Prep star shines as first-year starter

Junior strong safety James Carson from Erie (Pa.) Cathedral Prep has the size and speed to excel at the next level. At 6-foot-0 and 190 pounds, he runs a 4.6 forty and has even seen time at the running back slot during his high school career. He squats 325 pounds and bench presses 245 pounds and turned the heads of many college recruiters in his first year as a starter.

Carson has jumped out to a fast start, even though being first string is a new experience for him. He is the second leading tackler on the team and has posted two 13-tackle games.

He played basketball in the ninth grade, but has since decided to focus on football and track. He runs the 300 meter hurdles and 110 meter hurdles for Cathedral Prep, and this has helped draw interest in his direction.

“Man, I have gotten a lot of letters,” he said. Although Georgia and Tennessee are his favorites, the schools the most interested at this point are Syracuse, Pitt, Penn State, Maryland, West Virginia, and Stanford.

He camped at Penn State last summer, and had tickets to attend games at Pitt and Boston College this fall. He missed the Pitt game due to a high school game, and he couldn’t make it to the B.C. game because it was too far away.

Carson wants to attend a university with a large student body, and wants to be a social worker upon graduation, so that curriculum is a must. He also states that he would like to travel far away from home if possible.

“I like to hit,” Carson described his mentality on the field. “I am a hard hitter.” He takes this philosophy from his favorite pro player, the Dallas Cowboys’ Roy Williams.

“He likes to come up and hit and I like his athleticism,” James said. “He never quits, he just keeps going and going. He gives 100% every time he is on the field.”

Carson is close to gaining a qualifying GPA, but must remain focused in the classroom to become academically eligible.