As the 2024 Valparaiso University football season fast approaches, the program has announced the signing of 30 student-athletes who will continue their academic and athletic careers at Valpo beginning this fall.

“The important thing is that we recruit good people,” head coach Landon Fox said. “You win with people. The exciting part now is that they’ve made the commitment to be here. We’ve started to build relationships with them, and getting to know these guys as more than just recruits and football players is what makes our jobs as coaches so enjoyable. The student-athlete part of it is important to us; Valparaiso University is going to open up doors and create opportunities for them that impact the rest of their lives.”

Offensive Line

Mason Knoch, 6-4, 280, New Haven, Ind. (New Haven)

Intends to study mechanical engineering... Son of Andrew Knoch and Laura Moulton... Has two younger sisters, Autumn Cline and Lydia Moulton... Father Andrew played baseball at Indiana Tech in 2005-06... Four-year varsity letter winner... Also competed in four years of baseball... Earned all-conference accolades in both football and baseball... Top single-game high school performance came in 2023 vs. Leo, when he had five pancakes and three knockdown blocks... Team captain on both the diamond and the gridiron... Hobbies include video games, weightlifting and art... Played hockey from ages 3-14... Three-year academic honor roll member and two years in National Honor Society.

Fox on Knoch: “Mason was an early commit for us in December. He’s a guy who we started contacting early in the spring. He has good size and is a good athlete. He played both ways in high school. He’s athletic enough to play defensive tackle as well. He’ll fit in well and be a really good run blocker.”

Evan Triggs, 6-4, 250, Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral)

Intends to study business... Son of Meghann and Evans Triggs... Has a brother, Ty, and a sister, Tatum... Father played football at Ball State... Two-year varsity letter winner... Two-time state champion... Played basketball as a freshman... Hobbies include video games... Never missed a game in high school.

Fox on Triggs: “Evan is a big kid with a high athletic ceiling. He comes from an athletic family and played at Cathedral, which is one of the best schools in the state every year. He’s used to going against really good competition. His athletic ceiling is really high. He has the ability to develop into a really good player. He came to our camp, so we had the chance to see him live and were very impressed with him.”

Jacob Gorberg, 6-4, 260, Winter Garden, Fla. (Olympia)

Plans to major in political science... Son of Christy and Jason Gorberg... Four-year varsity letter winner... Selected to play in the Senior Shrine Bowl... Never allowed a sack in high school... Competed in weightlifting as a junior and senior in high school... Enjoys playing guitar and spending time with his family... Is a second-degree black belt in taekwondo... Was a member of the honor roll, National Honor Society and student government.

Fox on Gorberg: “Jacob played mostly center in high school. He has the height and frame to play other positions, maybe even tackle. He’s an outgoing guy who will fit right in with the personalities in the room.”

Nathan Snedeger, 6-3, 315, Westerville, Ohio (Westerville Central)

Son of Randy and Teressa Snedegar... Cousin Jeff played football at the University of Kentucky from 1995-1999... Three-year varsity letter winner... Friday Night Rivals 2023 Scholar-Athlete and All-Conference Scholar-Athlete... Also competed in track & field all four years of high school, throwing the shot put... Hobbies include lifting, fishing, hanging out with friends and video games... Is a second-degree black belt in taekwondo... Member of National Honor Society and earned honor roll all four years of high school.

Fox on Snedeger: “Nathan is a wide-bodied player who is going to move people around in the run game. He’s a strong kid who is going to be tough to get around.”

Jackson Modder, 6-1, 275, Appleton, Wis. (Appleton North)

Plans to pursue a degree in political science/sport management... Son of Josh and Kristin Modder... Has three younger brothers – Finn, Henry and Abe... Uncle Justin Ostrowski played football at Wisconsin from 2003-2006... Three-year varsity letter winner... Honors include academic all-state, two-time first team all-conference, Joe Thomas Award semifinalist, two-time post crescent all-area, two-time team Lineman of the Year, All-Region and WFCA All-Star... Had two onside kick recoveries in a game against Kimberly his sophomore year... Competed in track & field for three years, wrestling as a senior, basketball as a freshman and baseball as a freshman... Hobbies include drums, video games, Star Wars, politics, Legos and sports trivia... Was born in San Diego, Calif... Member of National Honor Society, Badger Boys State and was an AP Scholar with honors.

