NCAA Football Team History

2005 FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS TOLEDO

Beau Brudzinski, 6-1,210,4.7, Linebacker, Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas High School

He posted 78 tackles, one interception, four recovered fumbles and five field goal/point after blocks as a senior. He earned All-County for the Sentinel and Herald, made the North-South Broward game and the Dade-Broward game. Honorable mention all-state. Missed a number of games with a broken arm.

Ran the second fastest pro shuttle time in Nike camp history.

Son of former NFL linebacker Bob Brudzinski.

Has a 3.5 GPA.

Recruited by Dave Walkosky.

Robin Bailey, 6-5,200, Wide Receiver, Westerville (OH) South High School

Comes from the same high school as Rocket receivers Lance Moore, Nick Moore and Steve Odom.

Had 640 yards on 48 receptions and a team-best nine touchdown catches through 11 games as a senior. Also a standout quarterback.

Team MVP. Won first team All-Capital Conference and second team all-district honors his senior year on a team that finished 10-2.

Bailey is one of the outstanding small forwards in Ohio and currently averages 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game.

Recruited by Dave Walkosky.

Stephen Williams, 6-4,180,4.4, Wide Receiver, Missouri City (TX) Marshall High School

He was the top receiver in yardage in the greater Houston area as a senior, catching 39 passes for 835 yards (21.4 ypc) and made second-team all district. He runs the 100 meters in 10.7 seconds, jumps 6'-4" in the high jump and 22'-11" in the long jump. Has a 36” vertical leap.

“This is his first varsity season and whoever gets this kid is getting a steal," said Marshall coach Dennis Brantley. "He is 6-4 and still growing. He is 180 pounds and has a slim frame, but that frame is going to fill out as he matures. He is very physically strong and there is so much that he is going to learn. All I can say that is because he is a tall guy, the stride is deceiving. He has a long stride and no one gets close to him and no one can catch him once he starts running."

Chose Toledo over an offer from Mississippi State.

Has a 3.1 GPA.

Recruited by John Shannon.

Eric Heller, 6-3,225, Inside Linebacker, Columbus Beechcroft High School

First team all-city selection.

Zanesville head coach David Everson said: "Heller is their stud, their go to guy. They run to him and he's their leading pass receiver. He's also a good linebacker."

Made 56 tackles as a senior. Caught 18 passes as a tight end. Defensive MVP in the Central District all-star game.

Played basketball three years.

Recruited by Dave Walkosky.

John Duhe, 6-4,230, Defensive End, Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas High School

All-league and second team all-county selection.

Had 34 total tackles including 10 for loss, 4.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups and 2 recovered fumbles as a senior. MVP of two state playoff games.

Son of former Miami Dolphin all-pro linebacker A.J. Duhe.

Also offered by Iowa State, Kentucky and Tulane.

Recruited by Dave Walkosky.

Garry Hill, 6-3,165,4.5, Cornerback, Trotwood (OH) Madison High School

Made Ohio High Magazine’s Top 100 list. Here’s what they said. “Head coach Maurice Douglas is raving about the upside of Gary Hill. He runs a 4.5 40, is a 6-6 high jumper and a 22 foot long jumper. I go back to the tape and see a player with a lot of athletic ability and tenacity to go with size.”

Had 21 tackles, one interception and 7 pass breakups as a junior. Through eight games as a senior had three interceptions (one 60 yards for a TD), nine pass breakups and 30 tackles. Has a vertical leap of 33 inches.

Chose Toledo over an offer from Bowling Green.

Recruited by Chris Hedden.

Buster Garrett, 6-4,275,5.15, Center, St. Augustine (FL) Nease High School

Was the Panthers best offensive lineman with 32 pancakes and just one sack allowed.

First team all-league and all-county. Will play for the US team in the NFL Global Junior Championship IX during the week of Super Bowl XXXIX and in the Florida Shrine Bowl.

Bench presses 315 pounds.

Chose UT over an offer from Central Florida.

Recruited by Randall McCray.

