The Patriots will have a major leadership void heading into training camp. Head coach Mike Vrabel and his staff will be counting on guys to step up and replace David Andrews, Jonathan Jones and Deatrich Wise. All three were experienced, Super Bowl winning players who were respected in the locker room and led by example. Replacing the three will be difficult but there are several players on the roster who…
Ravenwood (Tenn) quarterback Femi Babalola commits to Boston College, bolstering 2026 class
Image courtesy of Femi Babalola Boston College has secured a significant commitment for their 2026 recruiting class with the addition of Femi Babalola, a highly-touted three-star quarterback from Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Tennessee. Babalola announced his decision on Monday, choosing the Eagles over a strong list of offers that included Arizona, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, NC State, and Wake Forest. Babalola, stands at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, is……
Catching up with Charlie Hanifin after his commitment to West Virginia
Image courtesy of Charlie Hanafin We had an opportunity to chat with Dexter-Southfield athlete Charlie Hanafin after his recent commitment to West Virginia. Hanafin joins his brother Shane (B.C) and Ronan (Clemson) who also play division one football. Charlie says he will lean heavily on their experience to guide his own. Here is what Charlie had to say about his commitment to West Virginia, what it means to him and……
5 noticeable differences you will see in the Patriots defense this season
AP Photo The Patriots defense in 2025 will look drastically different under new head coach Mike Vrabel. With several key additions in free agency and the draft and a shift in philosophy, there are a number of differences fans will notice with this unit this season. New defensive coordinator Terrell Williams has a history of with Vrabel from their time in Tennessee together. He will marry many of the Titans…
Former Xavier & UConn quarterback Tim Boyle back for 5th summer camp
By Rob Gullo NEFJ Correspondent MIDDLETOWN — Summer is a good time for people to enjoy the outdoors and for youth football players across the state of Connecticut to get better. With school out, the end of June is a time where they can absorb football knowledge from players like NFL quarterback Tim Boyle. On Saturday, Boyle – a 2013 graduate of Xavier High School – hosted his fifth quarterback…
Underclassmen Spotlight: Brian Waller-Reitano, OL/DL, Central Catholic
We recently had a chat with one of the top lineman in the Class of 2027, Brian Waller-Reitano of Central Catholic. Waller-Reitano is a smart, hard working and motivated young man who wants to be great and understand the importance of playing at Central Catholic as his father and grandfather played in the program as well. Waller-Reitano got a lot of people’s attention at the recent MVC Showcase and that……
Jones continues to give back to his hometown, hosting sixth annual free football camp
Photo credit- Dan Heary Rob Gullo, NEFJ Correspondent NEW BRITAIN — Former Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins cornerback Byron Jones, who played in the NFL from 2015-2022, hung up the cleats following the 2022 season in which he did not play due to recovering from an Achilles injury. Since being retired, one thing Jones has remained busy with post-NFL career has been giving back to his community and hometown of…
Breaking down Springfield Central’s 2025 Schedule
Springfield Central is poised to make another run in Division 1. Bill Watson’s squad returns a talented offense led by quarterback Jareth Staine and running back Isaiah Rogers. The additions of linebacker Chris Sanchez and wide receiver Isaiah Fabulas makes an already talented team even better. The return of former head coach Vladamar Brower as defensive coordinator was already a big addition this off-season. Here is the breakdown of Springfield’s……
Catching up with Taft DT Jude Okeleke after his commitment to Temple
We got a chance recently to talk with Taft’s Jude Okeleke after his recent commitment to Taft. Here is what Jude had to say about why he committed to the Owls and what it means to him. NEFJ: Why did you commit to Temple? What made the school and the program the right fit for you? JO: “I believe in the Temple coaching staff, especially Coach Dudzinski and Coach Calhoun…….
UConn announces the addition of more future games with Duke
You don’t think rivalry when you hear UConn and Duke – at least not on the gridiron – but the two have developed a nice little competitive animosity over the last couple of seasons. This is going to be a regular occurrence going forward too. On Wednesday, the Huskies announced that the two schools have agreed to additional games on September 11, 2027 in Durham and then October 14, 2028…