Temple Owls 2013 Signing Day Signees

I wrote a quick piece on Temple University's National Signing Day haul for Philly.com earlier today.  The article in its entirety can be viewed there, but the meat of it is right here.

Temple. who is entering their first season of Big East play, signed 23 student-athletes to letters of intent Wednesday.  

Potentially the biggest name in new Temple football coach Matt Rhule's first recruiting class is dual-threat quarterback P.J. Walker from New Jersey's Elizabeth High.
Listed at 6 feet and 205 pounds, Walker was a force in high school, winning the Newark Star-Ledger's offensive player of the year award. He is expected to at least compete for the Owls' starting spot. 

Some thought Walker would back out of his commitment to Temple after coach Steve Addazio left for Boston College this past winter. But Walker never wavered, and he is now the expected signal-caller of the future for Rhule.  

As The Inquirer's Keith Pompey writes, Walker has quite the work ethic, and is willing to put in the work to continue to improve.

In addition to adding a quarterback for the future, the Owls have also added a kicker of some renown in Jim Cooper. The product of Mainland High in Linwood, N.J. stands 6-1 and 205 pound, and as Mike Kern writes in the Daily News, Jim is following in his father's steps by committing to Temple to take on the kicking duties.

Jim Cooper Sr. also attended Mainland Regional and was Temple's kicker from 1984 to '87 under then-coach Bruce Arians.

Other signees announced by Temple and coach Matt Rhule today include:

Jarred Alwan: Linebacker 6' 2"/225 pounds (Camden Catholic / Cherry Hill, NJ)
Buddy Brown: Saftey/Linebacker, 6' 2"/205 pounds (Williamstown H.S. / Williamstown, NJ)
Brian Carter: Defensive tackle, 6' 4"/280 pounds (Harrisburg H.S. / Harrisburg, PA)
Dion Dawkins: Offensive tackle/Defensive tackle, 6' 5"/330 pounds (Rahway H.S., mid-year enrollee / Rahway, NJ)
Sharif Finch: Linebacker 6' 4"/215 pounds (Henrico H.S. / Henrico VA)
Artrel Foster: Defensive back 6' 0"/170 pounds (Meadville Area H.S. / Meadville PA)
Tyler Haddock-Jones: Defensive tackle, 6' 0"/295 pounds (Montour H.S. / Pittsburgh, PA)
Todd Jeter: Cornerback, 6' 0"/170 pounds (Gateway H.S. / Monroeville PA)
Leon Johnson: Offensive tackle, 6' 6"/300 pounds (Bound Brook H.S. / Plainfield, NJ)
Jihad Pretlow : Defensive back, 5' 11"/185 pounds (Blair Academy, mid-year enrollee / Elizabeth, NJ)
Semaj Reed: Offensive tackle, 6' 6"/275 pounds (Haverford School / Philadelphia. PA)
John Rizzo: Fullback, 6'1 220 (Richland H.S., mid-year enrollee / Johnstown PA)
Averee Robinson: Defensive tackle, 6' 0"/285 pounds (Susquehanna Twp H.S., mid-year enrollee / Harrisburg, PA)
Adrian Sullivan: Tight end, 6' 5"/265 pounds (Worcester Academy, mid-year enrollee / Babylon, NY)
Jullian Taylor: Defensive end, 6' 5"/230 pounds (Williamstown H.S. / Glenside, PA)
Kiser Terry: Defensive end, 6' 3"/265 pounds (Neshaminy H.S., mid-year enrollee / Featersville, PA)
Jahad Thomas: Running back, 5' 10"/170 pounds (Elizabeth H.S. / Elizabeth, NJ)
Zaire Williams: Running back, 5' 11"/188 pounds (Timber Creek H.S. / Sicklerville, NJ)
 
Check out Philly.com’s full Signing Day coverage here: http://goo.gl/LPR7N

Technorati Tags: Temple Owls,NCAA,National Signing Day,PJ Walker.