Advertisement
football Edit

Smierciak capitalizes on VTO performance

One of the surprise standouts at the Rivals.com/VTO Sports Showcase in Pittsburgh last month was Aurora, Ohio linebacker Zach Smierciak. The 6-foot-2, 211-pound prospect was named a top performer at the event, and is also seeing increased college attention.
"I felt great about the way I came out," Smierciak said. "At first I didn't know what to expect. It was my first out-of-state combine, and felt it was going to be a test on where I was based on other kids my age in a different region."
Advertisement
Smierciak stacked up well, ranking as the top overall linebacker prospect in attendance. He came into the event sporting an offer from Buffalo and has since added others from Ball State and Yale.
Other schools that have shown interest this spring include Northwestern, Syracuse and Toledo. He is also receiving significant attention from many Ivy League schools, a testament to his 3.89 GPA.
"I'm mainly looking, first, at academics. I always say that is a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision," Smierciak said. "I'm also looking for a place to develop my ability as a football player. Location-wise, I am really willing to go wherever it takes to play highly competitive football and get that good degree."
This summer, Smierciak is looking to attend a litany of camps that will include stops at Northwestern and Ohio State.
As a junior, Smierciak finished with 97 tackles, six sacks and three interceptions from his linebacker position.
Advertisement