Fox on Modder: “Jackson is a really outgoing kid with a good personality. He’ll be a very vocal guy in our offensive line room. We saw him at other camps, and he was really impressive in the one-on-one drills. He has a good understanding of the position.”

Jorge Benavente III, 6-3, 270, Delafield, Wis. (Kettle Moraine)

Plans to study finance... Son of Jorge and Emily Benavente... Has a younger sister, Vienna... Father Jorge II played middle linebacker at UW Whitewater from 2000-2003... Three-year varsity letter winner... 2022 state champion... 2023 first team all-conference... Scored a touchdown by recovering a fumble in the end zone vs. Ashwaubenon in 2023... Wrestled as a freshman and sophomore, competed in track & field as a sophomore and junior and golfed as a senior... Hobbies include golfing, attending Milwaukee Bucks games and going to Wisconsin Badgers sporting events... Began playing football at age 12.

Fox on Benavente: “Jorge is a solid player from a good program. He’s a former state champion, so he knows how to win. He played both ways, so he’s a good athlete, and is very physical at the point of attack. He finishes blocks.”

Karambir Singh, 6-3, 260, Chandler, Ariz. (Arizona College Prep)

Plans to major in business... Has a younger brother, Gurbir... Son of Harpreet Singh... Four-year varsity letter winner... First team all-region and first team all-conference selection... Had a big game and helped his team to the program’s first playoff game win as a senior... Competed in three years of track & field... Hobbies include the outdoors and riding ATVs and motorcycles... Practices Sikhism and says according to his knowledge and research, he believes he will be the first Sikh Division-I football player.

Fox on Singh: “Karambir is very athletic and good at the point of attack. He can also get to the second level. He has a really good frame; he’s lean but big. He is a super mature person and will be able to come in and have rapport with the upperclassmen in terms of how he carries himself. It’s very impressive for a guy coming out of high school. He has good athleticism as a lineman.”

Michael Biesboer, 6-3, 280, Glenwood, Ill. (Marian Catholic)

Intends to study finance... Son of Shelly and Danny Biesboer... Has a younger sister, Madison... Three-year varsity letter winner... All-conference honoree... Team captain as a senior... Hobbies include collecting sneakers... Favorite food is a steak burrito... Used to play baseball... Was junior class president in high school.

Fox on Biesboer: “Michael is a big kid who looked good on the film we saw. He’s already pretty physically developed. He has the ability to bend well for his size. He showed an ability to get to the second level in blocks on film. He continues to block downfield and moves his feet to stay in front of people in pass protection. He’s a local guy from a solid Marian Catholic program.”

Dan Theiss, 6-2, 270, Aurora, Ill. (St. Francis)

Son of Chris and Kim Theiss... Has a younger sister, Lainie... Father played football at Princeton and graduated in 1993... Two-year varsity letter winner... Team captain and two-way starter for a team that made the state semifinals in 2022 and 2023... Had eight tackles and two tackles for loss vs. St. Rita in high school... Also played lacrosse... Team captain as a senior... Hobbies include video games and sports... Lists his fun fact as having a pair of connected toes... Member of the honor roll as a junior and senior.

Fox on Theiss: “Dan comes from a really good high school and had a really good season, playing both ways. He has good football lineage and is a high academic kid. We’re adding guys who are athletic to the offensive line. He’s physical at the point of attack with good size. He will be able to get people off the ball.”

Tight End

Dom DiNuzzo, 6-4, 215, Wallingford, Conn. (Kingswood Oxford)

Plans to study engineering... Son of Pat and Stacey DiNuzzo... Has a brother, Dante, and two sisters, Daniella and DeAnna... Four-year varsity letter winner... Had a 57-yard touchdown reception vs. Austin Prep in 2023... Hobbies include fishing... Earned high honors in the classroom all four years of high school.

Fox on DiNuzzo: “Dom is a guy who played multiple positions – quarterback and wide receiver – and he has the frame to play tight end. He has the size and athleticism to be able to block people and create matchup problems in the passing game. He has good ball skills and hand-eye coordination from playing quarterback.”

