Last week, Penn football announced the team's four captains for the 2022 season, all of them seniors: Trevor Radosevich, Jake Heimlicher, Trey Flowers, and Jonathan Melvin.
“All four of [the captains] are tremendous leaders,” coach Ray Priore said about his team’s leaders. “We have a huge senior group. They are the leadership council. They have done a terrific job from the springtime to now, before guys were elected captains, and Trevor, Trey, Jake, and Jonathan are all great examples of who we want to lead our program.”
Trevor Radosevich, Offensive Lineman, 6-foot-4, 295 pounds
The 2021 second-team All-Ivy selection has been a force in the trenches in all 20 games he has played. Last season, he started every game at center and was part of an offensive line that averaged more than 125 yards per game. This year, Radosevich will once again anchor an offensive line that shapes up to be the strength of the offense and will be charged with keeping second-year quarterback Aidan Sayin upright.
Jake Heimlicher, Defensive Lineman, 6-foot-4, 240 pounds
One of the leaders of the defense, Heimlicher looks to build off his impressive junior season where he tallied 51 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, and 12 quarterback hurries. He finished fourth in the Ivy League in sacks and fifth in TFLs, earning him an honorable mention All-Ivy nod along the way. He had his best game during week seven in a 45-17 win against Brown, where he totaled three sacks in a crucial victory. Alongside fellow senior linebackers Garrett Morris and Jonathan Melvin, Heimlicher should once again anchor a strong middle of the defense for the Quakers.
Trey Flowers, Running Back, 5-foot-10, 220 pounds
Last season, Flowers was part of a two-headed monster in the backfield alongside star running back Isaiah Malcome. With Malcome now gone following graduation, Flowers must step into the role of RB1 for the Red and Blue, which he hopes will help Penn achieve its lofty goals.
“[We want] to win out and win the league title, of course. Anything less would be a failure,” Flowers previously said in an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian.
While splitting reps with Malcome, Flowers totaled 379 yards on 99 carries on the ground, and 35 more through the air, with his best output coming against Lehigh in week four, where he gashed through the Hawks’ defense for 115 yards and a touchdown in a 20-0 shutout. Expect a lot of Flowers this year as the Quakers look to achieve his and their goal of an Ancient Eight title.
Jonathan Melvin, Linebacker, 6-foot-1, 225 pounds
Alongside fellow senior linebackers Heimlicher, Adam Conyer, and Morris, Melvin looks to establish a second level of the Quaker defense this season which could turn out to be its biggest strength. Last season, in eight games, he totaled 29 tackles and 2.5 TFLs while playing on defense and special teams. His best game came in week nine on the road against Harvard, where he accumulated nine total tackles, including 2.5 for loss. This season will bring opportunities to increase those stat totals as he builds on his role as a leader.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
Donate