Brown Football Class of 2012
May 28, 2008
Providence, RI - Brown head football coach Phil Estes has announced the Brown Football Class of 2012, a group of 32 talented newcomers, who will launch their collegiate careers at Brown in the fall. This year's class is recognized as one of the best in the Ivy League and includes 15 high school football team captains, several National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Award winners and team MVP's.
Sean Hack Burns
FB
6-3, 205
Minnetonka, MN
The Blake School
Athletic: 2-year
captain...started every game of high school career...3-time All Tri-Metro
Conference...300+ career tackles...also lettered in track and hockey...school record
holder 4x200 meter...high school coach was Erik Swenson.
Academic: was active
in community service...wrote for school newspaper as well as the school's
creative writing publication.
Personal: born June
12, 1990 Sean is the son of
Shannon and Charlie Burns...likes playing golf, hockey and hanging out with
friends.
Shane George Cooney
OLB
5-11, 190
Mountain View, California
Mt. View
Athletic:
2-year Team Captain...MVP senior year...1st Team All League...2007
National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award... 147
tackles and 1 interception senior year....high school coach was Dan Navarro.
Academic: Outstanding
Achievement in Physics and Biology Honors...National Merit Commended Student...2007
Students Committed to Engineering Excellence Scholarship Award winner.
Personal: born Nov.
28, 1989...Shane is the son of Georgia Acker and Hugh Cooney...likes mountain
biking, snow boarding, sci-fi novels and video games.
Derrick Duquette
LB
6-2, 225
Plymouth, MA
Plymouth South High School
Athletic: Team MVP...Three-year Patriot Ledger All Scholastic...Enterprise
All Scholastic...Two-year Globe All Star...League All star 3 yrs... WATD League
MVP...Shriners All Star Game...had 32 rushing td's and 26 passing tds. and 28
ints. in his career...high school coach was Scott Fry.
Academic: High Honors
every term...ranked in the top 2% of his class.
Personal: born
3/18/90...Derrick is the son of Linda and Dean Duquette...enjoys working out,
movies, XBOX 360.
Nicholas Matthew Faber
TE/OL
6-3, 235
Alamo, California
San Ramon Valley High School
Athletic: East Bay
Athletic League All-League... The Times Best of the Fall All-League...All-Metro Team...All-Bay Area
and Peninsula Team...starter on basketball team...high school coach was Dave
Kravitz...
Academic: winner of
Brian Ohleger Memorial Award....winner of Leader of the Pack Award for
outstanding leadership at SRVHS...school rep for Wendy's High School Heisman.
Personal: born
10/14/89...Nick is the son of Dianne and Matt Faber...enjoys fishing , hunting and
weight lifting.
Mel Farr
CB
5-10, 180
Bloomfield Hills, MI
Detroit Catholic Central
Athletic: led team in
int's with 6...had 54
tackles...All-Academic Catholic League...All-Metro...voted best DB on
team...All-Catholic in track 2007...high school coach was Tom Mach.
Academic: honor roll
4 years...Gabriel Richard Award for Academic Excellence 4 years...National Achievement finalist...President of Latin
Club...Departmental Award in Latin for 3 years.
Personal: born
October 20, 1990...Mel is the son of Sandra Watson-Farr and Mel Farr, Jr. ...likes
languages, travel and backyard football.
Jonah Fay
WR
6-1, 170
Brookline, MA
Noble and Greenough School
Athletic: 1st
Team All- ISL.....28 catches for 8 td's and 22 yards per catch...played on ISL
football and lacrosse Champions...high school coach was Bob Moore.
Academic: AP Calculus
, French and Art...honor roll...volunteer at Museum of Science.
Personal: born
12/7/88...Jonah is the son of Susan Yearwood and Aaron Fay...likes sports, piano,
video games and reading.
John (Jack) Geiger
OL
6-3, 260
Whitefish Bay, WI
Marquette University High School
Athletic: 1st
Team All-Conference, All-Region, All-Area and All-State...Milwaukee
Journal-Sentinel
Team...no sacks allowed in his career...school record holder in bench press and
power clean...high school coach was Dick Basham.
Academic: Honor Roll,
AP Scholar, Magna Cum Laude Award Recipient for excellence in Latin.
