Shore football signing day: Who signed letters of intent?

With the early signing period for football opening Wednesday and closing Friday, several of the Shore's gridiron standouts took part in signing day events to celebrate their collegiate futures. Below is a summary of highlight moments:

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Donovan Catholic's Adam Yevchak officially joins Fordham

The decision for Adam Yevchak to join Fordham almost didn't happen.

The 6-foot-4 offensive lineman already had several Division I offers after attending camps over the summer, but decided it was worthwhile to go up to the Bronx on a blistering summer day in July. It ended up being a fortuitous decision as he found his future home.

"When I first got to campus, I wasn't expecting it to be like that at all," said Yevchak. "You walk on campus, it doesn't even feel like you're in New York. The scenery is just amazing."

Of course, Fordham's strong program certainly helped as well. Offensive line coach Frank Giufre has NFL experience and the Rams recently had Nick Zajelj get drafted last season. Adam's mom Kathy also spoke glowingly about the warm enivronment of the staff.

"You could just feel like this is a place he could be really happy," she said. "Once we met all the coaches, we really got even more sure about that and realized these coaches can really help him grow and get to that next level."

Yevchak is a versatile lineman with the frame to play anywhere on the offensive line, but early conversations indicate he will play on the interior of the offensive line for Fordham.

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Treadwell signs with Holy Cross

Nazir Treadwell meant everything to Keyport over the course of his stellar career, and he was one of the first Shore stars to sign his letter of intent Wednesday morning. He stayed true to his commitment to Holy Cross even as former head coach Bob Chesney left to take over at James Madison. Treadwell is a major add for new head coach Dan Curran, who takes over the Crusaders program after previously coaching Merrimack.

"It only took one visit for me to really feel something at that place," said Treadwell. "It's just the atmosphere of the campus, the energy the coaches were bringing. I felt that what they established at Holy Cross was something I really wanted to be a part of."

After playing quarterback in last season, Treadwell will surely transition to the running back spot where he has the potential to emerge as an electric performer for a resurgent Holy Cross team.

"I'm definitely going back home to the running back position," he added. "The running back room is definitely the place I'll be at, and I'm excited to get things going when I get there."

He threw 14 touchdowns and just two interceptions this past season, so perhaps some halfback passes and a "wildcat" package could be in his future at Holy Cross.

Ford celebrated as iconic student-athlete for Toms River North

Although Toms River North is sure to have multiple players heading to Division I colleges next season, Wednesday's signing day was dedicated to the program's iconic star quarterback Micah Ford. The senior officially signed with Stanford, where he'll transition to the running back position for the Cardinal. His signing day was slightly different as his family, teammates and other students were all part of the celebrating the moment.

"It's just a God-given trait to just always give back and support your people," said Ford. "The people who are gonna help you up when you're down."

Even at a school loaded with talented athletes, the senior clearly resonated as a presence at Toms River North. His parents were gleaming with pride, but his mom Sarah Grant-Ford credited her son for the initiative he's shown throughout his maturation as a student-athlete.

"I've seen everybody involved and happy to be in that moment with him," she said. "So I was happy I got the chance to see that. Really thankful."

Ford and his friend, Red Bank Catholic star Emmanuel Ross, had both been expected to join Stanford next season before Ross switched his commitment to Syracuse. But Ford never wavered and was committed to his bright future at a strong academic and athletic establishment.

"He had so many different opportunities, he chose Stanford, " said Grant-Ford. "He's safe there. He's warranted there. He's needed there. He need them and they need him."

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Trio of Shore stars joins Delaware

Delaware is the latest Division I program to make the jump from the FCS to the FBS, announcing last month that it will join Conference USA in 2025. The Blue Hens will make that transition with the help of some of the best football players on the Shore, as they signed three standouts this week with the possibility of adding more area players as recruiting season continues.

Middletown South linebacker Colin Gallagher was the first recruit Delaware announced on signing day. At 6-foot-1 and 220 pounds, he is a ready-made defender for the next level that dominated both sides of the ball for the Eagles this season.

"Colin is a true throwback," said Delaware linebackers coach Rocco DiMeco in a statement posted to X. "He's an explosive physical player and a great leader. He loves the game and will be a great addition to our defense."

