Syracuse gets sleeper commitment

When you hail from a small school like Mountain Lakes, N.J, a program that plays Section 2 football in the Garden State,

it's hard to get noticed. However, running back/athlete Paul Chiara caught the eye of Syracuse.

"Paul committed to Syracuse and was very happy with the fact that they will allow him to play running back," said Mountain Lakes, N.J. athletic director Michael Killingsworth, who has also been a coach the school for years. "He's the star of our team and the guy that opponents gun for every game. Even with that kind of attention, he can't be stopped. That's a testament to his hard work. He's our star player and our hardest worker."

Chiara, a 5-foot-11, 190-pounder with 4.55-second speed in the 40-yard dash, plays quarterback in Mountain Lakes' Wing-T offense. That means he runs the ball....a lot. To the tune of 1,784 yards and 34 scores as a junior.

"He's just a great athlete," said Killingsworth. "He led us to a 12-0 record and a state title last year and we hope he does the same this year."

Killingsworth said that Chiara had heavy interest from schools like Boston College, West Virginia, Rutgers and others -- all of whom wanted him as a defensive back.

"He could play either way in college," he said. "But he wanted to play offense and that's one of the main reasons he chose Syracuse. They're also a great program and close to home."