Personal: born May 2,
1990...Jack is the son of Kathy Murkowski and John Geiger...likes weightlifting,
sailing and music.
William James Gray
Corner
6-1, 165
Murrieta, Calif.
Murrieta Valley High School
Athletic: Eric McMillan
Legacy Award...Defensive Back of Year...All-League...38 tackles, 1 sack, 2
interceptions , 1 int for td, 40 covers, 7 pass break-ups...high school coach was
Lance Neal...
Academic: 2008
National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete...Foreign Language Award...Scholar
Athlete Award...California Scholarship Federation.
Academic: born
8-27-90...William is the son of Denise and Bill Gray...likes guitar, chess , golf
pin pong.
Bradley Griffith
TE
6-5, 220
Cincinnati, Ohio
Glen Este High School
Athletic: captain of
both football and basketball team...averaged 20.4 yards per catch....had longest
reception on team of 56 yds... Glen Este Scholar-Athlete...high school coach was
Zak Taylor...
Academic: member of
National Honor Society.... Who's Who Among American High School Students.
Personal: born
4/4/90...Brad is the son of Lynne and Geoff Marshall...hobbies are all sports and
working security at concert venues.
Mark Hammer
Safety
5-11, 185
Chagrin Falls, Ohio
Chagrin Falls High School
Athletic: led team in
tackles with 92...had 183 career tackles...All-Ohio...All-Northeast Ohio 1st
Team...All-Chagrin Valley Conference 1st Team...McDonald's
Scholar-Athlete...Geauga Touchdown Club 1st Team DB and Scholar
Athlete of the Year...also started three years in Basketball...high school coach
was Mark Iammarino.
Academic: National
Merit Scholar, National Honor Society...Yale Book Award...AP Scholar with
distinction...National English Merit Award...2007 Who's Who Among American High
School Students...Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science Award...
Personal: born
December 1, 1989...Mark is the son of Rita and Donald Hammer.
Mark John Hogan Jr.
RB
5-11, 190
Sudbury, Mass
Lincoln-Sudbury High School
Athletic: Super 26
Mass. All State Team...Boston Globe All Scholastic...Dual County League Offensive MVP...Shriners
Bowl 2008...3-time All-Dual County League...in his career he had 328 carries for
2622 yds...57 catches for 931 yds...41 td's...8 int's...high school coach was Tom
Lopez.
Academic: Five-time
Lincoln-Sudbury Scholar...Athletic Council Member...Outstanding Senior Award
Personal: born
9/1/89...Mark is the son of Beverly and Mark Hogan Sr. ...likes fishing and
coaching youth basketball.
Evan P. Johnson
OL
6-3, 270
Kettering, Ohio
Archbishop Alter High School
Athletic: 1st
Team Greater Catholic League...1st Team All-Southwest Ohio...1st
Team All Ohio...GCL Lineman of the Year...Alter Most Outstanding Lineman 2007...Team
Captain...high school coach was Ed Domsitz.
Academic: Alter High
School First Honors with Distinction 2005-2008.
Personal: born
07/15/1989...Evan is the son of Patty and Max Johnson...likes fishing, lifting,
sketching and going off-road.
Luke Iverson Landers
OL
6-4, 290
Friendswood, TX
Friendswood High School
Athletic: team
captain...1st Team All-County...1st Team All-District...winner
of "Big Heart" Award...gave up no sacks senor year, averaged 4 pancakes a game
and graded at 95% for season...2nd Team Texas All-State Academic...Texas
Football Magazine All-Academic Team...high school coach was Steve Van Meter.
Academic: president
of National Honor Society...senior class Vice-President...Music Honor Society...gold
medalist in vocal...Best Actor in Musical Theater...honor roll 4 years...Who's Who
Among American High School Students....local, county and greater Houston area
Science Fair winner.
Personal: born
9//22/89...Luke is the son of Nona and John Landers...like coaching youth sports,
lifting, hunting and fishing.
Nathan B. Lovett
Athlete/WR
6-4, 190
East Providence, RI
East Providence High School
Athletic: Providence
Gridiron Club Offensive MVP 2006,2007...Providence Journal 1st Team All-State QB
2006, 1st Team All-State Punter 2007...captain of football, basketball
and baseball teams...Rhode Island Golden Dozen Scholar-Athlete finalist...high
school coach was John "Sandy" Gorham.
