Monmouth football on National Signing Day: Hawks land veteran QB for 2023, add key pieces
What looms as a critically important offseason for Monmouth football began Wednesday, as the Hawks announced an incoming class of 21 players as part of the NCAA’s Early National Signing Day.
And with the departure of All-American quarterback Tony Muskett, who transferred to Virginia, it’s no surprise that there are two quarterbacks among the newcomers.
The Hawks, who finished 5-6 in their first season in the Colonial Athletic Association, added experience to the position with graduate student Marquez McCray, who threw for 3,791 yards, with 19 TDs and 11 interceptions over the past two seasons at Sacred Heart, leading them to the FCS Playoffs in 2020 and 2021.
McCray joins a roster that includes Enzo Arjona, who started the final three games of his freshman season after Muskett went down with a knee injury.
Monmouth is also adding quarterback Zach Hios, who will be a freshman next fall.
From there, the statistics from the 2022 season provide a lot of insight into the rest of the class.
After struggling badly on defense, it's no surprise that Monmouth's latest class leans heavily on that side of the ball. Heading that group is graduate linebacker Jake Brown, a third-team All-Ivy League selection at Harvard who is expected to step in as a starter.
There are five defensive backs among the group, with the Hawks ranking 99th among 123 FCS teams in passing defense. They were 84th in rushing defense, with four defensive linemen signing, including two transfers.
One of them is Nick White, with the brother of former Monmouth receiver Reggie White Jr., currently playing with Montreal in the Canadian Football League. White is transferring for his final season from Division 2 Gannon University.
“Our first recruiting class as a member of the Colonial Athletic Association is truly an outstanding one,” said Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan. “This class has talent at all positions, has depth and fulfills the needs that we have. There is good balance on both sides of the ball Our staff did a great job of identifying very talented high school players while at the same time bringing in veteran players who will have an immediate impact.”
Monmouth also added three offensive linemen, as the Hawks look to build on what has been one of their strengths in recent years.
The only Shore Conference athlete among the group is also at position of need, with Manalapan kicker/punter Michael Calton, Jr. signing. Also on the roster is former Manalapan kicker Vincenzo Rea, who played in four games as a sophomore last season.
Here are the 20 players signed so far:
Incoming freshmen
Pos. Name Ht. Wt. Hometown (school)
DL Rob Adamson, Jr. - 6-1 290 - Bridgeton (St. Augustine)
LB Ryan Alexander - 6-1 210 - Brooklyn (Erasmus Hall)
DL Logan Barnes - 6-1 290 - Staten Island (Curtis)
K/P Michael Calton Jr. - 6-3 185 - Manalapan (Manalapan)
DB Israel Clark-White - 6-1 175 - Camden (Camden)
WR Joshua Derry - 5-11 175 - Towson, Md. (Concordia)
OL Josh Duran - 6-6 275 - Paterson (DePaul)
QB Zach Hios - 6-3 200 - Fairfield, Conn. (Trinity-Pawling)
DB Dana Johnson Jr. - 6-3 180 - Mansfield, Ma. (Worcester Academy)
DB Deuce Lee - 6-0 185 - Silver Springs, Md. (Gonzaga)
DB Emmanuel Lane - 6-1 175 - Carneys Point (Salem)
DB Ayden Martin - 5-11 185 - Reading, Pa. (Governor Mifflin)
TE Marcus Middleton - 6-4 200 - Germantown, Md. (Northwest)
OL Chris Moreno - 6-2 295 - Newark (Don Bosco)
WR Tra Neal - 6-0 175 - Frederick, Md. (Frederick)
RB Rodney Nelson - 5-8 185 - Owings Mills, Md. (Franklin)
Transfers
LB Jake Brown - 6-1 225 - Harvard
DL Antonio Colclough - 6-4 245 Grad. - James Madison/Temple
OL Matt Fries - 6-5 275 RS Fr. - Illinois
QB Marquez McCray - 6-2 200 Grad. - Sacred Heart
DL Nick White - 6-3 260 Grad. - Gannon
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Monmouth NJ football on National Signing Day: How did Hawks do?
