Tag: Signing Day

by Mike Pavlichko

Big Central football standouts make their college picks official on National Signing Day

It’s the “early” National Letter of Intent Signing Day across the country, and many football players from the Big Central Conference will be submitting their letters, cementing their college choice.

We’ll be keeping track, school by school, player by player all day as those student-athletes make their announcements. This story will be updated throughout the day once those decisions become official.

Please note that even though many players have given verbal commitments to schools, those can – and sometimes do – change on Signing Day, while others may choose not to sign until the February date. However, we will only be posting those who sign during the December early period, which runs December 3 through December 5.

2025 DECEMBER NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT SIGNEES:

Sayreville: Runningback Shaun Jackson has signed on with New Haven in Connecticut. The senior rushed for 3,799 yards and 44 touchdowns in three varsity seasons for the Bombers, finishing this year with 198 carries for 1,977 yards and 25 touchdowns, with seven multiple touchdown games.

Union: The Farmers’ Uyi Igiehon, a tight end and defensive lineman, has signed on with Temple. In six games this season, he recorded 43 tackles with three sacks, six TFLs, a safety, and a blocked field goal.

Franklin: Miles Muldrow has signed on to the University of Delaware, where he’ll be an early enrolee this February. On defense this season, Muldrow recorded a sack and 23 total tackles, ten solo for the 5-4 Warriors. He had 4 1/2 sacks over parts of three varsity seasons.

St. Thomas Aquinas: Linebacker Anwar Witherspoon has signed on with the University of Buffalo. This year, he logged 115 tackles – 86 solo – along with 1 1/2 sacks, and 4 TFLs, while also forcing two fumbles, recovering one.

Colonia: R.J. Wortman has signed on at Rutgers. Mainly playing offense, Wortman caught a whopping 101 passes this season for 1,307 yards and 15 TDs, with seven games of 100-plus yards receiving. He plans to enroll early, per media reports, meaning he’ll miss this basketball season, following news this summer that standout Aiden Derkack was transferring to Spire Academy in Ohio for his senior year.

St. Joseph-Metuchen: Tight end/defensive end C.J. Edwards has signed on to Tenneseee, two-way lineman Brody Picariello inked with Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, and runningback/linebacker Michael Wellett made it official with the University of Rochester, per head coach Bill Tracy.

Edwards had four catches for 72 yards against Westfield this season on September 26, and on defense recorded 33 tackles – 12 solo – along with four sacks, three TFLs and a fumble recovery.

Picariello had 31 tackles – 20 solo – and three TFLs along with a fumble recovery on defense this season. Wellett rushed 61 times for 250 yards and 2 TDs this season, while also catching 13 passes for 124 yards and a score.

Bridgewater-Raritan: Two-way offensive lineman Justin Simpson has signed with Bucknell. Defensively, he had 18 tackles – eight solo – two TFLs and 1 1/2 sacks for the Panthers as they won their first-ever sectional title this season, beating Passaic Tech 21-14 in the North Jersey, Section 2, Group 5 championship game.

Piscataway: Wideout/defensive back Josiah Zayas – who started his career at Piscataway, then went to St. Thomas Aquinas for two seasons before returning to the Chiefs this season, made it official with Iowa State. At receiver, he had 25 catches for 367 yards (14.7 per catch) and six touchdowns after sitting four games due to NJSIAA transfer rules. On defense, he had 32 tackles, 22 solo, two TFLs, three forced fumbles, and one interception.

Bernards: Defensive end Thomas Diemar has signed on with Trinity College in Hartford. The school’s all-time sacks leader, Diemar injured his ACL in Game Three of the season against Delaware Valley. At that time, he had 13 tackles, two sacks and five TFLs already. A four-year varsity player, he had ten sacks each in his sophomore and junior seasons, leaving him with 22 overall, along with 40 TFLs.

Ridge: Defensive lineman Nate Engdahl made his signing official with Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, while fellow lineman Anthony Valera will be headed up to Rochester.

Engdahl had 45 tackles – 22 solo – this season, with two sacks and four TFLs, while Valera recorded 44 tackles – 25 solo – with a sack, four TFLs, and one forced fumble and recovery.

Summit: Defensive lineman Anthony Trujillo signed on the dotted line with Trinity College in Hartford. This season, he recorded 49 tackles, logging seven sacks and 14 TFLs.

by Mike Pavlichko

National Signing Day: Big Central football players make it official where they’ll play in college

Wednesday begins the Early Signing period for football players across the country to sign their National Letter of Intent. They can sign on the dotted line now through Friday, or can wait for the Spring period. Here is a team-by-team look at who signed were, with information submitted by their coaches and/or announced on social media.

