For months, Greg Knox and his re-formed staff have canvassed the country for its best and brightest football talent, looking to restock the shelves of McMaster's depth chart ahead of the 2017 season.
On Thursday, the program announced the first major wave of what it believes to be a transformative recruiting class, unveiling 30 fresh faces headed to the McMaster on the offensive side of the ball.
"This year's class is going to be a big one by necessity," head coach Greg Knox explained. "Our numbers of returning student-athletes are relatively low across multiple positions, as we've had a high number of graduates and lean numbers at some positions in recent recruiting classes.
"We anticipate this large class will normalize our roster situation moving forward and make for an extremely competitive training camp come August."
In-province talent, as always, constitutes a large portion of the class in 2017. But a concerted effort has been made to broaden the reach of the Marauders beyond the borders of Ontario, resulting in a cohort of incoming student-athletes from Western football hotbeds in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.
"We are very excited to announce the addition of these young men to the Marauder family," said Knox.
"This is a talented group, with tons of potential, that will add speed and size on both sides of the ball with student athletes that we are confident will be good fits on and off the field at McMaster."
The Marauders staff is hard at work completing the 2017 class, and an announcement of the defensive additions will follow in the near future.
2017 McMaster Offensive Recruiting Class
| NAME: |
Pos: |
H: |
W: |
Hometown: |
Name: |
POS: |
H: |
W: |
Hometown |
| Justice Allin |
RB |
5'9 |
185 |
Toronto, ON |
Tolu Ojo |
FB |
6'0 |
225 |
Calgary, AB |
| Tommy Nield |
WR |
6'3 |
190 |
Guelph, ON |
Steve Appleyard |
FB |
6'1 |
220 |
LaSalle, ON |
| Matt Hurley |
WR |
6'3 |
195 |
Courtice, ON |
Zach Beno |
QB |
6'4 |
220 |
Hamilton, ON |
| Jackson White |
QB |
6'4 |
210 |
Cambridge, ON |
Jacob Allwood |
OL |
6'5 |
250 |
Brantford, ON |
| Logan McComb |
OL |
6'5 |
275 |
Owen Sound, ON |
Sebastian Krawchenko |
ATH |
6'2 |
190 |
Hamilton, ON |
| Cameron Smith |
OL |
6'7 |
280 |
Belmont, ON |
Marco Aref |
WR |
5'11 |
195 |
Ancaster, ON |
| Jake Dacyshyn |
TE |
6'3 |
220 |
Toronto, ON |
Clark Adams |
WR |
6'0 |
180 |
Stoney Creek, ON |
| Tavian Shand |
ATH |
5'8 |
165 |
Kitchener, ON |
Pascal D'Ambrosio |
OL |
6'4 |
295 |
Hamilton, ON |
| Andreas Dueck |
QB |
6'2 |
190 |
Winnipeg, MB |
Wes Austin |
WR |
6'3 |
170 |
Burlington, ON |
| Wyatt Edmonds |
OL |
6'3 |
275 |
Winnipeg, MB |
Noah Griffith |
ATH |
6'1 |
195 |
Burlington, ON |
| Stefanos Goulas |
RB |
5'11 |
220 |
Tsawwassen, BC |
Noah Brown |
OL |
6'5 |
305 |
Burlington, ON |
| Trew Dancy |
ATH |
6'2 |
190 |
New Westminster, BC |
Raymar Lloyd |
ATH |
5'9 |
190 |
Oakville, ON |
| Justin Smith |
OL |
6'5 |
285 |
Delta, BC |
Connor Graham |
OL |
6'2 |
270 |
Burlington, ON |
| Gary Ghag |
OL |
6'3 |
270 |
Abbotsford, BC |
Cameron Madruga |
FB / TE |
6'2 |
220 |
Oakville, ON |
| Jacob Durka |
WR |
6'1 |
170 |
Hamilton, ON |
Keaton Bruggeling |
WR |
6'4 |
215 |
St Catharines, ON |
Recruit Bios
Justice Allin
Position: Running Back
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 185 lbs
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
High School: Etobicoke Collegiate
Club Team: Etobicoke Eagles
Awards: OFSAA Northern Bowl Champion, OVFL All-Star, ECI Offensive MVP
HIGHLIGHTS
Tommy Nield
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Guelph, Ontario
High School: Centennial
Club Team: Guelph Jr. Gryphons
All-Star Teams: Team Ontario U18, Team Canada 2017
Awards: OFC Champion, OFC All-Star, CFC100, District 10 Champion, District 10 Offensive MVP
HIGHLIGHTS
Matt Hurley
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 195 lbs
Hometown: Courtice, Ontario
High School: Holy Trinity
Club Team: Oshawa Hawkeyes
All-Star Teams: Team Ontario U18
Awards: OVFL All-Star
HIGHLIGHTS
Jackson White
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 210 lbs
Hometown: Cambridge, Ontario
High School: Jacob Hespeler
Club Team: Cambridge Lions
Awards: OVFL Champion, OVFL All-Star, CWOSSA Champion, WCSSAA All-Star, Doug Shuh Award, Hatter Strong Memorial Award
HIGHLIGHTS
Logan McComb
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 275 lbs
Hometown: Owen Sound, Ontario
High School: West Hill
HIGHLIGHTS
Cameron Smith
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 280 lbs
Hometown: Belmont, Ontario
High School: RICC
Awards: Regina Mundi Lineman of the Year
HIGHLIGHTS
Jake Dacyshyn
Position: Tight End
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 220 lbs
Hometown: Toronto, Ontario
High School: Etobicoke Collegiate
Club Team: Etobicoke Eagles
Awards: OFSAA Northern Bowl Champion, Toronto High School All-Star
HIGHLIGHTS
Keaton Bruggeling
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 215 lbs
Hometown: St. Catharines, Ontario
High School: Eden
Club Team: Niagara Spears
All-Star Teams: Ontario Prospects Challenge
HIGHLIGHTS
Andreas Dueck
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