Sam Azner, 6-7,290, Offensive Lineman, Wayne Hills (NJ) High School

All-Passaic County and all-league selection. Named third team all-state as a senior. Didn't allow a sack as a senior.

Helped lead team to a 10-2 record and #12 ranking in New Jersey.

Will play in the New Jersey All-Star Football Classic.

Recruited by Mike Devlin.

Tom Burzine, 6-5,225, Tight End, Connetquot (NY) High School

Had 61 catches for 914 yards during his final two seasons.

Earned All-Division & All-County honors his junior & senior year. Selected to the Heroes Bowl All-Star team. (Long Island vs New York City).

From Head coach Mike Hansen: “Tom has all the tools to be a great tight end at the college level. He is big, athletic and has great hands. However, possibly Tommy's best attribute is he is still growing as a player. He has all his best football still in front of him. We expect to hear great things at home from his years at Toledo."

An outstanding basketball player, he currently averages 18 points and 10 rebounds per game.

Recruited by Rob Spence.

Walter Atkins, 5-11,180,4.5, Cornerback, Deerfield Beach (FL)High School

Atkins is a “speed” guy who made big plays as a senior. He had two interceptions for touchdowns and also returned a punt for a touchdown. Atkins had four interceptions, 40 tackles and nine pass breakups as a senior.

Also played some quarterback and lettered in track and basketball.

His school was ranked #6 in the nation.

Recruited by Dave Walkosky.

Keiron Brown, 6-0,175, Cornerback, Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas High School

Was a South Florida Sun-Sentinel first team All-Broward County pick and won third team Class 5A all-state honors.

Had 45 tackles and 11 pass breakups as a senior.

Member of school’s all-county 4X100 relay team and ran an 11.02 100 meters at the 2003 Florida Relays.

Recruited by Dave Walkosky

Jeremy Mack, 6-4,235, Long Snapper/Tight End, Center Grove (IN) High School

Mack was recruited primarily as a long snapper and could play as a freshman. He also has excellent hands and could develop into a fine tight end.

His head coach, Eric Moore said, "He's the best long snapper I've had in 18 years and probably had only one bad snap since his freshman season."

Had 600 receiving yards as a senior with six touchdowns and also 3 sacks as a defensive end. Earned all-metro, IHAA coaches' all-state and all-county honors.

An excellent all-around athlete, Mack averages 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds as a standout basketball player.

Recruited by Doug Downing.

Kevin Hobbins, 6-7,320, Offensive Lineman, Petersburg (Ontario) Crestwood Secondary

Considered the top offensive lineman in Canada, Hobbins had a great deal of interest from 1-A schools, but eventually chose Toledo over an offer from South Carolina.

First team All-Ontario and first team All-Canada Gridiron while playing on an undefeated team.

Strong and quick, he has great size for an offensive tackle. Hobbins had 20 knockdown blocks in only nine games during the 2003 season.

Recruited by Mike Devlin.

Brandon Summers, 6-1,185,4.7, Quarterback, Southfield (MI) High School

Rated the #14 player in Michigan on the News Blue Chip list. Also Detroit News all-north and second team all-metro. #19 on the Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list.

A two-year starter at quarterback, he passed for 1,225 yards and rushed for another 400 as a junior and completed 76 of 112 passes for 1,428 yards and 16 touchdowns with five interceptions as a senior. He rushed for 424 yards and four touchdowns on 40 carries. "Brandon is one of those kids who knows how to keep his composure," Coach David Reese said.

Summers was an early commitment to Indiana and was also offered by Michigan State and Cincinnati among others before he picked Toledo.

He attended UT’s football camp last summer, and is described as a Tavares Bolden-type of quarterback. He is an exceptionally accurate thrower and is a big-play runner.

Keith Forestal, 6-4,225,4.6, Inside Linebacker, Youngstown (OH) Liberty High School

As a junior Keith was first team all-northeast Ohio. He also won All-Tac8 and all-county honors. Made 19 catches for 323 yards in 2003.

