Arizona athlete hears from Pac10
Junior to Watch: Rocco Bene
School: Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic
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Position: Wide Receiver/Defensive Back
Size and Speed: Bene stands 6-foot-0 weighs, 190 pounds and runs the 40 in 4.55. He benches 275 pounds, squats 405, cleans 260 and has recorded 30-inch vertical jump.
Honors: Bene was selected second-team all-region as a wide receiver for his junior season performance.
Statistics: Bene played both ways as a junior playing linebacker and wide receiver. As a linebacker, Bene racked up 81 tackles, 11 sacks, four fumble recoveries and four picks. As a wide receiver he caught 31 passes for 564 yards and scored three touchdowns.
Favorite Colleges: Arizona State, Arizona, Cal, Wyoming, and Idaho have contacted Salpointe head coach Dennis Bene. He is receiving mail from Washington.
Skinny: “College coaches like to say that Rocco is a smooth, fluid athlete,” Salpointe head coach and Rocco’s Dad Dennis Bene said. “Yet he is very physical and they tell me he can really bring the wood.”
Though Bene plays both ways as a linebacker and wide receiver, he projects as a hard hitting safety prospect on the D-I level.
Bene is a hard worker who is currently is working very hard improving his speed and overall quickness with a speed coach twice a week and there has already been improvement in both areas.
Salpointe will take advantage of Bene’s great hands as he will also return punts in 2003.
Bene is very coachable, smart and brings a lot of intangibles to the table. Being a coach’s son has given him an advanced knowledge for the game.
One to watch as the season develops.