Big Athletes Stock Is Scorching
Everyone on the D-I level are looking for big fast athletic guys who can play multiple positions and that is why Anthony Vernaglia (6-4, 218, 4.5) from Orange (Calif.) Lutheran is one of the hottest commodities on the West Coast.
Vernaglia has already taken unofficial visits to Virginia and Penn State. When they visited Virginia and met with head coach Al Groh and Cavalier assistant coach Al Golden they offered him on the spot.
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“Coach (Al) Groh told Anthony that he could play on either side of the ball,” Kip Vernaglia, Anthony’s father said. “Coach Groh said he’s not sure if Anthony is (WR) Joe Jurevicius (former Penn State and now Tampa Bay star) or (DB) John Lynch (former Stanford and current Tampa Bay star).
Virginia it appears has decided they want Vernaglia as a big strong Jurevicius type wide receiver.
USC head coach Pete Carroll told Vernaglia that he could enter USC as a wide receiver, but the Trojans may want to change him into an outside linebacker. He really fires off the edge.
Stanford head coach Buddy Teevens told Vernaglia that the Cardinal like him as an outside backer, but he could grow into an H-back or tight end.
Besides Virginia, the talented Vernaglia also has offers from Penn State, Purdue, Arizona State, Stanford, UCLA and USC.
Penn State likes him as an athlete, Purdue as a wide receiver, ASU as a wide receiver, UCLA as an athlete, USC as an athlete and Stanford as an outside linebacker.
Notre Dame, Washington and Arizona are on the verge of offering Vernaglia.
Vernaglia was at UCLA’s junior day this past weekend and is scheduled to take an unofficial visit later this month to Notre Dame on June 27th.
“As far as favorites, he is really struggling,” Kip Vernaglia said. “They are all such great schools.”
Vernaglia has relatives on the East Coast so he would have relatives nearby if he decided to go to Penn State or Virginia.
On the football front Vernaglia is a great kid who is very coachable and will do whatever is asked of him to help the team. He is a team first guy who just wants to play.
Vernaglia is a known hard worker on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom. Vernaglia’s bench is 285, power clean 295 and squat 390. He’s outstanding in the classroom with a 4.02 GPA and a 1200 GPA. If he wants, Vernaglia can go Ivy.
On the offensive side of the ball Vernaglia had 41 receptions for 894 yards and 13 touchdowns. On the defensive side the ball Vernaglia made just as big an impact racking up 12 sacks and 5 caused fumbles.