Busy summer winding down for 09 guard

Most rising junior offensive linemen on the national recruiting radar are prospects that are still growing and it's unclear what type of frame they'll have when they reach the college level. Offensive guard Tom Lindley of Mastic Beach (N.Y.) William Floyd already has a college-ready frame at 6-foot-2, 295 pounds, and he might not be done growing.

The big guard from the Class of 2009 recently won the silver medal in New York for the shot put, an event he has participated in since seventh grade. That's the same year he started playing football, and according to his mother, he has improved rapidly.

"(Tom) started playing in the seventh grade and he was moved up to the varsity team at the end of his ninth grade year," said Sue Lindley, the mother of Tom. "The last time he was measured he was 6-2, 295 pounds. I think he'll just be doing football in college. That's his first love. He plays guard and he's pretty much just on offense.

"He's been getting a lot of mail. There are a lot of schools that are interested."

Lindley sought to improve his game and make an impression on college coaches this summer with a series of camps. He has performed well thus far, and will now have time to focus on working out with his team while preparing for his junior year.

"He's camped at Penn State and I know that's one school he's interested in. His whole team camped at UConn. He went to a one day camp at Syracuse. He's been to Stony Brook, Hofstra and Lafayette as well."

It's still early but Lindley has already mentioned a few schools he is interested in, as well as some of the factors that will be important to him in his decision.

"I know he likes Michigan, Penn State and Rutgers," she said. "That's all I'm sure of right now.

"He's in the National Honor Society, so academics will be very important to him. I know he's looking to go to a school where he'll be able to play. I don't think location will be too important. It won't for us (his family) either. We all went away for college so it wouldn't be anything new. He was just in the 10th grade, though, so there's a lot of time left. I'm not sure he's thought it all through yet."