Wachter favors Ohio, Iowa

Offensive tackle Josh Wachter is one of the most highly sought-after linemen in Pennsylvania this year, and he's hearing from several major programs.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pound tackle from Butler (Pa.) Area runs the 40-yard dash in 5.3 seconds. But you can't measure Wachter's ability on the field by just looking at his size or speed.

"I'm going to keep growing and I think I'll end up around 300 pounds before it's all over," he said. "But it's my intensity that I pride myself on. So much of football is about the attitude you go into a game with."

Wachter has received mail from schools like Stanford, Iowa, Marshall, Boston College, West Virginia, Miami of Ohio, Ohio, Maryland, Indiana, Yale, Columbia and others. Does he have a leader?

"I'd say Ohio and Iowa are my two favorites," said Wachter. "I visited Ohio and I'm really impressed with the program they have. They play in an underrated conference and do a nice job of developing offensive lineman. I like Iowa because of their engineering program. They're doing a better job than anyone of preparing offensive linemen to make it to the next level. That's a big draw too."

Wachter would like to camp at both Ohio and Iowa in the near future. While he hasn't received any offers, he's already beginning to consider what will be important in his decision.

"Academics will definitely be a top priority in my decision," he said. "I carry a GPA of about 3.2, and that's improving. It means a lot that schools like Yale and Stanford would show interest, because they know I'm not just looking for a chance to play football -- I want to have a first rate education too."