The Blue Hens scored a major prospect in Red Bank Catholic's Tyler Burnham, a lineman who had been recruited by several Power 5 programs. He could became an early staple at tackle with a frame of 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds.

"Tyler brings a physical brand of football to our offensive line room," said Delaware offensive line coach Chris Rogers in a statement. "His size, athleticism and overall character will be a great addition to our program."

In the afternoon, Shore Regional held a signing event for a star Jackson Whitacre. With his size at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, he could've potentially been recruited as a tight end or defensive end. Delaware is adding Whitacre as a tight end, where he could be a true Y-type at the position for the Blue Hens. Delaware tight end coach Garrett Smith spoke glowingly about the incoming prospect.

"Jackson's physicality, explosiveness and character is exactly what our program is looking for," he said in a statement.

Ocean's Caruso becomes first D-I center in school history

Nick Caruso made Ocean history as the first player a the center position to become a Division I scholarship player. It was the culmination of a long journey for Caruso, who had been attending camps since his freshman year while pursuing his dream of playing college football.

"Living on Twitter for like all four years, I started very early. My freshman year pretty much started going to camps," said Caruso. "I was really just trying to get exposure and learn things and just be ready for life."

The life experience goes beyond football, as Caruso will begin training as a volunteer firefighter next month before heading to Andover in June to begin his collegiate career. There was some turbulence when former Merrimack head coach Dan Curran took over at Holy Cross, but new head coach Mike Genetti was Caruso's primary recruiter and provided a sense of ease during the transition. Caruso's parents, Tom and Kathy Caruso, were impressed by the personal touch and authenticity of the staff during the recruiting process.

"It's really how they deal with him. How they talk to him, how they listened to his responses," Tom said. "Because Merrimack is up by Boston, so it's kind of far distance away. So we want to make sure we're comfortable with where he's at and the people he's around."

Kathy echoed that sentiment, as both noted how it can begin to feel like college coaches are just going through the motions when it came to recruiting. But with Merrimack, there was a real sense of engagement.

"We kind of went everywhere without any preconceived feelings," she said. "It really was a definite feeling that (Merrimack) was the right place for him. The whole staff was just very welcoming and friendly, and made you feel like family not getting a sales pitch."

Caruso joins a Merrimack team that has actively recruited the Shore and includes former Red Bank Regional star quarterback Pierce Olsen, Red Bank Catholic linebacker Rajahn Cooper, and former Rumson-Fair Haven standouts Christian Smith and James Smith.

Mariners' Council signs with Sacred Heart

Although there was plenty of fanfare as Micah Ford officially finalized his decision to join Stanford, Toms River North star corner and wide receiver Tareq Council also signed - with Sacred Heart, where his length and athleticism to play on either side of the ball at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds will be of high value. He does seem like a natural fit as a defensive back at the next level.

The decision to join Sacred Heart comes as a bit of a surprise considering the considerable amount of attention Council had gotten as a recruit, including several FBS offers. Instead, he'll likely be the crown jewel of the Pioneers' 2024 class as a major addition to the program. He could potentially be joined at SHU by his high school teammate in the defensive backfield, Jeremiah Pruitt.

Wagner signs two local standouts

Like Delaware, Wagner was a very active in recruiting the Shore as the Seahawks signed two standouts from a variety of local programs. But the team's first announcement of signing day was to sign former Long Branch standout defensive back Shamar Williams, who will be transferring to the program after one season at Temple.

The D-I program in Staten Island added a massive offensive lineman in Chris Rogers of Wall, who has the size to play anywhere on the line at 6-foot-5 and 320 pounds. He also moves remarkably well for his size, a trait that will continue to be refined as he adjusts to the college game.

The Seahawks also added local special teams standout Vincent "V.J." Muscillo from Red Bank Catholic. The punter didn't have a lot of opportunities to show off given the Caseys' elite offense, but he made the most of the opportunities with 17 punts inside the 20-yard line and four punts inside the 5-yard line over the past two seasons.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jersey Shore football signing day: Who signed letters of intent?