Class of 2007 Breakdown: Part 1

Eighteen players. Nine different states. Three from Jersey, three from Florida, one from California. Three four-star caliber recruits (according to Scout.com) and two linemen whose mothers won the hearts of BC’s coaching staff with their cooking prowess.

And every one of them, said head coach Jeff Jagodzinski, is a “BC type of guy.”

So what are Eagles fans getting with the signing class of 2007? Let’s break it down, position-by-position, to see where the strengths and weaknesses lie. We’ll start with the best and work our way down.

Offensive Line (6 signees)
Key players: John Elliott (4 stars); Mark Spinney (4 stars); Nick Schepis (3 stars); Kenny Plue (3 stars)

Without a doubt the highlight of BC’s recruiting class, this incoming group of offensive linemen is physical, athletic, and deep. The group was rounded out nicely three weeks ago, when both Elliott and Spinney committed on the same day (January 17th). Elliott (6’4”, 280 pounds) and Spinney (6’4”, 270) represent the leaner, more nimble bruisers that will probably come to define what a BC lineman will look like in the zone blocking scheme Jagodzinski used with the Atlanta Falcons.

Plue (6’7”, 340), Anthony Castonzo (6’6”, 260), and Nathan Richman (6’6”, 270) give the class a bunch of height and impressive frames that will only fill out when they’re introduced to a Division I-style weight program (although Plue might already be there). Schepis (6’4”, 280), an early commit who stayed on when the new staff took over, is seen as a tough, interior guy built to take on opposing defensive linemen.

“They’re just what we were looking for in a zone-blocking scheme,” Siravo said after Wednesday’s press conference. “They got to be athletic, that’s the big deal.

“I’d say the offensive line [stands out as a strength] just because we got [six] and a couple of them were add-ins. They really fit what we wanted: toughness, smartness, and that BC tradition.”

Sleeper: Anthony Castonzo. Castonzo is an interesting case. He was attending Fork Union Military Academy as a post-graduate this past season and really blew up on the recruiting scene during the winter. He’s 6-foot-6” and when he added 40 pounds to his frame between his senior season at Lake Zurich (Illinois) and this past holiday season, his suitors went from Kent State and Temple to Stanford, Vanderbilt, and Alabama. Castonzo didn’t have to sign the national letter of intent because he was coming from a prep school and is already enrolled at Chestnut Hill. Siravo described him as an incredibly intelligent self-starter who is already learning the offense.

Special Teams (1 signee)

Key players: Billy Bennett (3 stars)

It’s not often that you can sign one high school player and solve all your problems at a position, but the Eagles may have done it with Bennett. Plagued by the on-the-field inconsistency and off-the-field troubles of Ryan Ohliger, who was also regarded highly coming out of high school, BC managed to tread water in the second half of last season with the underdog story of walk-on extraordinaire Steve Aponavicius. But as much fun as it was to root for the opportunistic lefty from Easton, PA, BC is thrilled to have a kid from Encinitas, California next season.

Ranked by Chris Sailer as the best kicking prospect in the nation this year, Bennett has a plus-50-yard leg and a knack for consistency. He’s big (6’2”, 205 pounds), intelligent, and impressed scouts at camps all over the country before committing to BC way back in March. The kicking game was one of the Eagles’ most pressing issues last season and they seem to have solved it with Bennett’s signing.

Sleeper: Dan Mulrooney. One of New England’s best overall prospects, Mulrooney will bring speed to the secondary. But don’t be surprised if his 4.45 40 time is used to return kicks in one way or another: Mulrooney had four special teams touchdowns in his career at Holy Cross (Connecticut).

Linebacker (2 signees)

Key players: Will Thompson (4 stars); Dan Williams (3 stars)

Thompson (6’1”, 230) finished his senior season ranked as Scout.com’s 13th-best strong-side linebacker in the nation. But Thompson did little (in terms of appearing at camps and combines) to get his name out on the recruiting front and his stellar reputation was built almost exclusively on his play at St. Peter’s Prep in Jersey City. With a little more exposure (had he wanted it, that is), Thompson could have been considered one of the top prospects in the northeast.

During the holiday season, Thompson was a hard guy to get a hold of on the phone: He spent about five hours every day after school selling Christmas trees. Siravo’s description of a BC-type of guy fits Thompson’s character perfectly:

“When you meet a kid, you know right away that they’re going to light up here, that’s what people mean when they say they’re BC-type people,” Siravo said. “They’re going to love all the great things about this place. If it’s somebody who’s more interested in the process of being recruited and the fanfare and all that stuff, that’s not what we want. But you’re going to meet that person who lights up when he gets here.”

While Thompson believes he may have been brought in to succeed Jolonn Dunbar at middle linebacker, Williams could play the same position. He has an almost identical build (6’2”, 230) and was ranked as Scout.com’s 25th-best strong-sider. Williams, out of Belmont Hill, was considered one of the best local recruits. He’s an incredibly sound, fundamental player who is a picturesque tackler and has the speed to get out to the sidelines.

Sleeper: Brad Newman. A late steal-away from Delaware by Jim Turner, Newman was a player that Siravo had his eye on for a while. Newman is listed as a fullback but that might have been just to fill the “Position” column. His toughness and football IQ allow him to play anywhere and his size (6’2”, 250 pounds) could make him a linebacker. Plus, as Siravo pointed out, defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani was told by Vic Kubu, Newman’s head coach and Spaz’s long-time friend, that Newman was the toughest player he has had in 30 years. It wouldn’t be shocking to see Newman end up on Spaziani’s side of the ball.