Colin Hayes, 6-6, 215, Bloomington, Ill. (Bloomington Central Catholic)

Son of Jim and Jill Hayes... Has two older brothers, Danny and John, and two older sisters, Kate and Colleen... Has three relatives who played Division-I football – Jim at Indiana State, Billy at Indiana State and John at Illinois State... Four-year varsity letter winner... Scored six touchdowns in one game in high school... Helped his team to a 9-0 record as a senior... Small School Player of the Year, Bloomington Pantagraph Player of the Year, Team MVP and had 36 total touchdowns (rushing and passing)... Played basketball all four years of high school... Two-year captain on the gridiron and one-year captain on the hardwood... Hobbies include hunting, golfing, video games and riding four wheelers... Earned academic honors as a freshman... Is the tallest out of his siblings.

Fox on Hayes: “Colin is another guy who played quarterback for his team. He has the size to play tight end and be productive in both the running game and the passing game. He is a multi-sport athlete and you see clips of him dunking on Twitter during basketball games. He’s a good run-after-the-catch guy and has a really high ceiling.”

JT Gawrys, 6-3, 195, Brentwood, Tenn. (Brentwood)

Son of Steve and Kim Gawrys... Plans to major in accounting... Has two brothers, Trot and Zade, and one sister, SJ... Father played baseball at BYU from 1987-1991 and went on to play semi-pro ball... Three-year varsity letter winner... 6A state semifinalist, went 13-1 and 10-0 during the regular season and were region champs... Second on the team in touchdowns and catches... Academic honors all four years... Big games as a senior including two touchdowns against Franklin, 62 yards against Summit and five catches against Overton... Competed in track & field all four years... Hobbies include playing sports and hanging out with friends... Has three dogs... Member of honor roll and National Honor Society... Went to the same high school in Tennessee at Garner Jones, who was a senior on the 2023 Valpo football team.

Fox on Gawrys: “JT is an interesting prospect because he has the ability to be a wide receiver or a tight end. He has the ability to be a typical ‘H’ that can line up at wide out and come back into the box. He will create extra gaps in the run game and cause problems in terms of matchups. He has good ball skills. He was banged up this year and moved out to wide receiver. He has the ability to be successful out there. He’s a big kid with a good frame that we can use all over the field.” 

Quarterback

Marcus Brown, 6-2, 185, Richton Park, Ill. (Brother Rice)

Plans to major in sport management... Son of Maurice Brown and Dana Jackson-Brown... Has four brothers (Dallas, Dalen, Maurice Jr. and Donovan) and three sisters (Demi, Danayah and Mireyah)... Brother Dallas played four years of football at Rockford University, brother Maurice Jr. played two years at the University of Indianapolis and brother Dalen played four years at UIndy and one at Saint Xavier... Two-year varsity letter winner... Three-year captain... Had 18 rushes for 153 yards and a touchdown plus 67 yards passing in a 2023 game vs. Nazareth Academy... Also competed in basketball as a freshman and three years of track & field... Hobbies include reading, video games, training and eating... Clocked a time of 50 seconds in a 400-meter run in a track workout... Was high school teammates with Valpo wide receiver Marty O’Keeffe... His sister just graduated from Valpo.

Fox on Brown: “The family understands and values what Valpo is all about in terms of academics. Marcus is a dual-threat guy who can run the ball at quarterback and make all the throws that you need him to make.”

Clayton Mains, 5-9, 185, Pelham, Ala. (Pelham)

Plans to study sport management... Son of Scott and Angela Mains... Has a brother, Cooper... Four-year varsity letter winner... All-county in 2022, all-region in 2023, had the longest passing play in school history and accrued 4,000 yards of total offense... Top game included 12 completions for 218 yards and 16 rushes for 144 yards and two touchdowns... Three-year varsity starter in baseball and was academic all-state on the diamond in 2022... Multi-year baseball team captain... Clemson head football coach Dabo Swinney went to his high school... Hobbies include hanging with friends, working out, reading the bible and going to church... Member of National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta (math honor society), English Honor Society and Science Honor Society.

