Dream come true for Leonard
Justin Rowland
EagleAction.com Recruiting Analyst
Talk about it in The Eagles Nest
BC's offer was a dream come true for new commit Shane Leonard. His decision? It wasn't really a decision.
Leonard will be a center for the Eagles.
Leonard has visited Boston College more than 20 times since he's been a high school football player. He's camped with the Eagles three years, working extensively with Justin Frye. The coaches on Steve Addazio's staff, from Frye to recruiter Don Brown, have known full well that the Marshfield offensive lineman dreamed of being an Eagle.
He had 15 offers from FCS schools, but the 6-foot-3, 290-pound offensive lineman was ecstatic to end his recruitment just as soon as he got the offer from Addazio.
"I was on a visit to campus and I got to tour the campus with Coach Addazio," Leonard told EagleAction.com. "I've been on countless visits. I've been going up the past couple of years and today was pretty much to just put the stamp of approval on it and make things final. I knew this was going to happen."
Leonard camped with BC on June 7. Given the Eagles' scholarship crunch it wasn't easy for the coaches to find room for him. That makes Leonard all the more grateful.
Boston College did not offer until Wednesday.
"They hadn't been mentioning anything about an offer but we've been in contact for the past two or three years," Leonard said. "After the one-day June 7 camp they said they were going to bring me in. They just had to get some things squared away.
"It's really hard to put it into words because it's been a lifelong dream and it all really culminated in that single moment," he said. "BC's always been my dream school."
It's not just that the school is local.
"I'd say it's the tandem of academics and athletics," he said. "The whole 'O-Line U' mantra and the history of the offensive line there. It's an offensive line factory. I feel like when I get there my progress will be a direct manifestation of the program's tradition. As far as my development goes I'll be in good hands, on the field and in the classroom. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."
While Leonard has come to know BC very well over the past few years he does not know any of the players or other commitments on a close, personal basis. That will happen, especially now that he's a part of the program's future.
Leonard was recruited to play center for the Eagles.
"They're really harping on the fact that everyone's really young so they just want me to come in next year and battle for the center spot. There haven't been any mentions of the depth chart," Leonard said.
Not like that would have mattered. Leonard wanted to be at BC regardless of what the depth chart looks like.
Still, football is a consideration worth mentioning. Leonard has played center for three years so he's got extensive experience snapping the ball and playing where every play begins.
"One thing that they really liked about me is my technical play," Leonard said. "They feel like I'm very far ahead for a high school kid, as far as my technique. I'm technical, hard-nosed and a tough kid and those are the things they like about me."
Marshfield's games are on Friday nights so Leonard will be able to attend BC's games on Saturdays. He attended almost every home game last year.
Justin Rowland
EagleAction.com Recruiting Analyst
Talk about it in The Eagles Nest
BC's offer was a dream come true for new commit Shane Leonard. His decision? It wasn't really a decision.
Leonard will be a center for the Eagles.
Leonard has visited Boston College more than 20 times since he's been a high school football player. He's camped with the Eagles three years, working extensively with Justin Frye. The coaches on Steve Addazio's staff, from Frye to recruiter Don Brown, have known full well that the Marshfield offensive lineman dreamed of being an Eagle.
He had 15 offers from FCS schools, but the 6-foot-3, 290-pound offensive lineman was ecstatic to end his recruitment just as soon as he got the offer from Addazio.
"I was on a visit to campus and I got to tour the campus with Coach Addazio," Leonard told EagleAction.com. "I've been on countless visits. I've been going up the past couple of years and today was pretty much to just put the stamp of approval on it and make things final. I knew this was going to happen."
Leonard camped with BC on June 7. Given the Eagles' scholarship crunch it wasn't easy for the coaches to find room for him. That makes Leonard all the more grateful.
Boston College did not offer until Wednesday.
"They hadn't been mentioning anything about an offer but we've been in contact for the past two or three years," Leonard said. "After the one-day June 7 camp they said they were going to bring me in. They just had to get some things squared away.
"It's really hard to put it into words because it's been a lifelong dream and it all really culminated in that single moment," he said. "BC's always been my dream school."
It's not just that the school is local.
"I'd say it's the tandem of academics and athletics," he said. "The whole 'O-Line U' mantra and the history of the offensive line there. It's an offensive line factory. I feel like when I get there my progress will be a direct manifestation of the program's tradition. As far as my development goes I'll be in good hands, on the field and in the classroom. It was an opportunity I couldn't pass up."
While Leonard has come to know BC very well over the past few years he does not know any of the players or other commitments on a close, personal basis. That will happen, especially now that he's a part of the program's future.
Leonard was recruited to play center for the Eagles.
"They're really harping on the fact that everyone's really young so they just want me to come in next year and battle for the center spot. There haven't been any mentions of the depth chart," Leonard said.
Not like that would have mattered. Leonard wanted to be at BC regardless of what the depth chart looks like.
Still, football is a consideration worth mentioning. Leonard has played center for three years so he's got extensive experience snapping the ball and playing where every play begins.
"One thing that they really liked about me is my technical play," Leonard said. "They feel like I'm very far ahead for a high school kid, as far as my technique. I'm technical, hard-nosed and a tough kid and those are the things they like about me."
Marshfield's games are on Friday nights so Leonard will be able to attend BC's games on Saturdays. He attended almost every home game last year.
