DE Ferrara picks up two offers

Staten Island (N.Y.) Monsignor Farrell defensive end John Ferrara has picked up two new offers in the last couple of weeks from the SEC and Big Ten.

The 6-foot-4, 268-pounder picked up offers from Ole Miss and Michigan State and went on to talk about both.

"Ole Miss was a little bit of a surprise, I haven't been looked at by any of the SEC schools and then all of the sudden they thought it was necessary to offer me. From what I've heard it's a really nice place and I'd like to go down there this summer and see the school and get more information about them.

"The coaches recruiting me from Michigan State went to high school in Staten Island and they just found out about me too. They came down and liked my tape and then offered. It's a really good school, one of the best business schools in the country and their football program was just a couple of plays away from beating some of the best schools in the Big Ten last year."

With the evaluation period over, what are the defensive end's impressions of the last month?

"It was a revolving door at my school, one coach leaves and another one comes in, it was nonstop," he said. "Miami, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Stanford, Boston College, Virginia, Maryland, just about everyone has come in.

"I'm definitely impressed with Michigan, Stanford, Virginia, Maryland and Boston College. I like Michigan, Virginia and Boston College because they are all top football programs and their academics are outstanding. Stanford's academics are probably some of the best in the country and their football team is on the rise. I'm looking for schools that have a good balance of both and most of those schools have it."

So are Michigan, Stanford, Virginia, Maryland and Boston College Ferrara's favorites?

"I'm leaving it open right now, I'm still taking in information on all these schools," he said. "Those schools I mentioned I'm really interested in along with those that have offered me."

This spring Ferrara has been working with New York Giants defensive end Frank Ferrara (no relation).

"He's helped me big-time with the defensive line stuff and some pass rush moves," he said. "He also helped me to work harder to get more explosive off the ball. My main goal next year is to win the championship because we've been denied the last two years, including a double overtime loss last year."

Ferrara plans to head to Maryland on June 4th to take in the one day senior position camp and hopefully pick up an offer from the Terps.

This summer the lineman hasn't scheduled any summer camps, but is still weighing his options.

Ferrara looks like he'll be waiting awhile to make a decision.

"I think I'm going to wait it out," he said. "On the official visits I'll be looking at the players, the chemistry on the team and a place that is for me. I think I'll find that on one of those five trips."

Ferrara recorded 80 tackles, 13 sacks, 10 deflected passes and three fumble recoveries. He went on to be named all-defense Staten Island Advance, second team all-city and first team all-bureau New York Daily News and first team all-city New York Newsday.