Senior season: First team all-conference as a wide receiver, first team All-Northeast Inland district as a linebacker, second team Division IV all-state as an inside linebacker. Had 111 tackles.

“I am intense. I go non-stop whistle to whistle,” Forestal told Scout.com.

Also had offers from Cincinnati, Indiana and Kansas according to Rivals.com.

Helped his team to an 11-2 record and three playoff victories.

Recruited by Chris Hedden.

Jeff Green, 6-3,180,4.5, Defensive Back, Deptford Township (NJ) High School

Green had two interceptions, nine pass defenses and 59 tackles in 2004 as the Spartans repeated as NJSIAA South Jersey Group III champs and finished with an 11-1 record. Was also an outstanding wide receiver.

He told Scout.com: “I’m an aggressive player, trying to get to the ball. I like to go up in the air and makes plays on the ground, and I like to go over the middle or a fade.”

Was first team All-Tri County Conference and first team All-South Jersey.

He also had offers from Minnesota and Louisville according to Rivals.com.

Green has tremendous size and speed for a defensive back and will likely be a safety at Toledo.

Averages 21 points per game in basketball.

Recruited by Mike Devlin.

DaJuane Collins, 5-11,190,4.5, Running Back, Deptford Township (NJ) High School

Collins, a fleet and solidly built 5-foot-11, 190-pounder, was the catalyst behind Deptford's second straight South Jersey Group 3 title last year as he rushed for 1,841 yards on 217 carries and scored 19 touchdowns. On defense, he had five interceptions and three fumble recoveries. He was The Inquirer's South Jersey defensive player of the year.

Collins selected Toledo over Minnesota, the only other college he visited. Toledo and Minnesota recruited him as a running back, while most other colleges - including Boston College, Penn State and Syracuse - wanted him to play defense. "I like offense better than defense," Collins said.

In addition to playing in the offensive backfield, Collins will be given a chance to return punts and kickoffs at Toledo.

He was the #50 running back in the nation by Rivals.com. Collins collected over 50 offers from schools such as Wisconsin, Maryland, Purdue, UNC, NC State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Boston College, Minnesota, Syracuse, and Louisville according to Rivals.com and Scout.com.

Collins was named all-tri county, all-county, all-South Jersey and second team Group III all-state as a junior when he ran for over 1,000 yards and averaged 8.4 yards per carry.

DaJuane has a number of relatives who have played college and pro football including second cousin Andre Collins an All-American linebacker at Penn State. Andre competed in the NFL for a decade. He played for Washington (1990-94), Cincinnati (1995-97) and Chicago (1998-99). Andre is now director of the Retired Players Association for the NFL.

"If I could compare myself to another player it would be Gale Sayers,” Collins said. “I’ve got the power to run you over and I’ve also got the ability to cut when I have to."

He is an undefeated wrestler so far this season.

Philadelphia Inquirer's Area Player of the Year.

He was recruited by Mike Devlin.

David Nichols, 6-3,225,4.5, Wide Receiver, Cerritos (CA) College, Dominguez High School

Led Cerritos in receiving this past season with 36 catches for 543 yards and four touchdowns even though he missed three games with an injury.

Named 1st Team All-San Gabriel Valley League as a senior in high school, his only year of high school football. Also played high school basketball and averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and two blocked shots a game as a senior.

His cousin, Frank Rice, is a wide receiver for the Green Bay Packers.

“Nichols is a big bodied receiver who is capable of catching the ball in traffic. He is also an outstanding blocker,” Cerritos Head Coach Frank Mazzotta said.

Recruited by John Shannon.

Lester Richmond, 6-2,185,4.5, Defensive Back, Chicago Morgan Park High School

From Rivals: “In person and on the field, Richmond is drawing rave reviews. Richmond has a nice mix of size and speed, and he also can and will bring the wood when required. Richmond also is still growing and is adding weight and size.”

Helped Morgan Park to the state playoffs. It was the first Public League team ever to start a season 12-0.

