The next batch of Leopards has officially been welcomed to the football program as 21 new players signed their letters of intent to join the roster on National Signing Day on Wednesday.
The team’s third recruiting cycle under head coach John Troxell focused on depth pieces that can take pressure off of the starters on key downs. After compiling 37 sacks in 2023, the Maroon and White struggled to generate pressure on the quarterback throughout last season. To revert to the production prior, the Leopards signed interior defensive linemen Sean Kabengele and Sean Curtis, as well as sophomore linebacker Callahan Blair from the transfer portal.
“You got a couple really good guys and then, all of a sudden, you’re gassed because you’re playing every snap,” Troxell said. “Finding some depth up front on the edge and interior was a big piece of getting Callahan and then getting Sean Kabengele and Sean Curtis.”
Troxell also emphasized the importance of linebackers and secondary, as both groups will be graduating all of their starters. Among them are senior defensive backs Saiku White, Neriyan Brown, Gabe Dubois and A.T. Ntantang, all of whom have declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
The team was trying to find “linebackers who were athletic and could run extremely well and strike,” he said. “Then we graduate all four on the back end, so with losing Saiku White and Neriyan Brown, safety was really important to us.”
While finding scheme fits is crucial to translate to on-field success, recruitment is mostly dedicated to finding players with natural ability. Athletic prowess and measurables are the main aspects coaches look for when constructing a team, according to outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator Andrew Seumalo.
“You’re looking for really good athletes, guys that can move around and create space,” Seumalo said. “Whether it’s on offense and being able to win those one-on-ones in space and or on defense and having that football intelligence to go attack the football and in space.”
Getting to know the players is only half of the process, as getting recruits acclimated to the environment on College Hill is crucial in making them feel more at home.
“You’re bringing up recruits and their families on campus and getting them to see the place and experience it,” Seumalo said. “We try to set it up on weekends where there’s students around so that they get that real vibe of the community here at Lafayette College.”
The recruits hail from across the United States, representing nine states. Two players from the Lehigh Valley will be joining the team: linebacker Justin Peluso played for Freedom High School in Bethlehem and wide receiver Caleb Newson played under Tom Falzone ’00 at Nazareth, following wide receiver Mason Kuehner and offensive lineman Sean Kinney from last year’s class.
Both Troxell and Seumalo said they were excited for the incoming class to join the team this fall, and that they were holding high expectations for an immediate impact on the program’s culture.
“When you look at the productivity these guys had at their high schools, they’ve all excelled and set records,” Troxell said. “For us, it’s really been about getting more character kids, guys who love football and who aren’t afraid of hard work.”
“There are guys that can come in and help us right away,” Seumalo said. “Then there’s guys that we’re excited about their future development and what that will look like in X amount of years.”
