While teams ready to win immediately are dipping in the portal more and more to try and get over the hump, programs like Stonehill are taking the long route.

Sure, the Skyhawks and head coach Eli Gardner would love to win eight games in just the third year of being in the NEC as a D! FCS program, but that’s probably not entirely realistic. So, instead of going hard in the portal this offseason, Gardner decided to bring in a bunch of talented high schoolers and develop them.

During the second NSD on Wednesday, Stonehill announced a huge 16-recruit class heading to Easton, MA.

What’s most impressive about Gardner’s class this time around is his ability to get some big time names from around the Northeast to believe in his vision and commit to a still little-known school like Stonehill. The additions on Wednesday on top of the amount of talent the team already has – especially on offense – could actually get the Skyhawks closer to that eight-win threshold than many people think.

Either way, Gardner is building something special and Stonehill has already shown if a team circles them on the calendar thinking it’s an automatic W, they are sorely mistaken. The transition has been kind to the Skyhawks so far.

Here’s the list of commitments that will soon be proudly wearing purple and white…

Aviyon Matthews – WR – Middletown HS – Seafood, DE
Luke Kryzkowski – TE – Red Bank Catholic – Bayville, NJ
Aidan Horoonik – DL – Don Bosco Prep – River Edge, NJ
Sowatei Jelani Lomotey – OL – Branford HS – Branford, CT
Joshua Osuagwu – DL – C. Milton Wright HS – Bel Air, MD
Evan Romano – OL – Shrewsbury HS – Shrewsbury, MA
Domenic Scakese – K – Peabody HS – Peabody, MA
Kevin Sheridan – TE – Bedford HS – Bedford, NH
Caleb Brown – WR – Xaverian HS – Brockton, MA
Zachary Strickland – LB – Teaneck HS – Teaneck, NJ
Spencer Davila – LB – St. Joseph Regional – Saddle Brook, NJ
Andrew Kirlin – OL – Marple Newton HS – Broomall, PA
Adjatay Abegesah – LB – Quince Orchard HS – Gaithersburg, MD
Marcus Crawford – RB – Springfield Central – Bryant – Springfield, MA
Kai Rose – OL – Tilton School – URI – Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Chase Miller – WR – IMG Academy – University of Illinois – Baltimore, MD