Draft Scout Connecticut Player News, College Football: Connecticut

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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Connecticut

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12/19/22 - Jackson Mitchell, Sr/2024, Connecticut + More +

UConn junior linebacker Jackson Mitchell (Ridgefield, CT) is a 2022 Butkus Award semifinalist and is second in the nation with 133 total tackles on the season. He averaged 11.1 tackles per game to rank fourth nationally. He had 8.0 tackles for loss including 4.5 sacks. Mitchell is first in the country with five fumble recoveries. He also forced a pair this season and came up with an interception. - UConn Football

Sr/2024

ILB Jackson Mitchell, Connecticut
News Source: UConn Football
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12/18/22 - Jackson Mitchell, Sr/2024, Connecticut + More +

Linebacker Jackson Mitchell is third in FBS with 11.1 tackles per game, and leads the nation with five fumble recoveries. Though he did not make an All-America team, like teammate Christian Haynes on the offensive line, Mitchell, a junior, can count that as unfinished business at UConn next season. "I'm pretty set on just coming back," Mitchell said. "I feel I can improve my [NFL] stock, improve on a few things that can get me to a better place when I leave here." - Hartford Courant

Sr/2024

ILB Jackson Mitchell, Connecticut
News Source: Hartford Courant
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11/28/22 - Ray Eldridge, rSr/2024, Connecticut + More +

2022 ALL-CAA FOOTBALL THIRD TEAM: Ray Eldridge, Richmond, DL, Sr.,...Eldridge has 29 tackles on the season including 8.5 for loss (-32). He has 4.5 sacks (-25), two quarterback hurries and one pass breakup so far this season. He has helped lead Richmond to the third-best defense in the CAA, allowing just 29 touchdowns on the season while holding opponents to 330.5 yards per game. - Richmond Football

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DT Ray Eldridge, Connecticut
News Source: Richmond Football
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11/23/22 - Noah Plack, rSr/2024, Connecticut + More +

2022 ALL-CAA FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM: Noah Plack, Delaware, S, Sr.,...Plack joins Johnny Buchanan as a three-time All-CAA selection after earning second-team honors each of the past two seasons. The Bridgeville, Pa. native has set a career high with 84 tackles on the season to rank second on the Blue Hens. He had a personal-best 17 tackles at Navy to open the season and added 10 takedowns at William & Mary. Plack also has 2.0 TFL, a pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on his stat line. - Delaware Football

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OLB Noah Plack, Connecticut
News Source: Delaware Football
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11/21/22 - Mel Brown, Sr/2026, Connecticut + More +

NOV 21 BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Gardner-Webb running back Jayden Brown (Lithonia, Ga.) rushed for 93 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries to help put away North Carolina A&T and seal the Runnin' Bulldogs' Big South title. He added a 37-yard kickoff return and eight-yard reception to finish with 138 all-purpose yards. Brown's 19-yard sprint to the end zone put GWU ahead for good at 17-14 with 6:11 left in the second quarter, while his 1-yard plunge at 9:30 in the fourth stanza provided the final margin. - Big South Football

Sr/2026

RB Mel Brown, Connecticut
News Source: Big South Football
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11/04/22 - Victor Rosa, Sr/2026, Connecticut + More +

Victor Rosa ran for a pair of touchdowns in the second half as UConn pulled away to beat UMass 27-10 on Friday night. UConn (5-5) has won four of its last five games that includes its first-ever win against Boston College while UMass (1-8) lost its sixth straight. Rosa pushed a group of defenders into the end zone for a 5-yard TD late in the third quarter and then broke one tackle on his way to a 12-yard score midway through the fourth.

Rosa finished with 87 yards rushing on 17 carries. Devontae Houston added 84 yards on the ground that included a 75-yard touchdown run in the first quarter for UConn. Brady Olson tossed a 53-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Sullivan-Brown for UMass that tied the game 10-10 with about seven minutes remaining before halftime. Olson was 19-of-34 passing for 266 yards and threw one interception. Sullivan-Brown made five catches for 124 yards. - UConn/AP College Football

Sr/2026

RB Victor Rosa, Connecticut
News Source: UConn/AP College Football
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10/24/22 - Mel Brown, Sr/2026, Connecticut + More +

OCT 24 BIG SOUTH FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Gardner-Webb running back Jayden Brown (Lithonia, Ga.) rushed 14 times for a career-high 92 yards with a score at Charleston Southern. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry, and his 44-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter put Gardner-Webb ahead, 20-7. - Big South Football

Sr/2026

RB Mel Brown, Connecticut
News Source: Big South Football
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10/15/22 - Joe Fagnano, rSr/2026, Connecticut + More +

