WALTHAM, Mass. – Twenty-eight high school football players, from eight different states and the Province of Quebec, will continue their football and academic careers at Bentley University, Falcon head coach Bill Kavanaugh announced.

The majority of the incoming Class of 2021 are from Massachusetts and New Jersey, with 12 and eight players respectively. There are also two from Florida and New York and one apiece from New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Quebec, Rhode Island and Vermont.

"This group knows what it takes to fit and excel at Bentley," said Kavanaugh. They understand the opportunity they have to receive a world-class education while being a part of this football program moving to the top of the Northeast-10 and beyond."

Included are three sets of high school teammates. These are tight end Neal Doherty (North Attleboro) and linebacker Bobby Mylod (North Attleboro) from North Attleboro High, linebacker Marc Doran (Ramsey, N.J.) and offensive linesman Sean Mitchell (Park Ridge, N.J.) from Saint Joseph Regional High, and defensive end Max Drinon (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) and tight end Patrick Prendergast (Pierrefonds, Que.) from New Hampshire's St. Paul's School.

Of the 28, 18 play on the offensive side of the ball, including six offensive linemen: Lucas DeBettencourt (Oak Bluffs/Martha's Vineyard HS), Jack Kennedy (Marstons Mills/Barnstable HS), Tim Leonard (Rumson, N.J./Rumson-Fair Haven HS), Mitchell, Josh Steigerwald (Naples, Fla./Naples HS) and Charlie Tordik (Asbury, N.J./North Hunterdon HS).

The other incoming players on the offense are running backs Andrew Brazicki (Franklin Park, N.J./Bishop Ahr HS), Cheick Diakite (Brattleboro, Vt./Brattleboro HS), Devon Piccinin (Easton/Xaverian Brothers HS) and Brad Rogers (Hanover/Hanover HS); quarterbacks Seamus Leary (Holden/Bridgton Academy), Ryan Sheridan (Smithtown, N.Y./Commack HS) and Stephen Sturm (Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley HS); wide receivers Michael Barletta (Summit, N.J./New Providence HS), Austin Ryan (Foxborough/Williston Northampton School) and Adam Parsons (Portsmouth, R.I./Portsmouth HS); and tight ends Doherty and Prendergast.

On defense, the Bentley coaching staff received commitments from linebackers Doran, Mylod and Josh Martin (Abington/Abington HS); d-backs Eric Jacobsen (Westford/Westford Academy), Matthew Pennell (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional HS) and Jack Scordato (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo HS); and linemen James Baskam (Centerport, N.Y./Harborfields HS), Dominic Cirillo (Chicopee/Westminster School (Conn.)), Drinon and Alex Hammond (Auburn/Auburn HS).

"We are excited to get them on campus," said Kavanaugh. "They will be welcomed by a hungry, determined and focused team of upperclassmen!"

Bentley finished the 2016 season with a 5-6 record.

• Three-year letter winner
• Led team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving TDs as both a junior and a senior
• Over 500 receiving yards as a senior

• Voted team captain

• 2,610 career rushing yards with 34 TDs
• 391 career receiving yards with four TDs
• Third-team All-Non-Public New Jersey
• All-Division
• Three-sport All-Conference honoree

• 2016 football team captain
• Three-sport varsity athlete

• 2016 team captain
• Two-time Eastern Athletic Conference all-star
• Three-sport athlete

Cheick Diakite (RB, 5-10, 225, Brattleboro HS, Brattleboro, Vt.)

• Two-time first-team All-State running back, 2015 and 2016
• Selected for Vermont's North South All-Star game
• Two-time team MVP, 2015 and 2016
• Three-time letter winner in football

Neal Doherty (TE, 6-2, 190, North Attleboro HS, North Attleboro, Mass.)

• Voted team's Defensive MVP
• Honorable mention Hockomock League all-star

Marc Doran (LB, 6-0, 220, Saint Joseph Reg. HS, Ramsey, N.J.)

• Three-year varsity starter and 2016 captain of No. 1 team in the Tri-State area
• First-team All-League, All-Bergen County and All-North Jersey
• Second-team All-New Jersey and All-Tri-State

Max Drinon (DE, 6-4, 205, St, Paul's School (N.H.), Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)

• Voted team captain as a senior
• Coaches' award
• 12th-ranked long snapper in nation with Kohl's Kicking for the Class of 2017

Alex Hammond (DL, 6-3, 220, Auburn HS, Auburn, Mass.)

• Three-sport captain who lettered for four years in all three
• 2016 team Defensive MVP
• Central Mass. Football Coaches Association all-star

Eric Jacobsen (DB, 5-11, 175, Westford Academy, Westford, Mass.)

• Three-sport team captain (football, basketball, track)
• Dual County League All-Star in 2015 and 2016
• First-team Lowell Sun All-Star in 2016 and second-team Lowell Sun All-Star in 2015
• Selected to play in Massachusetts Shriners All-Star Classic, which will be played at Bentley June 17

Jack Kennedy (OL, 6-4, 270, Barnstable HS, Marstons Mills, Mass.)