Academic:
All-Academic Team in football '05, '06, '07...University of Rhode Island
Book Award Winner...member of the National Honor Society.
Personal: born
3/1/90...Nate is the son of Eileen and Campbell Lovett.
Jeffrey Matteis
DE
6-2, 220
Havertown, PA
Haverford High School
Athletic:
MVP 2006, defensive MVP 2007...All-Delco....All-Central
League...All-Southeastern PA...2nd Team All State...team captain...had 70
tackles...high school coach was Joe Gallagher.
Academic: Honor Roll
student.
Personal: born
11/27/89...Jeffrey is the son of Lori and Thomas Matteis...likes computers and
photography...also likes to lift weights and works as a DJ.
Sam Martin McGrath
OLB
6-2, 190
Longmeadow, Mass.
Longmeadow High School
Athletic: two-time First Team All-Western Mass...pre-season Super 7
selection...Archie Roberts Award for Most Outstanding Student Athlete in Western
Mass...captain of both Football and Lacrosse...rushed 42 times for 8.79 avg. and 2
td's...9 catches for 199 yds and 4 tds...4 int's and 1 td and 2 fumble
recoveries...high school coach was Alex Rotsko.
Academic: member of
National Honor Society...First Honors
Personal: born
7/10/90...Sam is the son of Kim and Neil McGrath...likes reading, playing the
guitar and weightlifting.
Luke MacKenzie Miller
TE/DE
6-4, 215
Bryn Mawr, PA
Episcopal Academy/Phillips Academy
Athletic: captain of
football and lacrosse at Episcopal...2 time 1st team All League and All Mainline,
2nd Team All Greater Philadelphia...led Phillips Academy in sacks last
year and also had 6 catches for 130 yds and 2 td's....high school coach was Bill
Gallagher, prep school coach was Leon Modeste.
Academic: Honor Roll
at Episcopal...won Dora Khayyat painting Prize
Personal: born
10/4/88...Luke is the son of Luisa
Rabe and Scott Miller...likes movies, reading and working out.
Matthew Martin O'Donnell
ILB
6-0, 230
Tipton, Iowa
Tipton High School
Athletic: 3-time team
MVP...had 350 career tackles and scored 231 points, both school records...3-time
All-State...3-time All-District...2 year captain....co-captain of All-Eastern Iowa
Team...3-year captain in wrestling...senior year was 47-3 and finished in 4th place is state at
215...high school coach was Mike Wehde.
Academic: 8-time Gold
Honor Roll member...National Honor Society...National Council on Youth Leadership... Quad
Cities Times
Salute to Academics and Achievements Leadership Award Finalist.
Personal: born
4/15/90...Matt is the son of Susan and Michael O'Donnell...likes reading, weight
lifting, music and video games.
Patrick William Pakan
QB
6-2, 205
Tallmadge, Ohio
Tallmadge High School
Athletic: 2 year
captain in football and basketball...team MVP...2 year 1st Team All
League and All Northeast Ohio...1st Tem all Beacon Journal...1st
Team All State...Akron TD Club MVP...Ohio North South All Star Game...for his career
2500 yards passing, 1300 yds rushing... had 13 interceptions on def...high school
coach was Joe Vassalottti.....
Academic: National
Honor Society...Leaders in Action...Distinguished Scholar...Student Senate...Spanish
Club...Spanish Student of Year ...Social Studies Student of Year...likes playing
basketball, baseball and watching movies...
Personal: born
11/08/89...Patrick is the son of Janelle and William Pakan
Stephen Douglas Peyton
FB/TE
6-2, 210
Pioneer High school
Woodland, CA
Athletic: team
MVP...TCC Defensive MVP...Honorable Mention All-Metro...Davis Enterprise All
Area...team captain...463 yds. rushing on 6.5 yards per catch for 4 td's...17 catches
for 246 yds...371 yds passing for 3td's...led team in tackles with 87...had 4.5
sacks, 3 int's., 2 fumble recoveries...high school coach was David Butterworth.
