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Draft Scout College Football Player News: Connecticut

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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

rSr/2024

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, Jr/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

Jr/2026

RB Mel Brown, Connecticut
News Source: Big South Football
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11/04/22 - Victor Rosa, Jr/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

Jr/2026

RB Victor Rosa, Connecticut
News Source: UConn/AP College Football
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10/24/22 - Mel Brown, Jr/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

Jr/2026

RB Mel Brown, Connecticut
News Source: Big South Football
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10/15/22 - Joe Fagnano, rSr/2025, 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

rSr/2025

QB Joe Fagnano, Connecticut
News Source: Maine/AP College Football
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10/11/22 - Mel Brown, Jr/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

Jr/2026

RB Mel Brown, Connecticut
News Source: Big South 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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08/05/22 - Marquez Bembry, rSr/2023, Connecticut + More +

UConn junior defensive lineman Eric Watts walked to practice Tuesday with his new teammate, University of Kentucky transfer Marquez Bembry. He always does. They work out together and push each other. They're roommates. Bembry, who will likely join forces with last year's leading tackler Jackson Mitchell at linebacker, totaled 37 tackles in 24 games played at Kentucky and established himself as a leader quickly after joining the team in January. "He's doing what he needs to do and you can tell the younger guys look up to him," Watts said. "He's trying to help everybody. He helps me, and if he needs my help, I help him."

One of the oldest and longest-tenured college football players on UConn's roster, Bembry played one season at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, after high school. He recorded 36 tackles as a redshirt freshman in 2018, helping the Bobcats to a 10-2 record. Bembry then transferred and played three seasons at Kentucky, choosing the Wildcats over Ole Miss and Tennessee. Bembry is one of several transfers that UConn hopes will give them a boost this season after the Huskies ranked near the bottom of the FBS in several statistics last year, including rushing and passing yards allowed per game as well as points allowed per game. - Hartford Courant

rSr/2023

OLB Marquez Bembry, Connecticut
News Source: Hartford Courant
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08/04/22 - Tommy Zozus, rSr/2023, Connecticut + More +

2022 PRESEASON PATRICK MANNELLY AWARD WATCHLIST: Tommy Zozus, UConn,...Zozus, who transferred to UConn from Florida International University, has appeared in 31 college football games as a long snapper. As a veteran member of the Huskies' special team unit, he brings valuable experience to a UConn team full of up-and-coming talent in college football. His current role has allowed him to truly appreciate the experience. - Connecticut Football

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LS Tommy Zozus, Connecticut
News Source: Connecticut Football
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08/02/22 - Noah Plack, rSr/2024, Connecticut + More +

2022 PRESEASON ALL-CAA CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION (COACHES/MEDIA): Noah Plack, S, Delaware,...All-CAA Second Team in 2021...Appeared and started in eight games after returning from injury...Ranked fourth on the team with 57 tackles...Also finished with 0.5 TFL, two fumble recoveries and three pass breakups. - Delaware Football

rSr/2024

OLB Noah Plack, Connecticut
News Source: Delaware Football
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07/28/22 - Jackson Mitchell, Sr/2024, Connecticut + More +

2022 PRESEASON BUTKUS AWARD WATCHLIST: Jackson Mitchell, UConn,...Mitchell (Ridgefield, Conn.) started all 12 games for the Huskies last season, and led the team in tackles, totaling 120 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and also recorded three forced fumbles, one interception and two pass breakups. The UConn junior ranked among the top 15 players in the country in total tackles, he ranked fourth in assisted tackles (73), and his 10.0 tackles per game ranked 11th in the nation. Mitchell's top games of the 2021 season including a career-high 16 tackles at Army and 15 tackles and a half-sack against Purdue. He also recorded 14 tackles and added a pass breakup against Holy Cross. - UConn Football

Sr/2024

ILB Jackson Mitchell, Connecticut
News Source: UConn Football
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07/25/22 - Raashaan Wilkins Jr., rSr/2024, Connecticut + More +

Raashaan Wilkins Jr. played in all 12 games last fall at Vanderbilt and started 10 of them while finishing the season with 13 tackles. That came after he started all nine games in 2020 - one of six Commodores to do so - and posted eight tackles, including two for loss, and a fumble recovery. He still hit the transfer portal after last season and committed to Illinois in April, to complete his college football journey close to home. Wilkins' path to Illinois had its twists and turns.

Champaign is the Chicago native's fourth stop, and defensive tackle wasn't his first position. He was a tight end at Wisconsin-Stevens Point before transferring to Monterey Peninsula College (Calif.) and switching positions, before another transfer to Vanderbilt. Wilkins' final move comes with a real chance at Illinois. Somebody has to replace Roderick Perry II on the Illini defensive line, and Wilkins has the size and experience to do just that. - News Gazette Tribune

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