Had 115 tackles, four interceptions and three fumble recoveries as a senior. All-City, all-conference.

Richmond is also a sprinter on the track team who ran a 24.33 200 meters last year.

Chose UT over offers from Northern Illinois and Miami (O).

He has a 3.3 GPA.

Recruited by Randall McCray.

Shawn Glaser, 6-7,305, Offensive Lineman, Akron Archbishop Hoban High School

Glaser was an All-Northeast Inland District and first team Division III All-Ohio selection his senior season.

He told Scout.com "Whenever I go out on the field, I like to play with the most intensity that I can. I like to be the most intense player possible.”

Glaser was the main guy opening holes for Tyrell Sutton (Northwestern commit) who ran for over 2,000 yards as a junior and set a state career record of over 9,000 rushing yards on the way to picking up Ohio’s Mr. Football honors. Graded out in the mid to high 90s, exceptional in the Hoban system. Excellent drive blocker, he gave up just one sack in leading the Knights to their fifth straight playoff appearance.

Rated the #73 player in Ohio by Ohio High Magazine.

He was selected to the Cleveland Plain Dealer Super 30 Team. They said: "Recruiters love Glaser's initial step. And oh yeah, he's 6-8, 315 pounds. He has a big frame and runs well for a kid his size. Some recruiters have tabbed him as a guard at the next level." He will study engineering.

Recruited by Chris Hedden.

Kevin Kilgo, 6-5,270, Offensive Lineman, Sterling Heights (MI) Stevenson High School

#17 player in Michigan preseason by the Detroit News. Earned all-league, Detroit News and Free Press All-East and second team All-Metro honors for his playoff bound team. Division I first team all-state by the Free Press. Coach Rick Bye: "Kevin is a two-way player who's a powerful offensive blocker. He plays defensive end with the same force."

#23 on the Detroit News Blue Chip list. #15 on the Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list.

Kilgo, a three-year starter, played tight end and defensive end. Through 10 games, he had 55 tackles, six hurries, four sacks, four deflections and a fumble recovery. On offense, he had nine receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Kilgo, who was used more as a blocker on offense, had 41 pancake blocks. Has been a dominant defensive end.

Has a 3.5 GPA.

Recruited by Mike Devlin.

Chris Faison, 6-1,175, Defensive Back, Bloomfield Hills (MI) Lahser High School

Selected to the News, Free Press All-North team. Division III first team all-state by the Free Press.

#48 on the Detroit News Blue Chip list.

Faison started the last half of his sophomore season, including a state semifinal, and every game since. This season, he had 47 tackles and two interceptions. He had seven as a junior. "Chris has the quickest closing speed I have ever coached," Coach Dan Loria said. "He has a great nose for the football that has helped him direct the middle of the field."

Won all-league and all-county honors as a junior. Team captain.

Faison is an outstanding track athlete who won the state high jump title (6-9) last year and was second in the indoor state championships (6-8). He was an All-America high jumper. He is also a 20 foot long jumper and an excellent hurdler.

3.1 GPA.

Recruited by Mike Devlin.

Lyndon Gayle, 6-4,278, 4.8, Defensive Lineman, Akron North High School

Gayle is a big defensive lineman who plays both defensive end and tight end at Akron North.

Here’s a quote from the University of Pittsburgh summer camp: “Built like a sedan, no other words can describe how solid this kid is.“

Selected as one of the top 50 defensive ends in the nation by Fab50 Recruiting.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer selected him as the preseason most valuable lineman in the Akron City Series Conference.

Gayle was an honorable mention all-district selection as a junior. He also plays varsity basketball and earned honorable mention all-league honors as a junior. Recently scored a 19 on his ACT and should be an academic qualifier. Has a 3.2 GPA.

Gayle bench presses 350 pounds, and squats 700 pounds.

Had 52 tackles and five sacks as a senior plus caught 11 passes for 205 yards.. Selected first team all-district as a senior.

Recruited by Chris Hedden.