CALGARY – Ahead of this weekend’s Spring Camp at McMahon Stadium, the University of Calgary Dinos football team is pleased to announce its recruiting class for the 2017 season.
Today, we introduce 14 players at the linebacker and defensive back positions, part of the overall recruiting class of 45 that is one of the strongest in Dinos history and made up almost entirely of players from Calgary and Southern Alberta.
“This year is one of the strongest classes we have ever had at the University of Calgary, and that’s largely because of the special group of athletes coming out of Calgary and Southern Alberta,” said third-year Dinos Head Coach Wayne Harris. “Many of these guys were recruited by schools from across the country, but one of the key things we want to be able to do is retain the outstanding local talent produced by our fine development system here, from atom all the way up through midget and high school. We have lots of top-100 and top-10-ranked players, but we also think there are some diamonds in the rough from maybe some smaller schools that may have gone unnoticed by other programs.”
In the defensive skill positions, the reigning Canada West champs welcome six players from Henry Wise Wood High School, two from St. Francis, and one each from Notre Dame, Centennial, William Aberhart, Springbank, and Robert Thirsk.
Highlighting the Wise Wood group is linebacker Devin Derouin, who has been admitted to the Schulich School of Engineering. Derouin played for Canada at the U19 International Bowl in Florida in January. He is joined by Warriors teammates Trey Dube, Cole Torrance, Jack Burns, Brayden Laurie, and Logan Young.
From the city and provincial 4A champion St. Francis Browns, LB Joseph Dutton and DB Christian Cardone will suit up in the red and gold this fall. Cardone is a second-generation Dino: his father Remo played from 1988-92 and was part of the 1988 Vanier Cup championship team. Dutton, meanwhile, is a Canada Football Chat Top 100-ranked recruit who was captain of Canada’s International Bowl squad in 2016.
From Springbank, the Dinos welcome linebacker Daniel Teitz, younger brother of fourth-year all-star Micah Teitz. The Teitz brothers will get the chance to play together for the first time in 2017, with Daniel set to enroll in the Haskayne School of Business this fall.
Two other recruits have significant family ties to the Calgary Stampeders. Notre Dame DB Deane Leonard – a CFC Top 100 recruit in his own right – is the son of Kenton Leonard, who suited up for the Stamps from 1991-97. And from further afield, Levi Biscette – son of former Stampeder William Fields (2001-04) – joins the Dinos from Cypress Falls High School in Houston, Texas.
Linebacker Ryan Sorensen makes the short trip to campus from William Aberhart HS, while Centennial grad Shea Priest – a CFC 100 prospect who initially committed to UBC before the 2016 season – elected to return to his hometown to join the Dinos.
Finally, linebacker Ibrahim Abdurazag will make a little history Friday when he becomes the first player from Robert Thirsk High School to join the Dinos football team. The school, named for the former astronaut and the University of Calgary’s current chancellor, opened its doors in 2013.
“We’re fortunate to have three players from Team Alberta at last year’s Canada Cup joining us at linebacker,” said Harris, “and we’re really looking forward to working with this great group of defensive players from Henry Wise Wood, along with some key acquisitions from St. Francis and Notre Dame.”
Tuesday, the Dinos will unveil their recruiting class at receiver.
The Dinos take the field for Spring Camp beginning Friday morning. The weekend culminates with Sunday’s scrimmage at 12:30 p.m. at McMahon Stadium.
Linebackers
Abdurazag, Ibrahim / Robert Thirsk HS / Calgary
Derouin, Devin / Henry Wise Wood HS / Calgary
CFC100 Dutton, Joseph / St. Francis HS / Calgary
Laurie, Brayden / Henry Wise Wood HS / Calgary
Priest, Shea / Centennial HS / Calgary
Sorensen, Ryan / William Aberhart HS / Calgary
CFC100 Teitz, Daniel / Springbank HS / Springbank, Alta. HASK
Defensive Backs
Biscette (Fields), Levi / Cypress Falls HS / Houston, Texas
Burns, Jack / Henry Wise Wood HS / Calgary
Cardone, Christian / St. Francis HS / Calgary
Dube, Trey / Henry Wise Wood HS / Calgary
Leonard, Deane / Notre Dame HS / Calgary
Torrance, Cole / Henry Wise Wood HS / Calgary
Young, Logan / Henry Wise Wood HS / Calgary
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