Sleeper LB is one to watch

You probably haven't heard much about Marlton (N.J.) Cherokee linebacker Kevin Byrne, but if he improves as much this year as he did last year then you'll probably hear a good bit about him.

Byrne has always had the speed to play Division I football, but his game has been changing over the past year and he may have found his niche.

"I played wide receiver my sophomore year until one of our linebackers got hurt," Byrne recalled. "I filled in the last four games, and I guess the coaches liked what they saw from me there because I played linebacker last year too."

As it turns out, Byrne is a great fit on defense. The former receiver registered 67 tackles (33 solo), two tackles for loss, two interceptions, four pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery last year for Cherokee. While he could stand to improve his strength a bit, speed is something you can never have too much of.

"I think the best part of my game is my speed coming from the weak side when I'm tracking down plays. I play Will linebacker, and I'm best when I'm untouched, when I can run to the ball."

Byrne has received mail from Louisville, Temple, UConn and Northwestern. Last year he made a trip to UConn, and he likes what the Huskies have to offer.

"I took an unofficial visit to UConn during the season for their game against Louisville," he said. "I toured the facilities and it was really nice. They have one of the best facilities in the nation after Oregon. The academics were good, too.

"I don't have any favorites yet because my coach said colleges will start coming to the school. I'm going to wait until I know a little bit more."