Joe Fagnano threw two touchdown passes and Kahzir Brown returned an interception for a score to lead Maine to a 38-28 win over Monmouth on Saturday. Fagnano had a 9-yard TD pass to Shawn Bowman, a score set up by a fumble recovery, and Freddie Brock scored on a 33-yard run before the pick-6 to propel the Black Bears (2-4, 2-1 Colonial Athletic Association) to their sixth straight homecoming win. Tony Muskett's second touchdown pass, in the final minute of the first half pulled the Hawks (4-3, 2-2) within 21-14. But a three-play 80-yard drive to open the second half and a three-play, 14-yard drive produced two touchdowns a minute apart that had the Black Bears up 35-14. Elijah Barnwell scored on a 1-yard plunge a play after Fagnano and Kobay White had a 77-yard connection. Thomas Mai recovered a Monmouth fumble on the kickoff before Fagnano hit Montigo Moss for 14 yards. Fagnano was 14 of 23 for 181 yards with White catching six for 115. Muskett was 22 of 31 for 292 yards and three touchdowns. Assanti Kearney had six catches for 100 yards and Dymere Miller six for 95. - Maine/AP College Football

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QB Joe Fagnano, Connecticut
News Source: Maine/AP College Football
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10/11/22 - Mel Brown, Sr/2026, Connecticut + More +

OCT 10 BIG SOUTH FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK: Gardner-Webb running back Jayden Brown (Lithonia, Ga.) scored a pair of second-half touchdowns in Gardner-Webb's win at Robert Morris. He posted a career-high 85 yards on 10 carries, which featured a 7-yard scoring run in the third quarter and a 41-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Also nominated for Freshman of the Week: NaQuari Rogers (Campbell). - Big South Football

Sr/2026

RB Mel Brown, Connecticut
News Source: Big South Football
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10/10/22 - Kamoi Latu, rSr/2026, Connecticut + More +

OCT 10 BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Kamo'I Latu, Wisconsin, S - Jr. - Honolulu, Hawaii - Saint Louis School,...Grabbed his first career interception in the first quarter and picked off another in the third quarter in the Badgers' 42-7 victory against Northwestern...Became the first Badger to record a pair of interceptions in the same game since Colin Wilder picked off two passes vs. Nebraska on Nov. 11, 2021...Added three solo tackles in the dominant Wisconsin win and is only the second Big Ten defender to pick off multiple passes in a game during conference play this season...Earns the first Defensive Player of the Week accolade of his career...Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week: Leo Chenal (Oct. 25, 2021). - Big Ten Football

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SS Kamoi Latu, Connecticut
News Source: Big Ten Football
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10/07/22 - Jackson Mitchell, Sr/2024, Connecticut + More +

Amid all the turmoil and uncertainty within the UConn football team in the last two seasons, Jackson Mitchell has been the lifeblood as the program rebuilds. The Ridgefield native has been a starting linebacker for the Huskies since his freshman year in 2019 and has seen his role transition into a leader by example. This season, he leads the team with 66 total tackles, 20 more than anyone else on the roster. Mitchell has forced and recovered a fumble and has recorded four tackles for losses that resulted in 18 negative yards. Mitchell's performance this season is made even more impressive by the fact that he has been dealing with a hand injury since the spring.

UConn coach Jim Mora said Tuesday that Mitchell had thumb surgery to repair a fracture in the spring and still has a screw in his thumb. "I don't know how many players in college football would play through that," Mora said. "I don't think anyone could have faulted Jackson if he decided to let it heal, but he didn't. He decided to play, so he has been practicing and playing with a splint on." The injury had not fully healed by the time the season began, so doctors were unable to remove the screw. Mitchell decided he was going to play anyway. "He has a screw in there… they weren't able to take it out because it hadn't healed well enough by the time the season started," Mora said. "So, he said 'Okay, put a brace on it and let's go'. You have to respect that." Mitchell has paced the defense, which Mora says have been steadily improving for UConn at the midway point in the season. "He takes every snap, he never comes out," Mora said. 'He is on punt, he is involved with special teams, and he's just has that warrior spirit. He is not going to be denied." - CT Post

Sr/2024

ILB Jackson Mitchell, Connecticut
News Source: CT Post
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09/01/22 - Robert Burns, rSr/2023, Connecticut + More +

