Yale Football Blog

Brett Gerber is a 6’4″, 225 lb. linebacker from Manatee High School in Bradenton, Florida.  Gerber is a tackling machine who led the state of Florida in total tackles in 2015.  He has prototypical size for the linebacker position and could even transition into a defensive end at the next level with a few additional pounds on his frame.  Gerber uses his speed and agility to slide by blockers untouched and pursues ball carriers relentlessly.  One can clearly see that he is a coach’s son when analyzing his tackling fundamentals.

Nick Gargiulo is a 6’5″, 275 lb. offensive lineman from Somers High School in Lincolndale, New York.  Gargiulo is a versatile recruit with the size to play tackle and the pulling ability to play guard.  His hand usage in pass protection is phenomenal as he generates a forceful punch to slow down pass rushers.  Gargiulo blocks through the whistle and doesn’t seem content with a play until his opposition is pancaked.  He’s very effective on screens as he has the speed to beat defenders to the point of attack to set up his running back for a huge gain.

Shane Frommer is a 5’11”, 190 lb. linebacker from King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, Massachusetts.  Frommer was a two-time state champion in high school and achieved success on both sides of the football.  He will most likely play linebacker or strong safety at the college level utilizing his speed and explosiveness to stifle opposing offenses.  Frommer has powerful legs and sound tackling skills as he continues driving his legs after the initial contact.  He understands the importance of leverage and always seems to get lower than his opposition on film.

Kyle Ellis is a 6 foot, 188 lb. safety from Greater Atlanta Christian School in Norcross, Georgia.  Ellis is a big hitter and loves to get physical in run support.  He has good play recognition skills and is able to fly to the ball before blockers get a hand on him.  In pass coverage, he looks comfortable playing man or zone coverage.  His speed and agility allow him to close in on receivers in a hurry.  Reno picked up another solid defender in Kyle Ellis.

Isaiah Dunham is a 6’2″, 200 lb. defensive back from FJ Reitz High School in Evansville, Indiana.  Dunham has great height for the position and a good feel for where the ball is in the air on deep routes.  He looks natural lined up at cornerback playing man coverage displaying fluid changes of direction and the ability to play the ball and not the receiver.  His sticky hands should allow him to snag a few interceptions from opposing Ivy League quarterbacks in the coming years.  His size and speed are reminiscent of another Dunham, DB Geoff Dunham ’12.

Josh De St. Jean is a 6’5″, 288 lb. offensive lineman from La Lumiere School in La Porte, Indiana.  De St. Jean has a big frame and can really move as evidenced by his tight end routes on film.  In fact, he’s athletic enough to play offensive line, defensive line or the tight end position in college, although I believe Reno will utilize him at left or right tackle.  He has a nasty streak and loves to pancake defenders.  Josh is most effective when down blocking from the tackle position as he wipes out multiple defenders at the line of scrimmage.

Ajay Culhane is a 6 foot, 185 lb. kicker and punter from Oaks Christian in Westlake Village, California.  Ajay has a big leg and the huge upside of being talented at both kicking and punting.  He routinely kicks the ball out of the endzone on kickoffs.  Extra points and short field goals seem to be automatic with his fluid kicking motion.  Culhane has the talent to be a top kicker or punter in the Ivy League.

Trenton Charles is a 5’8″, 165 lb. running back from Scotlandville Magnet High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Charles was nicknamed “The Blur” in high school and his previous coaches timed him at 4.39 seconds in the 40 yard dash and 7.2 seconds in the 60 meter dash.  When Charles hits an open hole at full speed, defenders stand little chance to catch him.  He has soft hands out of the backfield and could see immediate action as a third down back, slot receiver or returner.  The stable of running backs that Coach Reno and Coach Lett recruited over the last few years is truly impressive.

Sebastian Bruno is a 6’4″, 240 lb. defensive lineman from Olympic Heights High School in Boca Raton, Florida.  Bruno was born and raised in Haiti before heading over to the States and had never played organized football until high school.  Bruno has elite size and athleticism for an Ivy League defensive lineman and can play inside at tackle or outside at end.  Bruno quickly disengages from blockers and uses his long arms to reel in ball carriers.  With the right coaching, he can develop into a dominant force.  I have a feeling Brown fans will hate hearing Bruno’s name in the coming years.

Jack Biestek is a 6’3″, 205 lb. wide receiver from Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, North Carolina.  Biestek is a solid all-around athlete who had success at quarterback, running back and wideout at the high school level.  Football runs in his blood as his father and uncle played at Boston College, another uncle played for the Chicago Bears and his grandfather played for the New England Patriots.  He has sticky hands and good concentration to snag highly contested passes.  With the ball in his hands, Biestek is electric in the open field displaying an array of cutbacks, spins, and jump cuts.  He is surprisingly strong and effortlessly runs through arm tackles as he turns a short gain into a track meet.