Peart has reason for confidence
DALLAS -- Finding your name on the top performers list at a national event is a good sign that your recruitment is trending upward. Not that Caleb Peart really needed the reassurance.
That said, walking away from the Rivals Underclassman Challenge presented by Under-Armour as one of the top defensive linemen at the camp certainly didn't hurt his confidence.
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The Chandler (Ariz.) Hamilton defensive end already holds a scholarship offer from Nevada. And the fact that he has two full seasons of high school football left to play leaves plenty of time for his options to expand. That process has already started.
"Notre Dame likes me," Peart said. "They came down in December a few times. Obviously, Arizona State and Arizona are involved. I went to both camps. It was pretty good over at ASU. I've gotten mail for Oregon, Vanderbilt and all those. I haven't really talked to many new coaches since May and the evaluation period, though."
Peart is taking things slowly. He tries not to get ahead of himself. For now, he's a rising junior with a single scholarship offer. Nothing more. Nothing less. He gets that. It just doesn't stop him from discussing other programs to which he feels close.
Peart is forming opinions well in advance of any decision. And with him travel schedule for the summer already in the books, he has some things to say. When BCS-level offers arrive - and they will - Peart will be prepared.
"It's not really a dream school, but I do like Notre Dame and Stanford because of what they bring academically," Peart said. "I know that if I go there, even if I don't make it to the NFL, I can fall back on my education and my degree."
Because of his young age, Peart doesn't feel the need to log too many airline miles just yet. He plays his high school football at a traditional powerhouse, so it's not as though he'll lack for exposure. There's a quiet confidence about him, though, and maybe that's ok.
"This is the last camp stop for me," Peart said in Dallas. "I want to make a good statement out here and use that momentum toward the season."
As a sophomore at Hamilton. Peart was an important part of a state championship team that amassed a 12-2 overall record.