St. John’s … Also had 136 rushing yards and two scores on the ground … Averaged 17.4 yards per reception … Also excelled as an elite level track and field athlete, having recorded FAT personal best times of 10.57 in the 100M, 21.80 in the 200M, 47.94 in the 400M and has long jumped 22’11” … Chose Northwestern over offers from Notre Dame, Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Cal, Duke, Florida, Houston, Iowa State, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ole Miss, Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Virginia.

Michael Jansey, Jr.
Linebacker
6-2 / 210
Batavia, Ill.
Batavia

Early enrollee who will be joining the Wildcats in the winter quarter … Verbally committed to Northwestern on June 9, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect, the 11th-ranked player in Illinois and the No. 40 linebacker in the nation according to 247sports … Under Armour All-American … Three-year letterwinner … Team Captain … Played linebacker and running back in high school … Registered 75 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a senior … Posted a prep career high 99 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss and 15 sacks as a junior to lead Batavia to a IHSAA 7A State Championship … Finished prep career with 204 tackles, 58.5 tackles for loss, 30.5 sacks and 60 quarterback hurries … Also forced four fumbles during prep career … Earned 7A All-State and Academic All-State honors … Named to the All-Area Team … Earned Team Defensive MVP Honors, All-Dukane Conference and was named the Dukane Conference Defensive MVP … Led Batavia to the 7A semifinals in his senior season … National Honor Society member and Honor Roll Student … Chose Northwestern over Air Force, Cincinnati, Iowa State, Missouri, Purdue, Rutgers and West Virginia.

Brandon Joseph
Defensive Back
6-1 / 181
College Station, Texas
College Station

Verbally committed to Northwestern on December 15, 2018 … Rated a three-start prospect and 127th-ranked player in Texas by 247sports … Posted 95 tackles, 10 pass breakups, five interceptions, five tackles for loss, two forced fumbles as a senior … Scored touchdowns on a kick return, punt return and fumble recovery … Earned All-State honors in 2018 … Helped lead College Station High School to the Texas 5A State Championship … Academic All-State honoree … Chose Northwestern over Texas Tech.

Bryce Kirtz
Wide Receiver
6-0 / 175
Brownsburg, Ind.
Brownsburg

Verbally committed to Northwestern on June 3, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect, the seventh-ranked player in Indiana and the No. 62 wide receiver in the nation by 247sports … Four-year letterwinner … Named Brownsburg Offensive Player of the Year and Team MVP … Lettered three times in track … Finished prep career with 132 receptions, 2,400 receiving yards and 38 touchdowns … Earned All-State honors … Honor Roll student … Attended the same high school and played with current NU quarterback Hunter Johnson … Father Andre ran track at Indiana State and brother Tyler plays football at Ball State … Chose Northwestern over offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Duke, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan State, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Syracuse.

Cameron Mitchell
Defensive Back
5-11 / 175
Bolingbrook, Ill.
Bolingbrook

Verbally committed to Northwestern on March 13, 2018 … Rated a three-star prospect and the 23rd-ranked player in Illinois by 247sports … Four-year varsity letterwinner … Two-time Team Captain … Earned Southwest Suburban All-Conference honors as a junior and senior … Named to the 83rd News-Gazette All-State Team and All-Area Team as a senior … Father Deon played wide receiver at Northern Illinois … Honor Roll Student.

Duke Olges
Defensive Line
6-4 / 230
Winnetka, Ill.
New Trier

Verbally committed to Northwestern on May 25, 2018 … Ranked a three-star prospect and the No. 13 player in Illinois by 247sports … Team Captain in Football and Baseball … Finished senior season with 102 tackles, including 69 solo stops, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks, 15 quarterback hurries and four pass deflections … Had 73 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five tackles and 10 quarterback hurries as a junior … Earned All-Area as a junior and senior … Also earned All-Area honors as a designated hitter in baseball as a junior after hitting .400 with nine home runs, 56 RBI, 90 hits and 45 runs … Honor Roll Student … Illinois State Scholar … All CSL/Area/State Scholar …. Studied Shodakan Karate for 12 years and is a fifth-degree black belt … Chose Northwestern over Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, Michigan State and Iowa … Plans to major in economics.