Fox on Mains: “Clayton is an athlete. He’s a guy who plays the quarterback position a little more like a running back. He can throw it as well. He’ll create problems with his ability to scramble or with designed QB runs. He’s a prolific runner and has the ability to throw it.”

Running Back

Noah Long, 5-10, 185, Liberty Hill, Texas (Liberty Hill)

Plans to major in business... Son of Jima Dungan and Cody Long... Has three sisters – Aidynn, Madi and Brooklynn... Grandfather William Long played quarterback at Abilene Christian... Four-year varsity letter winner... Three-time all-state running back, one-time all-state kick returner, Padilla Poll Offensive Player of the Year (twice), 2022 5A Built Ford Tough Player of the Year, State Semifinalist (four times), state finalist (once), Academic All-District (four times), Academic All-State honorable mention as a senior... Had a game as a junior where he had 24 carries, 333 rushing yards and five touchdowns with all five TDs coming before halftime... Competed in three years of track & field and three years of golf... Team captain as a senior... Hobbies include golf, snowboarding and hiking... Member of A-B honor roll throughout high school.

Fox on Long: “Noah has great ability to run the football and the ability to break long runs. Those are the ones that are game changers when you go for 70 or 80 yards and create explosive plays in the run game. He’s a good athlete who can catch it out of the backfield as well. He was a multi-year starter at a good high school in Texas. He has good straight-lined speed and also pretty good vision on his film.”

Amir Simmons, 5-7, 175, Baltimore, Md. (Gahanna Lincoln)

Plans to study exercise science... Son of Labrena and Antwan Simmons... Has a younger brother, Aden, and a sister, Lael... Father played football at WVSU, while his mother competed in basketball and track & field, also at WVSU... Cousin Taco Charleton played four years of football at Michigan and has gone on to be part of eight NFL organizations since 2017... Four-year varsity letter winner... Earned conference special mention... Had 10 receptions for 115 yards against Mason HS... Team captain as a junior and senior... Competed in four years of track & field... Hobbies include animals, anatomy, football, video games and arcade games... Can name different animal facts... Was on the honor roll as a freshman and sophomore.

Fox on Simmons: “Amir is a utility player like the ones that you’re seeing a lot of teams play with, particularly in the NFL. His position versatility is a huge plus. He can help us create matchups in both two-back and one-back sets.”

Wide Receiver

Jack Elgin, 6-3, 195, Galena, Ohio (St. Francis de Sales)

Intends to major in accounting... Son of John and Mandy Elgin... Has two younger brothers, Josh and Andrew... Mother played basketball and volleyball at Akron, while his father played football at Hillsdale... Three-year varsity letter winner... Second team all-league, two-time league champion... Had three receptions for 81 yards in one half vs. Northwest as a senior... Also competed in four years of basketball... Served as a team captain in both football and basketball as a senior... Took piano lessons for five years but doesn’t remember any of it... Four-time honor roll member... Member of National Honor Society... Same high school as former Valpo football player Anthony Sciarroni.

Fox on Elgin: “Jack is a big receiver who is a jump-ball guy. He can go up and get it and can high point the ball. He has the ability to block you out and make contested catches. He’s a factor in the run game as well in terms of blocks out on the perimeter.”

Gary Givens III, 6-2, 190, Tampa, Fla. (Jesuit)

Intends to study accounting... Son of Charlotte and Gary Jr... Has three younger brothers – Elijay, Dillon and Preston and one younger sister, Zoe... Father was a linebacker at Webber International, cousin Robert Baham was a safety at Rutgers, aunt Yvette Baham played basketball at USF and cousin Marcus Lewis played defensive back at Navy... Four-year varsity letter winner... 2021 state champion... Three state semifinal appearances... Had eight receptions for 98 yards vs. Tampa Bay Tech on Oct. 20, 2023... Played basketball as a freshman and track & field as a freshman, sophomore and senior... Team captain on the gridiron during his senior season... Hobbies include playing Madden and listening to music.

Fox on Givens: “Gary’s dad is a high school football coach, so he has a good understanding of the game. He’s another big-bodied receiver with the ability to make contested catches and to block you out. He has a good catch radius in terms of his hands and length. He’s still growing and was definitely a possession guy for his high school team.”