This list will be updated throughout the day, as we get information from coaches, players, social media and other media reports. Please check back often for additions as they come in.

Colonia: Jaeden Jones – the Central Jersey Sports Radio Offensive Player of the Year – signed on with Monmouth. In his second season as a QB – after having never played the position before – he rished for 1,454 yards and 22 touchdowns, second best in the Big Central. One of the league’s most electrifying players, he also threw for 1,202 yards and nine touchdowns. Now that he’s signed, it’s right back to playing hoops, where he’s the point guard for the Patriots’ basketball team.

Hillside: Diego Rodriguez, a two-way lineman for the Comets – will be attending the University of Connecticut.

Montgomery: Matt D’Avino – who may have had the most receptions in the state over the last two years, according to his head coach, Zoran Milich – signed on with Lehigh. He caught 67 passes this year for 1,501 yards – that’s 15.7 yards per catch – and had 16 touchdowns. He’s grabbed 122 passes the last two seasons.

Ridge: Chris Oliver, an offensive lineman/tight end, will be playing for Bucknell. The 6-3, 240-pounder played mostly defense for the Red Devils this season, logging 61 tackles, 42 solo, nine TFLs, seven sacks – with 13 in his two years playing varsity for Andy West – and also had a forced fumble.

Plainfield: Josue Cordoba – Central Jersey Sports Radio’s Two Way Player of the Year for 2023, signed on with Kent State Wednesday. ”He’ll catch a 60-yard bomb on one end, and come back and catch a pick-six on the other,” says his coach, James Williams. He caught 60 passes this year for 1,234 yards and nine touchdowns, while rushing for two. On defense: five interceptions, three for touchdowns.

St. Thomas Aquinas: Christian Magliacano – the 2023 CJSR Defensive Player of the Year – made it official he’ll be going to Colgate. ”Arguably the best linebacker in the state,” says his head coach Tarig Holman, he recorded 162 tackles this year at linebacker, 32 TFLs, three forced fumbles, two interceptions, one for a touchdown, and two blocked kicks.

Summit: Tyler Kessell singed to play football at Dartmouth. He totalled 133 tackles at linebacker this season, with 15 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

Watchung Hills: Big quarterback Aleks Sitkowski – the younger brother of Art, who starred at Old Bridge and played at Rutgers – signed on with Colgate. After moving from Piscataway to Warren, Sitkowski threw for 1,696 yards and 17 touchdowns for Watchung Hills, while also running it over 100 times for 609 yard and another 13 touchdowns. Head coach Rich Suebert says Sitkowksi turned his traditional run-first offense into a “high octane” passing attack. Sitkowski was an Honorable Mention CJSR Offensive Player of the Year in 2023.

Westfield: Linebacker Chris Rosetti put pen to paper to play for Brown University. He was tops with 124 tackles for the Blue Devils this year, four tackles for loss, and 1 1/2 sacks. He also had a QB hurry and a fumble recovery.

Woodbridge: The winner of Central Jersey Sports Radio’s “Record Setter of the Year” award, A.J. Bosch signed with Bucknell. He graduates as No. 1 all-time in Barrons annals with career receptions (134), career touchdown catches (27) and career rushing touchdowns (12) by a receiver. He also finished with 2,842 career rushing yards, No. 2 in the Woodbridge record books:

by Mike Pavlichko

It’s February signing day, as more Big Central players sign on the dotted line.

The “early” National Letter of Intent Signing Day for football is in December, and while it’s morphed into the main day, when most players sign, not all do.

The extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA has also affected student-athletes coming out of high school, but that’s another story altogether.

Still, many – whether it’s because they’re looking for more offers, whatever the case may be – wait until the February signing day, as a number of Big Central players have signed today.

Here’s a look at Big Central signees. Please check back as this list will be added to as we hear about additional signings.

Warriors send Seubert, McCann to Rutgers as PWOs…

Watchung Hills head coach Rich Seubert – the ex-Giant and Super Bowl champion – is sending two seniors off to play for Greg Schiano in the fall. One is his own son, two-way lineman Hunter Seubert. The other is Riley McCann, who is expected to kick and/or punt for the Scarlet Knights.

Both are preferred walk-ons.

“I’m a proud father and coach,” Seubert told Central Jersey Sports Radio. “Having two student-athletes continuing their academics and football careers at Rutgers is special. To have two home-grown young men stay and play for us here at The Hills is special, as they both proved it doesn’t matter where you go to school but how you perform on the field and in the classroom.”