Conrad Rowley
Offensive Line
6-3 / 281
Independence, Mo.
Blue Springs

Verbally committed to Northwestern on March 26, 2018 … Ranked a three-star prospect and the No. 61 offensive guard in the nation by 247sports … Two-time Team Captain … Two-time First-Team All-Suburban Gold Conference … Also earned First-Team All-District, First-Team All-State and First-Team All-Simone (METRO) as a junior and senior … Earned the honors as a left tackle as a junior and as a left guard as a senior … Helped lead Blue Springs to three district championships, three conference championships and a pair of runner up finishes in the State Championship … Chose Northwestern over Iowa State, Kansas, Rice and Minnesota.

Malik Washington
Wide Receiver
5-9 / 181
Lawrenceville, Ga.
Parkview

Verbally committed to Northwestern on December 15, 2018 … Ranked a three-star prospect and the No. 54 athlete nationally by 247sports … Registered 792 receiving yards and five touchdowns with 287 rushing yards and another nine scores on the ground as a senior … Finished prep career with 29 total touchdowns … Named Team MVP and Regional Player of the Year as a senior … Three-time First-Team All-Region … Two-time All-County … Named the 2018 Gwinnett Athlete of the Year … Three-time Scholar-Athlete … 2016 Athlete of the Year … 2015 Gwinnett Newcomer of the Year … Led Parkview to a 10-0 record in the regular season and a 2018 Regional Championship … Claimed a state and national championship in 2017 in the 4×100 meter relay … Also lettered four times on the track … Honor Roll Student … Chose Northwestern over Tennessee, Michigan State, Vanderbilt and Auburn.

Name  //  Pos.  //  Ht.  //  Wt.  //  Hometown/High School

Adetomiwa “Tommy” Adebawore  //  DE  //  6-2  //  251  //  Kansas City, Mo./North Kansas City

Corien ‘Coco’ Azema  //  DB  //  5-11  //  180  //  Cyrpess, Texas/Langham Creek

Dominick D’Antonio  //  OL  //  6-4  //  278  //  Woodstock, Ga./Etowah

Wayne Dennis, Jr.  //  WR  //  6-3  //  183  //  Tampa, Fla./Armwood

Connor Foster  //  OL   //  6-7  //  276  //  Milford, Ohio/Milford

Zachary Franks  //  OL  //  6-6  //  287  //  Baltimore, Md./The Gilman School

Bryce Gallagher  //  LB  //  6-2  //  223  //  Raynham, Mass./St. Sebastian’s

Jason Gold, Jr.  //  DE  //  6-3  //  260  //  League City, Texas/Clear Springs

Thomas Gordon  //  SB  //  6-5  //  225  //  Houston, Texas/Strake Jesuit College Prep

Rod Heard*  //  DB  //  5-10  //  160  //  Farmington, Mich./Farmington Hills Harrison

Genson Hooper Price  //  WR  //  6-5  //  206  //  Houston, Texas/St. John’s

Michael Jansey, Jr.*  //  LB  //  6-2  //  210  //  Batavia, Ill./Batavia

Brandon Joseph  //  DB  //  6-1  //  181  //  College State, Texas/College Station

Bryce Kirtz  //  WR   //  6-0  //  175   //  Brownsburg, Ind./Brownsburg

Cameron Mitchell  //  DB  //  5-11  //  175  //  Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook

Duke Olges  //  DL  //  6-4  //  242  //  Winnetka, Ill./New Trier

Conrad Rowley  //  OL  //  6-3  //  281  //  Independence, Mo./Blue Springs

Malik Washington  //  WR  //  5-9  //  181  //  Lawrenceville, Ga./Parkview

*Denotes Early Enrollee