Tyler Threat, 6-0, 180, Naperville, Ill. (Waubonsie Valley)

Intends to major in supply chain management... Son of Michael and Cathon Threat... Has a brother, Derrick Hill Jr., and a sister, Lauren Threat... His uncle Jomal Bush was a two-time All-American and national triple jump champion in track & field and is a member of the Stanislaus State athletics Hall of Fame... Uncle Joe Bush played football at Texas Southern, grandfather Floyd Threat played football at Langston University and uncle William Threat played at Texas State... Two-year varsity letter winner... All-conference team, team MVP, SB Live Player of the Week, NCTV17 Play of the Week, NCTV17 Play of the Month runner-up... Had three touchdowns and 200+ all-purpose yards in August 2023 vs. Oswego East... In addition to football, competed in high school basketball (four years), track & field (one year) and baseball (one year)... Enjoys traveling, listening to music, spending time with family and friends and volunteerism... Born and raised in Dallas and is a huge Cowboys fan... During a season of youth football, he played against Coach Deion Sanders’ team. His team won and after the game, Coach Sanders gave him a high five... Member of the honor roll and academic all-conference team.

Fox on Threat: “Tyler is a dual-sport athlete. He’s a prototypical wide receiver in terms of having some size. He has foot quickness and the ability to play inside or outside. He plays a little running back as well. He has position versatility and is good on jet sweeps.”

Ryan Ricketti, 5-11, 180, Rocky River, Ohio (Rock River)

Plans to study accounting and analytics... Son of Christopher Ricketti and Meagan Ricketti-AlGhamdi... Has two brothers – Dominic and Rami – and two sisters – Mila and Laila... Three-year varsity letter winner... First team All-Ohio, first team all-district, first team all-conference... School records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs in a single season... Academic All-Ohio... Conference champions (10-2 record)... Had six receptions, 183 yards and two TDs vs. Mansfield in week two of the 2023 playoffs as a senior... Also played basketball (four years), baseball (freshman year) and track & field (two years) in high school... Team captain in football and basketball as a senior... Trains MMA... High roll for all four years, President’s Award, National Honor Society and straight A’s... Same high school as Johnny Bebie, who was a freshman for the Valpo football program in 2023.

Fox on Ricketti: “Ryan is a cool story because he had a big senior year. He came on later and had a surprising and exciting season in terms of what he was able to do on the field. He set numerous school records at wide receiver. He’s a guy that we knew about in the spring, but really came on in the fall. He’s a tough, shifty kid in the slot. He has good ball skills and is super productive.”

TJ Caldwell, 5-10, 165, Hammond, Ind. (Hobart)

Plans to major in digital media... Son of Tracy Caldwell and Theresa Artley... Has an older brother, Tevin... Father Tracy played football at the University of Arkansas from 1990-1993... Four-year varsity letter winner... 2023-24 IFCA Senior All-State, 2022-23 Indiana Football Digest Top 25, ranked a two-star on 247Sports, 2023-24 IFCA Region 1 All-Star, 2023-24 first team all-conference, 2023-24 Team Offensive MVP, 2023-24 Northwest Indiana Times, Post-Tribune and Region Sports Network First Team All-Area... 101 career receptions... In a game against Gary West Side as a junior, had 307 receiving yards, 10 receptions and four TDs... Ran three years of high school track & field... Two-year captain in football and two-year captain in track... Hobbies include bowling, building Legos and drawing... 2022-23 A-B Honor Roll.

Fox on Caldwell: “TJ is a local guy and he is good in both the return game and at wide receiver. He is fast and was an early commit, which is really exciting for us. He’s a highly-rated kid at his position.”

Defensive Line

Nick Johnsen, 6-4, 230, Highland, Ind. (Highland)

Intends to major in finance... Son of Robert and Amanda Johnsen... Has an older brother, Andrew... Four-year varsity letter winner... Honors include Rookie of the Year (sophomore), Defensive Team MVP (junior), first-team all-conference (junior and senior), IFCA Junior All-State (junior), second-team all-area (junior), conference defensive MVP (senior), Indianapolis Colts Academic All-Star (senior), IFCA Senior All-State (senior) and first team all-area (senior)... Had 25 total tackles including 20 solos in a 2023 game vs. Hammond Central when he had four tackles for loss, a forced fumble, a sack and 46 receiving yards... Also competed in three years of basketball... Team captain in football as a senior and basketball as a junior... Hobbies include weightlifting and hanging out with his bulldog... Helped coach a 6U Pop Warner team this year... Member of National Honor Society, four-year honor roll member, Indiana Rising Star Nominee, academic all-state and academic all-conference.