McCann was the No. 2 receiver for the Warriors this past fall, with 13 catches for 261 yards and a touchdown, in addition to being a kicker, where he hit all of his 32 PATs in 2022. He was also 12-of-16 on field goals, with four over 40 yards and a long of 50 at St. Joseph-Metuchen in October.

“Riley has been a leader both in the classroom and on the field for some time,” said Seubert. “He has worked hard for this opportunity and is excited to go earn it the fun way.”

“Coach Schiano is getting two great young men to compete on the field and in the classroom.

Edison’s Malcolm Stansbury chooses Delaware State…

Edison’s Malcolm Stansbury (second from right) after signing to play football at Delaware State. From l. to r.: Edison head coach Matt Fulham, Principal Charlie Ross, mother Kiyanna, Malcolm, and Athletic Director Dave Sandaal. (submitted photo)

A four-year starter for the Eagles – who won their first state sectional title in 31 years this past fall – Stansbury with 146 catches for 1,886 yards and 15 touchdowns. He was also a great cornerback, registering five interceptions in the defensive backfield over the course of his career, but is projected to play wide receiver for the Hornets.

Click here to read the full story on Edison’s Malcolm Stansbury signing with Delaware State University.

Cranford’s Kanterman, Godwin and Lynskey headed to New England…

Shane Kanterman was the Cougars’ leading tackler at the middle linebacker spot the last two years, including on the state championship team in 2021, and signed with Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven Wednesday. QB Liam Godwin will be playing just down the road, as he inked with the University of New Haven, and Ryan Lynskey signed with Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.

This year, he was also the top runningback on the team with 787 yards on 120 carries and nine touchdowns, finishing No. 2 in rushing behind dual-threat quarterback Liam Godwin, who rushed for 930 yards and 15 touchdowns, while throwing for 887 and another ten TDs. On the state title team two seasons ago, Godwin was on the receiving end of star QB Shane Van Dam, grabbing 11 passes for 166 yards and two touchdowns.

Runningback Ryan Lynskey is also a dual-threat. He had the third-most rushing yards on the team in 2022, carrying 101 times for 636 yards and 7 touchdowns, while also hauling in 9 catches for 195 yards and 3 TDs. He also had 64 tackles and 3 interceptions playing defensive back this past season, and projects to play safety there, as well as Godwin, who registered 86 tackles and six interceptions in the past two years at the position.

Woodbridge’s Barahona headed to the Poconos…

Defensive end Kaelyb Barahona is heading to Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. He logged 51 tackles and 3 1/2 sacks his senior season for the Barrons, including two in a narrow 14-13 loss at in-town rival Colonia in late September.

by Mike Pavlichko

Edison receiver Stansbury inks with Delaware State on February signing day

While many high school football players in the area signed on with their college choice on the “early” National Letter of Intent Signing Day in December, others have taken a bit longer to make up their minds.

Edison’s Malcolm Stansbury is all set.

The four-year starter at wide receiver for the Eagles is headed to Dover to play for Delaware State University, making his commitment official Wednesday morning in a ceremony at high high school, in the same place his brother Noah signed on to play at New Hampshire just a few years ago.

Stansbury is projected to play receiver for the Hornets, who were 5-6 a year ago.

Stansbury excelled at the position for the Eagles, with career bests 51 receptions for 659 yards, scoring four touchdowns on an Edison team that won the Central Jersey Group 5 championship, its first sectional title in 31 years, this past fall. He had a career-best seven touchdowns in 2021, and for his career finished with 1,884 yards on 146 catches and 15 touchdowns.

As a defensive back, he logged a career-best 42 tackles last year, and finished his scholastic career with five interceptions, with two picks in each of the last two seasons, although few dared throw in his direction to begin with.

Click below to hear Mike Pavlichko talk with Stansbury after he signed on the dotted line:

by Mike Pavlichko

Early Signing Day: Here’s where Big Central football players will be playing at the next level

Wednesday begins the Early Signing period for football players across the country to sign their National Letter of Intent. They have until Friday, or can wait for the Spring period. Here is a team-by-team look at who signed were, with information submitted by their coaches and/or announced on social media.

This list will be updated throughout the day. Please check back often for additions as they come in.

Hillside: The Comets are sending off four players to play Division 1. Out of the offensive backfield, Muwaffaq Parkman has signed to play for Syracuse, racking up 630 yards and seven touchdowns this season, totalling 2,017 yards and 21 TDs in his career. The three others to sign are defensive standouts. They include nose tackle Zamir Hawk, the CJSR “Walk-Off Defender” award winner, who will be going to play at Iowa State; offensive tackle Charles Allen III, who’s off to Stony Brook; and libeacker Darson Jeanty, who’s going to Lafayette. All are going on full scholarships.