2022 PRESEASON WUERFFEL TROPHY (COMMUNITY SERVICE) WATCHLIST: Robert Burns, UConn, Sr., RB,...Burns (Miami, Fla.), a UConn graduate student pursuing his master's degree in business administration, played in 10 games for the Huskies last year, rushing for 45 yards and returning three kicks for 58 yards. Off the field, Burns is the co-founder of Second Spoon, a non-profit organization that provides excess food from college dining halls to those in need. He is one of 115 college players on the watch list. - UConn Football

rSr/2023

RB Robert Burns, Connecticut
News Source: UConn Football
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08/25/22 - Eriq Gilyard, rSr/2024, Connecticut + More +

Eriq Gilyard sees himself as the kind of person who looks for a challenge, and when he entered the transfer portal last year he found one worth exploring. Gilyard, whose college football career began at UCF in 2018, said he considered the likes of SMU, Michigan State, TCU and Arizona State. He acknowledged Wednesday that, in what felt like a whirlwind experience, there were a couple of others he couldn't remember. But ultimately, in part due to conversations he had with Kansas head coach Lance Leipold, Gilyard chose the Jayhawks.

In doing so, Gilyard jumped to the Power Five level and a Big 12 Conference program in the midst of a rebuild. He joined a group he's confident can have success in 2022. And as the redshirt senior linebacker plays out the year, he'll also look to make more of a name for himself as his eyes look to a potentially brighter future. "This is for me, building my name beyond UCF," said Gilyard, who had only positive things to say about those he met at his previous stop. "So, I did what I did at UCF, and that was great, but I kind of want to build a separate legacy here. And, hopefully, that leads me to the (NFL)." - Topeka Capital Journal

rSr/2024

ILB Eriq Gilyard, Connecticut
News Source: Topeka Capital Journal
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08/14/22 - Kamoi Latu, rSr/2026, Connecticut + More +

Kamo'i Latu isn't shy about one person who played a significant factor in his decision to transfer to the University of Wisconsin. That would be "No. 19." according to the former Utah safety. "He's my best friend," Latu said of UW outside linebacker Nick Herbig last week. "We went to high school together, and we're from Hawaii. Nick played a big role in it." Latu now continues his collegiate journey with the Badgers as he announced his transfer in early May and hopes to set a path to playing time during fall camp.

The 6-foot, 195-pound Latu played in 14 games last season, registering 19 tackles and three pass breakups for the Utes, who won the Pac-12 Conference and played Ohio State in the 2022 Rose Bowl. He finished with a career-high 10 tackles during a 42-26 win at Southern Cal in October, his only start of 2021. The Pac-12 decorated him with freshman of the week accolades for that outing. Latu, a former three-star recruit by 247Sports and Rivals, participated in 19 games over two seasons at Utah before his move to the Midwest. The two recruiting services reported he held offers from Colorado, Nebraska, Oregon State, USC and Washington among others prior to his signing with Kyle Whittingham's program as part of the Utes' class of 2020. - Wisconsin State Journal

rSr/2026

SS Kamoi Latu, Connecticut
News Source: Wisconsin State Journal
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08/13/22 - Skyler Bell, rSr/2026, Connecticut + More +

Skyler Bell leapt after a Graham Mertz pass in the middle of the south end zone Monday, snagged it over the outstretched arms of a defender and maintained possession while crashing to the Camp Randall Stadium turf. It was the highlight of the day for either side of the ball at the University of Wisconsin's football practice - and a continuation of the strong showing Bell has been putting together since bowl-prep practices in December. Bell appears to be in the Badgers' top line of wide receivers, a unit trying to replace two multi-year starters in Danny Davis and Kendric Pryor. The receiver group is deep and there's competition for roles, but Bell's display of route running, aggressiveness in blocking and run-after-the-catch ability has him firmly in the mixing for a starting spot. "The goal is to be perfect, but obviously you're not going to be perfect," Bell said. "Just try and go out there, know what I'm doing, play fast, play confident. I think that's what I was able to do in the spring and that's why I saw a good amount of success. Fall camp, I'm just trying to build on that, get more comfortable with the plays and hopefully take off this season."

Bell, a redshirt freshman from Bronx, New York, saw his stock rising before the Badgers flew to Las Vegas to play Arizona State in the Las Vegas Bowl. He recorded his first college catch in that game, a diving grab of 15 yards to convert a third-and-9, and continued to stand out during spring practices. His ability to create separation on crossing routes in particular made him a frequent target for Mertz, UW's junior quarterback. Mertz believes a year of college life has made Bell more mature and that is starting to come through on the field. "You come into college and you've got to learn how to lead yourself," Mertz said. "And he dove into that and learned how to lead himself how to recover, how to do all that stuff. "He's got that dog (in him), but he's also spreading that to (the receivers), which is cool." - Wisconsin State Journal

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