Fox on Johnsen: “Nick was the first commit of the class. He came to our camps and gamedays. He’s a local guy who I’m fond of because he believes in our program and what it stands for. He has a lot of Evan Annis’ traits from a leadership perspective. He played some linebacker and defensive end for his school as well as some tight end. He’s a guy who never came off the field and set a ton of records. He’s got great size and will be a great program guy for us for four years.”

Cole Muilenburg, 6-5, 230, Gig Harbord, Wis. (Peninsula)

Plans to study sport management... Son of Sean and Stephanie Muilenburg... Has a younger brother, Aidan, and a younger sister, Alexis... Father Sean played basketball at Long Beach State and played professionally overseas... Four-year varsity letter winner... Adidas Freshman All-American, all-conference honoree in 2022 and 2023... Had four sacks, a forced fumble and two catches for 56 yards in 2023 vs. Kentwood... Played four years of basketball... Team captain in 2023 on both the gridiron and hardwood... Hobbies include fishing and hiking... His family was all born on either the 15^th or 21^st of the month... Student of the quarter in 2022... Above a 3.5 GPA all season in 2023 and above a 3.0 all season from 2020-2023.

Fox on Muilenburg: “Cole is huge and his dad is about 6-foot-9. He’s a prototypical defensive lineman in terms of length and size. He’s raw with a high ceiling and can affect the quarterback with his length.”

Asher Kolodziej, 6-2, 245, Stanford, Calif. (Saint Francis)

Intends to major in business management... Son of Miriam and Ross Kolodziej... Has a younger brother, Abram, and two older sisters, Elizabeth and Taylor... His father Ross played college football at Wisconsin and went on to play seven years in the NFL. He is currently the defensive line coach at Stanford and previously held that role at Wisconsin... Two-year varsity letter winner... First-team all-conference honoree... Had a touchdown and two tackles in 2023 against Monterey Trail... Had one sack and two tackles for loss in a 2023 game against Sacred Heart... Qualified for regionals as a track & field athlete in the throws... Also played rugby and lacrosse... Hobbies include fishing, weight lifting, playing Madden and basketball... Can do many flips off the diving board... Played three years at Middleton High School in Wisconsin, the alma mater of Valpo freshman linebacker Gus Wenning, before he moved to California for his senior season when his dad took a job on Stanford’s staff.

Fox on Kolodziej: “Asher is a high football IQ guy who understands the position. He has good technique and is well coached. He’s a really good athlete who can run. He is a defensive tackle who can play both the run and the pass. He can get to the quarterback at either the one technique or the three technique.”

Jonathan Bauzon, 5-10, 250, Greenwood, Ind. (Center Grove)

Plans to study astronomy... Son of Sarah and Delbert Bauzon... Has a brother, Michael, and two sisters, Madelaine and Juliette... Four-year varsity letter winner... Earned outstanding JV Defensive Lineman of the year, Outstanding Scout Team Player honors and the Whatever It Takes Award... Had five solo tackles, 10 pressures and two tackles for loss vs. Franklin Center as a senior... Also competed in three years of wrestling and four years of track & field... Enjoys spending time with family and friends, watching anime, playing video games and watching football... Can play the piano... Student-Athlete Academic Honors Award, National Honor Society and four years on the honor roll.

Fox on Bauzon: “Jonathan is a super smart kid who wants to be an astrophysicist. He started at defensive tackle for a good Center Grove team. He’s super twitchy and will be solid in the run game. He plays with an edge. He’s not the biggest guy and uses that leverage to his advantage.”