St. Thomas Aquinas: The Trojans had two players sign on the Early Signing Day for full rides. Defensive lineman Jeremiah Derilhomme will be going to Sacred Heart. He registered 48 tackles this season, with 6 1/2 sacks and 14 TFLs. Wide reciever Benjamin Bussierre is headed to Lafayette after a senior season that saw him make 47 catches for 759 yards, scoring eight touchdowns.

Jeremiah Derolhomme (left) and Bejnamin Bussierre (right) – with head coach Tarig Holman in the middle – sign their National Letters of Intent on the early signing day, December 21, 2022. (submitted photo)

North Hunterdon: Runningback Kente Edwards – who’s also a track standout – signed on for a full scholarship at Lafayette. After a junior year rushing for 712 yards and eight scores in 2021, Edwards – despite missing most or all of four games late in the season and in the playoffs – rushed for 1,442 yards and 15 touchdowns this year for the North 2, Group 4 champion Lions, and was named part of CJSR’s “Best Backfield Duo” with fellow runningback Alex Uryniak.

Cranford: Kyle Fay – a 6-6, 285 pound offensive lineman – has signed on for a full ride on the Main Line down at Villanova. Coming off a state sectional championship won by a senior-laden team in 2021, the Cougars went 7-3 this year, as he and the O-line paved the way for the team to rush for 2,528 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2022.

North Brunswick: Three Raiders will be getting a full ride to play at the next level. Linebacker Jared Tynes will be going to Maine, after a senior season that saw him register 9 1/2 sacks, 21 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery, while the team’s defense pitched three shutouts and allowed just 13.9 points per game in an 8-2 season. Athlete Zahmir Dawud is headed to Villanova. He rushed for 385 yards and 11 touchdowns this year, adding 41 catches for 722 yards and five scores on the receiving end. And Alani Ajigbotosho has signed on to play at Davidson. The wide receiver/cornerback had 14 catches for 179 yards and a touchdown on offense, while registering two INTs on defense.

Piscataway: Malik Wilson has signed on to continue his college career at Wagner. Wilson was a two-way lineman for the Chiefs, who rebounded off an 0-8 year following a COVID shutdown in 2020 to go 6-3 this year, qualifying for the playoffs. On defense, he registered eight tackles for loss and a half a sack this year. On offense he helped pave the way for a ground game that rolled up 1,615 yards and scored 21 touchdowns.

Somerville: Hashym Hobbs-Harris rushed for 568 yards on 95 carries, with seven touchdowns this season, and will take his talents to Sacred Heart. On defense, he had one interception and a fumble recovery for the Pioneers

Rahway: Wide receiver, safety, and outside linebacker Kyle Hall signed on the dotted line Wednesday afternoon to attend Sacred Heart. He had 22 catches for 361 yards and a half-dozen touchdowns this season for the Indians, capping his career with 1,083 receiving yards and 13 TDs. On defense this year, he logged seven tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception.

Other area players:

Jack Bill signed on with Rutgers, coming to The Banks from the Hun School, via Delaware Valley, where he was a wide receiver/linebacker. Bill totalled 1,477 yards receiving on 110 catches with 24 touchdowns in a three-year varsity career at Del Val.

Cameron Chadwick, an Athlete from Immaculata has signed on to play up at UConn. On offense, Chadwick had 30 receptions for 579 yards and eight touchdowns, while carrying 59 times for 216 yards and four scores. He also had an interception on defense.

by Mike Pavlichko

Rutgers adds 23 on Early Signing Day; Union’s Igbinosun among 11 from Jersey

by Mike Pavlichko

Rutgers football coach Greg Schiano used his typical mid-week game week press conference today to unveil a 23-member recruiting class that features eleven from the talent-rich Garden State, and 14 early enrolees.

All have signed their National Letter of Intent on the first day of the Early Signing Period.

Only one played in the Big Central Conference this past season, Union’s Desmond Igbinosun, listed by Rutgers as a 6-3, 200-pound defensive back.

READ MORE: Desmond Igbinosun recaps Union season, Rutgers commitment

The class also includes three players each from Ohio and Florida, two from Pennsylvania and one each from Maryland, Virginia, Illinois and Colorado.

Click below to hear Greg Schiano’s meeting with the media on Early National Letter of Intent Signing Day: