Florida trio, Sooners like OL
Junior to Watch: Andy Cius
School: Lake Worth, Fla.
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Position: Offensive Guard
Size and speed: Cius is 6-foot-3, weighs 275 pounds and runs the 40-yard dash in 5.2 seconds. He bench presses 325 pounds and squats 400.
Honors: Was selected to the all-area team as a junior.
Favorite Schools: Florida, Florida State, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State.
Skinny: Lake Worth is home to a player many expect to emerge as one of the Sunshine State’s top offensive line prospects for 2004, Andy Cius.
“We’ve had a couple of kids play here with good size,” Lake Worth coach Kevin Staefe said. “But the thing that sets Andy apart is he’s a big kid who can really move. He’s consistently in the 5.2 range on the 40. He also plays basketball, which helps with his footwork and mobility.”
Staefe also likes the way Cius competes.
“He fared real well against kids who had a big reputation, guys he may have to face at the next level,” Staefe said. “He had a real good game against the DT from St. Lucie. He also played real well against the (Dave) Howell kid from Royal Palm Beach who wound up signing with Miami.
“He’s just an aggressive kid who loves to compete against the very best. There’s no one on the field that Andy’s afraid to tangle with.”
Schools taking note of those characteristics include Florida, Florida State, Miami, Oklahoma, Penn State, Michigan, Oregon and Central Florida.
“I’ve had several conversations with the Oklahoma staff. They’re really on the ball with Andy and showing a lot of interest,” Staefe said. “They want to come down and see him during spring practice. Outside of the Florida schools, (the Sooners) are probably showing the most interest.”
Cius maintains a 2.6 GPA and “should have no trouble at all” qualifying, Staefe said.
He’ll participate in the Down & Dirty camp this summer, but has no other camp or combine plans at this time.