Maximo Munoz, 6-1, 245, Oak Forest, Ill. (St. Laurence)

Intends to major in exercise science... Son of Jaime Oesterle and Alvaro Munoz... Has one brother and one sister... Uncle James Oesterle played football at Valpo from 1991-1992... Three-year varsity letter winner... Two-time all-conference honoree, first team all-area, team MVP, Lineman of the Year and Academic All-State... 1.5 sacks, 3 QB pressures and three tackles vs. Dixon HS... Played baseball all four years of high school... Hobbies include training, playing video games, hanging out with friends and family and fishing... Likes to run... A-B honor roll all four years.

Fox on Munoz: “Maximo is a St. Laurence guy who was used on the edge and the interior. He is a solid, tough kid who doesn’t say a lot. He’s very serious about football. He’ll become a good player in time.”

Linebacker

Anthony Feltrinelli, 6-1, 215, Westfield, Ind. (Westfield)

Plans to study business... Son of Valeryia and Michael Feltrinelli... Has a younger brother, Adrian... Three-year varsity letter winner... Academic all-state, top tackler in 6A... 30 tackles against Noblesville in 2022-23... Had 112 tackles, 12 QB pressures, four pass breakups, one forced fumble, 1.5 sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss as a senior... Competed in three years of track & field... Team captain in 2023... Hobbies include sneakers, cars and hiking... Has webbed feet... Member of academic honor roll.

Fox on Feltrinelli: “Anthony comes from a really good program in Indianapolis. He had over 100 tackles this year as their mike linebacker. He came to our camp and was even more impressive than we originally thought from an athleticism standpoint. He’s been all about Valpo from Day 1. He’s going to do the things mentally that you need to do as a mike linebacker. He understands the defense and is a smart football player, and that helps put him in position to make plays.”

Christopher Kouts, 6-3, 225, Marlow, Okla. (Duncan)

Intends to major in computer engineering... Son of Duane and Olga Kouts... Has an older brother, Charles... Four-year varsity letter winner... Second team all-district quarterback, 5A all-star, 5A running back of the year... Had 285 yards rushing, 110 yards passing and four TDs in a game against Noble High School... Played three years of basketball, two years of track & field and one year of baseball... Two-year team captain in football and one year in track & field... Hobbies include video games and cooking... Four-year member of the honor roll.

Fox on Kouts: “Christopher has good size and athleticism for the position. He can run and will be able to go sideline to sideline. He plays a bunch of different positions for his high school team, quarterback, running back and linebacker. He has the ability to have good matchups on running backs and tight ends with his athleticism. He’s from a good school in Oklahoma and has a high ceiling.”

Kyle Patenaude, 6-1, 185, Ramona, Calif. (Ramona)

Plans to major in business management... Son of Alison Prado and Jerry Patenaude... Has three sisters, Kaili, Emma and Bailey... Mother Alison and father Jerry both played rugby at Chico State in the late 1990s... Three-year varsity letter winner... Two-time all-league honoree... Had eight tackles and a 95-yard pick six to go along with eight carries for 110 yards and two scores in a 2022 game vs. Rancho Buena Vista... Competed in four years of track & field... Football team captain in 2023 and two-year captain in track & field... Hobbies include snowboarding, going to the beach and hanging out with friends... Four-year honor roll member.

Fox on Patenaude: “Kyle did it all for his team. He was their starting running back and played some nickel. He has an ability to cover and is a smart football player. He’s a combination of a linebacker, safety and outside linebacker. He’s a hybrid position. He doesn’t come off the field and creates nice matchups in the run game and the pass game.”

Defensive Back

Wyatt Little, 5-11, 185, Fort Wayne, Ind. (Homestead)

Plans to study exercise science... Son of Melissa and Brad Little... Had two brothers, Drake and Hunter, and two sisters, Sydney and AJ... Brother Hunter played football at Columbia... Two-year varsity letter winner... Second team all-conference... Had two interceptions, one touchdown, six tackles and two pass breakups in 2023 vs. Wayne... Competed in four years of track & field... Enjoys lifting and video games... Lived in Iowa for eight years... Mother is a Valpo alum.

Fox on Little: “He has good range and an ability to cover a lot of ground at safety. He’s made a good amount of plays on the ball in his career. He’s not afraid to come down hill and tackle you. He’s a complete player at the safety position. He’ll have the ability to come in and compete. He can play the run and the pass.”