High School: Vincent Massey
All-Star Teams: Team Canada 2017, Team Manitoba U18
Awards: WHSFL Offensive Player of the Year, CFC All-Canadian
HIGHLIGHTS
Wyatt Edmonds
Position: Offensive Line
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 275 lbs
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
High School: St. Paul's
All-Star Teams: Team Manitoba U16/U18
Awards: WHSFL Champion, St. Paul's Outstanding Lineman
HIGHLIGHTS
Stefanos Goulas
Position: Running Back
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 220 lbs
Hometown: Tsawwassen, British Columbia
High School: South Delta
All-Star Teams: Team BC 2016, All-Star Youth 2015, Star Bowl 2013/2014
Awards: McDonalds Cup MVP Scholarship, 2014 Provincial Champion
HIGHLIGHTS
Trew Dancy
Position: Athlete
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: New Westminster, British Columbia
High School: New Westminster
Awards: CFC100, Sidoo Family Scholarship Award, New Westminster Defensive MOP, Best Back Award
HIGHLIGHTS
Justin Smith
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 285 lbs
Hometown: Delta, British Columbia
High School: South Delta
All-Star Teams: 2014 Star Bowl, 2014 Provincial Champion
HIGHLIGHTS
Gary Ghag
Position: Offensive/Defensive Lineman
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 270 lbs
Hometown: Abbotsford, British Columbia
High School: WJ Mouat
Awards: Outstanding Lineman Award 2016-17
HIGHLIGHTS
Tolu Ojo
Position: Full Back
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 225 lbs
Hometown: Calgary, Alberta
High School: Bert Church
HIGHLIGHTS
Steve Appleyard
Position: Full Back/Linebacker
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 220 lbs
Hometown: LaSalle, Ontario
High School: Villanova
Club Teams: Windsor Fratmen & Essex Ravens
Awards: Second Team WECSSA All-Star
HIGHLIGHTS
Zach Beno
Position: Quarterback
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 220 lbs
Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario
High School: St. Thomas More/Canada Prep
Club Team: Hamilton Hurricanes
All-Star Teams: Team Ontario International Bowl/Ontario Prospects Challenge (OPC)
Jacob Allwood
Position: Offensive/Defensive Lineman
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 250 lbs
Hometown: Brantford, Ontario
High School: Brantford Collegiate Institute
Club Team: Hamilton Jr. Ticats
All-Star Teams: Ontario Prospects Challenge
Awards: OFC Champion
Sebastian Krawchenko
Position: Athlete
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario
High School: Westmount
Jacob Durka
Position: Athlete
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 170 lbs
Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario
High School: Cathedral
Club Team: Hamilton Ironmen
All-Star Teams: Steel City Bowl 2016, Team Ontario - International Bowl
Awards: Cathedral Team MVP 2015/2016
HIGHLIGHTS
Marco Aref
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 195 lbs
Hometown: Ancaster, Ontario
High School: Bishop Tonnos
All-Star Teams: Team Ontario U18
HIGHLIGHTS
Clark Adams
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 180 lbs
Hometown: Stoney Creek, Ontario
High School: Cardinal Newman
Club Team: Hamilton Hurricanes
Awards: CFC100, 2015 OFSAA Finalist
Pascal D'Ambrosio
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 295 lbs
Hometown: Hamilton, Ontario
High School: Cardinal Newman
Club Team: Hamilton Hurricanes
Awards: OFC All-Star, Hamilton Hurricanes Offensive MVP, OFC Champion 2015
Wes Austin
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 170 lbs
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
High School: Assumption
Club Team: Burlington Stampeders
Noah Griffith
Position: Athlete
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 195 lbs
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
High School: Assumption
Club Team: Burlington Stampeders
All-Star Teams: Ontario Prospects Challenge
HIGHLIGHTS
Noah Brown
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 305 lbs
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
High School: MM Robinson
Club Team: Burlington Stampeders
Raymar Lloyd
Position: Athlete
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 190 lbs
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario
High School: Loyola
Club Team: Burlington Stampeders
All-Star Teams: Ontario Prospects Challenge, Team Ontario - International Bowl
HIGHLIGHTS
Connor Graham
Position: Offensive Lineman
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 270 lbs
Hometown: Burlington, Ontario
High School: Nelson
Club Team: Hamilton Jr. Ticats
All-Star Teams: Team Ontario U18
Awards: OFSAA Champion, OFC All-Star
HIGHLIGHTS
Cam Madruga
Position: Full Back/Tight End
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 220 lbs
Hometown: Oakville, Ontario
High School: TA Blakelock
Club Team: Oakville Titans
HIGHLIGHTS
Tavian Shand
Position: Athlete
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 165 lbs
Hometown: Kitchener, Ontario
High School: Forest Heights
Club Teams: Twin City Predators
All-Star Teams: Team Ontario U18, Team Ontario - International Bowl
Awards: Twin City Predators MVP, Waterloo Region All-Star
HIGHLIGHTS