Academic: National
Honor Society...Who's Who Among American High School Students...Cal. Dept. of
Education and Cal. Mathematics Council Award...Principal's Award for outstanding
GPA...National Football Foundation Scholar Athlete...Bank of America Outstanding
Academics Award
Personal: born
9/14/1989...Stephen is the son of Susan and Doug Peyton...likes lifting weights,
snowboarding, hunting, fishing and camping.
Stephen Patrick Reid Jr.
OL
6-6, 270
New Port Richey, FLA
Gulf High School
Athletic: team
captain...All-Conference Sunshine Athletic Conference...Most Improved...weightlifting
team two letters...high school coach was Jay Fulmer.
Academic: National
Honor Society...Math Honor Society...National English Honor Society...Outstanding
Male English Student...Pasco County Math Pride Award...Most Likely to Succeed...Youth
Group Leadership Team.
Personal: born
5/13/90...Stephen is the son of Diane and Jim McGregor....enjoys lifting, watching
sports, basketball.
Joseph Kyle Rettig
DL
6-3, 245
Clearwater, FLA
Clearwater Central Catholic
Athletic: 2008
All-County...2008 All-Suncoast...CCC Offensive MVP and Most Valuable Lineman...2-year
team captain, 3-year team captain in wrestling...Pinellas county All-Star
football captain...3-time district champion in wrestling...All-County in wrestling
2006,2007,200...Eight weightlifting school record holder in all categories...high
school coach was Mike Jalazo.
Academic: was
outstanding in English and Literature at CCC
Personal: born 7/11/90...Kyle is the son of Lorna and Joseph
Rettig...likes reading, writing, going to the beach and running.
Neal Kevin Rooney
DE
6-3, 235
Scituate, RI
LaSalle Academy
Athletic: Providence
Journal 1st
Team All-State...Coaches' 1st Team All-Division 1...Providence Gridiron
Club MVP and Lineman of the year...Cox RI Sports Award FB nominee...had 72 tackles
and 7 sacks...3-year letterman in football, basketball and track...placed 2nd
in indoor shot and 3rd
in javelin in '07...Wendy's High School Heisman Nominee...high school coach was
Geoff Marcone.
Academic: National
Honor Society and Rhode Island Honor Society...All-League Academic in football
and track...has worked on Special Olympics the last three years...was involved in
Pegasus Enrichment Program for Academically gifted...Rhode Island Chapter of
National FB Foundation and College Hall of Fame Golden Dozen Scholar Athlete
Award...was in Model Legislature and Student Government.
Personal: born May 2nd.
1990...Neal is the son of Lynne and Kevin Rooney...likes swimming. reading and
traveling.
Aaron Matthew Ruffin
CB
5-9, 170
Alpharetta, Georgia
Northview High School
Athletic: North
Fulton First Team Defense, All-Region, All-Northside Honorable Mention, '07
Coaches' Award recipient...7th in state in interceptions...high school
coach was Don Savage.
Academic: AP Talented
and Gifted Students...member of the National Society of High School
Scholars...three-years Principal's list Honor Roll...recipient of school VIP...teen
forum rep...voted Mr. Northview High School '07...Youth Mentorship Program
mentor...worked on school paper...member of Black History Month committee.
Personal: born April
1, 1990...Aaron is the son of Renee and Demetrius Ruffin.
Jimmy Saros
WR
6-3, 190
Grosse Pointe, Michigan
Grosse Point South High School
Athletic: 1st Team
All-State 2 yrs...1st Team All-State Dream Team, 2yrs...3-year All
League....state of Michigan reception leader junior year...finished career with 200
receptions for 25 td's...second in Michigan all-time for career
receptions...selected for Michigan football All star game...3-year all League in
basketball, 2 year team captain...MVP...played on Michigan AAU basketball team...high
school coach was Tim Brandon.
Academic: 4-years on
Honor Roll...member of National Honor Society...3 year First Team All Academic in
both football and basketball.
Personal: born 9-17-89...Jimmy is the son of Deborah Culler and Jim
Saros...enjoys reading and snowboarding and also working with youth groups.
Richard Kevin Saunders
OLB
5-11, 200
Akron, Ohio
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
Athletic: 2nd
Team All-Ohio...1s Team All-Neo Island District, 1st Team All-City...Plain
Dealer
Academic: National
Honor Society...Math Honor Society...Who's Who Among American High School
Students..."McScholar Athlete"...Wendy's high school Heisman candidate.