• Two-time Old Colony League all-star
• Three-year starter
• Jean G. Hinkle Memorial Athletic Award
• Barnstable High School Football Raiders Club Award

Seamus Leary (QB, 6-2, 215, Bridgton Academy, Holden, Mass.)

• Two-year captain at St. Peter Marian HS
• Central Massachusetts All-Star
• Threw for 4,200 yards and accounted for 43 TDs

Tim Leonard (OL, 6-4, 285, Rumson-Fair Haven HS, Rumson, N.J.)

• As a senior, was chosen to the All-Shore first-team offense as well as first-team All-Group Central, All-Coach's Division selection and Shore Sports Zone All-Zone Team
• In 2015, earned All-Shore second team honors for offense, first-team All-Group Central and All-Coach's Division
• Four-time NJSIAA state champion
• Three-year starter

Josh Martin (LB, 6-2, 210, Abington HS, Abington, Mass.)

• 2016 South Shore League Player of the Year after averaging 13 tackles
• Received All-Scholastic honors from the Boston Herald and the Brockton Enterprise
• Three-year starter and two-year team captain
• Member of Abington's 2014 state championship team

Sean Mitchell (OL, 6-1, 285 Saint Joseph Reg. HS, Park Ridge, N.J.)

• Three-year starter
• Helped Saint Joseph to 2016 New Jersey Group 3 state championship
• All-NJSFC second team

Bobby Mylod (LB, 6-2, 215, North Attleboro HS, North Attleboro, Mass.)

• As a senior, received All-Scholastic recognition from the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe
• Named to Super 26 Massachusetts All-State team and the USA Today All-USA Massachusetts second team
• 2016 Hockomock League MVP
• Two-time Hockomock League and The Sun Chronicle all-star
• Named to 2015 ESPN Boston All-State team
• Two-time Hockomock league champion

Adam Parsons (WR, 6-0, 185, Portsmouth HS, Portsmouth, R.I.)

• 2016 Newport Daily News All-County 
• 2016 Providence Journal Division I-A All-State first team

Matthew Pennell (DB, 6-1, 185, Shore Regional HS, Oceanport, N.J.)

• 2016 team MVP
• Helped Shore to state championships in 2014 and 2015 (Central Jersey Group 1)
• Three-time All-Division, second-team All-Conference and first-team All-State (Group 1)
• Three-year starter

Devon Piccinin (RB, 5-8, 195, Xaverian Brothers HS, Easton, Mass.)

• As a senior, was selected first-team All-State, Boston Globe All-Scholastic and Boston Herald All-Scholastic after rushing for 1,476 yards and 18 TDs
• Helped Xaverian to back-to-back state championships in 2014 and 2015
• Team's offensive MVP in 2015
• Two-time Catholic Conference all-star
• Three-year letter winner

Patrick Prendergast (TE, 6-4, 225, St. Paul's School (N.H.), Pierrefonds, Que.)

• 2016 NEPSAC Class C All-New England
• Team's offensive MVP as a senior
• 2015 All-Independent School League

Brad Rogers (RB, 5-11, 190, Hanover HS, Hanover, Mass.)

• Earned All-Scholastic honors from the Boston Globe, the Boston Herald and the Patriot Ledger
• Patriot League all-star
• Set school record for touchdowns in a season (27)

Austin Ryan (WR, 6-1, 180, Williston Northampton School, Foxborough, Mass.)

• All-Erickson League
• NEPSAC All-New England
• Attended Foxboro High before prepping at Williston Northampton

Jack Scordato (DB, 6-1, 180, Ramapo HS, Wyckoff, N.J.)

• First-team All-County and All-League
• Second-team All-North Jersey
• Second-team All-League as a cornerback as a junior
• Helped Ramapo win a state championship as a junior
• Broke school record for receiving touchdowns (14)

Ryan Sheridan (QB, 6-2, 185, Commack HS, Smithtown, N.Y.)

• Football team captain and MVP
• Led New York's Suffolk County in regular season passing yards (2,137) and TDs (18) in 2016
• All-Suffolk County
• Finalist for the Boomer Esiason Award, which is presented to the best QB in Suffolk County
• Commack High School's Most Outstanding Male Athlete Award for the 2016 fall season

Josh Steigerwald (OL, 6-4, 280, Naples HS, Naples, Fla.)

• First-team All-Conference, All-District and All-Area
• Second-team All-State (Class 6A)

Stephen Sturm (QB, 6-3, 200, Perkiomen Valley HS, Collegeville, Pa.)

• 2016 first-team All-State quarterback (Class 6A)
• 2016 first-team All-South Eastern Pennsylvania
• Two-time Pioneer Athletic Conference MVP and Mercury All-Area Player of the Year
• Pennsylvania 4A/6A record holder for career passing yards and TDs
• 31-5 record as a three-year starter
• Career totals: 8,551 passing yards, 94 passing TDs

Charlie Tordik (OL, 6-3, 285, North Hunterdon HS, Asbury, N.J.)

• Three-year team captain
• First-team All-Division the last two years after earning third-team honors in 2014
• First-team All-Area in 2015 and 2016 after gaining honorable mention recognition in 2015
• County and District 15 champion in wrestling, as well as a New Jersey state tournament qualifier
• Career record of 83-23 in wrestling