RB looking to set national record

Junior To Watch: Mike Hart

School: Syracuse (N.Y.) Onondaga Central

Position: Running back

Size and speed: Hart is 5-foot-10, 175-pounds. He has 4.4-second 40-yard dash speed and a 31-inch vertical jump. He has a 3.7 GPA and scored 1,080 on the SAT on his first try.

Honors: Class C Player of the Year, all-state, all-league and all-section as a junior.

Statistics: As a junior Hart rushed for 2,667 yards on 196 attempts with 60 touchdowns in 13 games. He has started since his freshman year and has an incredible 7,556 yards and 134 touchdowns for his career.

Favorite schools: Early in the process, Hart is listing Michigan, Syracuse, Boston College, Miami, Maryland and Michigan State as his leaders.

Skinny: It’s all true! When you look at the numbers that Mike Hart has rung up over the past three seasons, it looks almost impossible. Mike is considered one of the top running backs in the country for 2004 and the top player in New York. He already has offers from his six favorites as well as West Virginia, Connecticut, Wisconsin, Virginia and Vanderbilt.

“I’m looking to verbal sometime in October,” he said. “I need to take three or four visits before I do anything, but that’s my plan right now.”

A full qualifier, expect him to have more than two dozen offers before the May evaluation period ends.

“The schools that I like combine both academics and athletics and that’s very important to me. I also like schools in different parts of the country so I need to compare a few things.”

Mike is leaving the door open for other schools as well.

“I also like Notre dame and I’m thinking of going to camp there this summer. I’ve been to Syracuse a few times so I just want to see other schools as soon as I can.”

Hart needs just 40 touchdowns to break the national record set by NC State star T.A. McClendon.