Big man getting big attention
Greensburg (Pa.) Central Catholic is loaded with talent in the class of 2007 and one of its biggest prospects is 6-foot-8, 285-pound offensive tackle Jacob Kaiser.
Kaiser, who has a 325-pound bench press and a 560-pound squat, is already drawing attention from Penn State, Akron, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Wake Forest, Louisiana and Indiana. He recently attended junior days at Akron and took an unofficial visit to the Ohio State-Penn State game last year in Happy Valley.
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His father also played football at Indiana and now Kaiser knows it's his turn.
"It's my turn to take the torch handed down from my dad," Kaiser said. "I've learned a lot from him, and it's my turn to go through the process now."
Kaiser knows, though, he's still a work in progress. He's still searching for his first scholarship offer and he's also working hard to get bigger, stronger and especially faster.
At a recent combine, he clocked a 5.7-second time in the 40-yard dash. His coach has recently timed him in the 5.3-range, and he hopes to improve that time at the Ohio State NIKE Training Camp in early May.
"I'm working with the Pittsburgh Steeler trainers," he said. "They run us more than we do during the season. That's only going to help me get better and faster."
Kaiser will have a busy summer.
After growing up in Virginia – a place that he still holds near to his heart – he'll return to UVA for its summer camp. He said the UVA coaches invited him to come to the camp. He'll also be at Penn State's summer camp, and make a stop at the Elite Combine.