Personal: born Aug 25, 1989...Kevin is the son of Michelle and Rick
Saunders...likes guitar, sports , fishing and reading.
Daniel Timothy Smithwick
S
6-0, 190
Danville, Calif.
San Ramon Valley High School
Athletic: Team
Captain and Team MVP...1st Team All-East Bay, All-County, All-Contra Costa
Times, and
All-EBAL...All-Bay Area Metro...84 carries for 378 yds and 4 td's...16 receptions for
307 yds and 3 td's 3-6 passing for 57 yds and 1 td...65 tackles, 4 ints 4 fumbles
recoveries returned fumble and interception for td's...high school coach was Dave
Kravitz.
Academic: National Society
of High School Scholars...Staff Choice Award Recipient...North Coast Scholar
Athlete...Renaissance Awards.
Personal: born April
5, 1990...Dan is the son of Anita and Tim Smithwick.
Spiro Alexander Theodhosi
RB
5-11, 205
Londonderry, NH
Londonderry High School
Athletic: 255 carries
for 2001 yds. 2007...1st Team All-State RB...New Hampshire Mr. Football Award...2007 Union
Leader Player of
Year...Union Leader
Athlete of Month for October '07...Football MVP...high school coach was Tom Sawyer...
Academic: '07
football Academic Award...High honors every quarter...'07 Springfield College Book
Award...'07 Leadership Program award...community service volunteer NH Special
Olympics...Spanish Honor Society member.
Personal: born March
4, 1990...Alex is the son of Harry and Marie Theodhosi...enjoys weight lifting and
track and hanging out.
Nathanial John Thomas
DB
6-0, 180
Seven Mile, Ohio
Edgewood High School
Athletic: 1st Team
All-League, All-District and All- County...2nd Team All-State...selected
for East-West All-Star Game...had 11 interceptions during his career...high school
coach was Steve Channell.
Academic: National
Honor Society...French Honors Society...7-time winner of the Straight A's
Award...Scholastic Athlete Award.
Personal: born 2-19-1990...Nate is the son of Jenny and John Thomas.
Landon Ray Turley
DE
6-4, 220
Alpine, Calif.
Granite Hills High School
Athletic: 1st
Team All-East San Diego County 2 yrs...2nd Team All-Grossmont South
League 2 years...2nd Team All-CIF San Diego Secton...had 32 career
sacks...also participated in Track where he threw the shot...Grossmont Conference
Sportsmanship Award...high school coach was Randy DeWitt.
Academic: 4-years on
Honor Roll...1st Team All-Academic San Diego Section.
Personal: born
4-03-90...Landon is the son of Michele and Bret Turley...likes surfing, snowboarding
, video games and hunting.
Brett Wyman
ILB
6-2, 220
Bridgewater, Mass.
Bridgewater-Raynham High School
Athletic: team captain in football, wrestling and track...Mass
Shriners' All-Star Team...Old Colony League All-Star...Brockton Enterpriser and Taunton Gazette All-Scholastic...97 tackles, 2 ints
2 fumble recoveries ...60 caries for 450 yds...18 rec. for 225 yds...5 td's...New
England 215 lb wrestling champ...most pin State Meet...Boston Globe Wrestler of the Year...posted a
44-1 record his senior year with 38 pins...high school coach was Dan Buron.
Academic: National
Honor Society...U. S. All-American Scholar...National Honor Roll to Lead
America...Who's Who Among American High School Students.
Personal: born
January 7, 1990...Brett is the son of Julie and Peter Wyman...likes music, golf,
lifting, skiing, ping pong, billiards.
John
Charles Zoppo
OL
6-3, 285
South Salem, NY
John Jay Cross River High School
Athletic: 1st
Team All-State Class AA D-Line...Super 11...two-time All-Section...2-time
All-League...1st Team Journal News
Academic: Golden
Dozen Academic Team...Student of the Quarter NSHSS...two-time Maxima Cum Laude
Medalist.
Personal: born
1/16/90...John is the son of Marcie Sweigert and Darien Zoppo...likes all sports,
fishing, hiking, biking, cello.
