Yale Football Blog

Seun Omonije is a 6’1″, 192 lb. receiver from St. Marks School in The Colony, Texas.  Omonije has great body control and concentration to secure difficult receptions.  After the catch, he is dynamic in the open field with well-timed jukes and spins as well as the blazing speed to make him a home run threat whenever he touches the ball.  Omonije has a good feel for touchdowns in the back of the endzone as he sets up a defender, quickly creates separation, catches the pass and taps his foot inbounds for a score.

Miles Oldacre is a 5’11”, 195 lb. defensive back from Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas.  Oldacre has a smooth backpedal and can quickly change directions to swat down a pass, lay out a receiver, or come up in run support.  He has great catch up speed and active hands to rip the ball away from receivers.  Oldacre is a solid all-around athlete with all the necessary traits to be a dominant safety: speed, agility, open field tackling skill, and the ability to create turnovers.

Griffin O’Connor is a 6’3″, 208 lb. quarterback from Edison High School in Huntington Beach, California.  O’Connor stays strong in the pocket and can quickly sidestep defenders while keeping his eyes downfield to deliver a big strike.  He makes difficult throws such as deep out routes look rudimentary.  O’Connor’s footwork is more advanced than the majority of Division 1 quarterback recruits.  Bulldog fans were elated when O’Connor decommitted from UNLV and chose Yale as Ivy prospects with his throwing power and accuracy are few and far between.

Reid Nickerson is a 6’4″, 220 lb. defensive end from Friendswood High School in Friendswood, Texas.  Nickerson actually played safety in high school and may very well be the only defensive end recruit in Division 1 football that played in the defensive backfield at the high school level.  He should be able to pack solid weight on his long and lean frame to compete against the bigger offensive tackles in the Ivy League.  With Nickerson’s speed and athleticism, Yale coaches could turn him into a pass rushing machine.  His coverage skills and open field tackling ability could also transition well to the outside linebacker spot.

Elliott McElwain is a 5’11”, 205 lb. running back from Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama.  McElwain is a load for defenders to bring down as he runs through arm tackles with ease.  He is just as dangerous as a receiver and actually had more receiving yards in his senior season than rushing yards.  His combination of speed and power is a welcome addition to the Bulldog backfield.  McElwain could also be a solid option as a slot receiver or even a wildcat QB.

Osorachukwu Ifesinachukwu or “Oso” is a 6’3″, 240 lb. defensive end from Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas.  Oso has a quick first step and offers versatility along the defensive line as he lined up as a defensive tackle, defensive end and outside linebacker in high school.  He has well-developed pass rushing skills and uses both speed moves and power moves to disengage from offensive linemen.  His huge wingspan gives him excellent range to reel in quarterbacks and running backs.  Oso has the potential to play early and often for the Bulldogs.

Dathan Hickey is a 6’1″, 180 lb. defensive back from Bristol Central High School in Bristol, Connecticut.  Hickey is one of the best all-around athletes to come out of Bristol Central since Aaron Hernandez.  He dominated high school opponents on both sides of the ball as a running quarterback and cornerback, but prefers to play defense and will likely wind up as a defensive back at Yale.  Hickey has all the traits of a lockdown defensive back with his combination of size, speed, agility, and balance.  He will match-up well with some of the taller receivers in the Ivy League.

Nick Henkel is a 6’5″, 185 lb. quarterback from Brunswick School in Greenwich, Connecticut.  Henkel is not only a local recruit, but also the son of a Yale baseball player and the grandson of a Yale football player.  He has prototypical size for the position allowing him to easily scan defenses over the offensive linemen’s heads.  Henkel is shifty enough to gain yardage when the pocket collapses, but his first instinct after dodging a defender is still to throw the ball downfield.  He has a great feel for when to sling the ball with authority into tight coverage versus when to lob the ball over the defensive back’s head with a high arcing pass.  Although he is right handed, Henkel looks fluid throwing the ball while rolling to his left or right.

Jaylan Granberry is a 5’10”, 180 lb. defensive back from Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Nashville, Tennessee.  Granberry has the speed and cover skills to play corner and the tackling ability to play safety.  He is a ball hawk whether it is intercepting a pass, forcing a fumble or picking up a loose ball and taking it to the house.  He could be one of the fastest defensive backs on the Yale roster and uses his agility and power to deliver big hits.  Yale coaches are likely salivating at the thought of using Granberry in a number of roles.

Tate Goodyear is a 6’4″, 275 lb. defensive lineman from Sycamore High School in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Goodyear has elite size for an interior defensive lineman with some recruiting websites listing him as heavy as 300 lbs.  He is stout at the point of attack and makes good use of his hands to disengage quickly from blockers.  He is a very powerful athlete that crushes ball carriers when he gets a head of steam.  Goodyear also shows good pursuit skills tracking down running backs in the backfield.