It was reported by Rivals that LB James Coscia has verbally committed to Lehigh.
His story, as told by the Pocono Record, is one of how Lehigh's camps and outreach to football recruits in the community can help in attracting a top academic/athletic athlete and helping high school football players become Division I-ready. (more)
Helpfully, James has a website with all his information on it, including a YouTube highlight video and his important information. Academically, he has a 3.9 weighted GPA, is a member of the Future Business Leaders of America, and has a combined 1700 (new) SAT average.
But it's the Pocono Record article that really shows how recruiting is a multi-year process. The article was written in his junior year, but there's plenty in there to indicate how Lehigh's camps and people helped him become a Division I player:
"He can run, he's very, very quick and he knows what he's doing," Eastburg South coach Ed Christian said [going into his senior year]. "He can anticipate. He's a smart kid. He has great grades and on the football field he's very smart and that's a plus for us."As "Signing Day" approaches of February 2nd, we're going to get even more of an idea of which new athletes will be coming in to compete as Mountain Hawks. And if Coscia is any indication, we don't have anything to worry about.
Getting experience against some elite talent during the offseason also helped Coscia's game.
He attended camps at Lehigh, Penn and Rutgers and also was at the Schuman's Underclassmen Combine. Those experiences gave Coscia the chance to compare his skills against other talented players, while picking up some helpful pointers.
"They're all great camps," Coscia said. "They're all different which I like. It's just great to go out there and compete against the best of the best and see where I'm at. The competition at camps, especially the Rutgers one I was at, there are kids from all over like Florida and California. You learn a lot, too. The coaches teach you the college techniques and what works up there. It's just great to learn and show them what I can do."
Coscia, who had 14 sacks and 84 tackles in 2009, packed on 20 pounds to his 6-foot-3 frame with some hard work and the help of Lehigh University strength coach Eric Markovcy.
"He's developed a great program," said Coscia, a three-year starter for the two-time defending Mountain Valley Conference champion Cavaliers. "He has different phases for power, speed, explosion. Great programs that really get us stronger and bigger for the season."
It helped Coscia put on the weight college coaches were looking for him to gain.
To play defensive end at the next level, Coscia, whose best time in the 40-yard dash is 4.66 seconds, knew staying at his junior weight wouldn't cut it. Schools like Rutgers, Lehigh, Penn, Villanova have all expressed interest, but he's still waiting for that first scholarship offer.
"The biggest thing is obviously my weight," Coscia said. "Recruiting me as a defensive end they'd like to see me heavier and that was my goal in the offseason. I gained 20 pounds, but I'd still like to gain some more. I have the speed, I just need the weight."
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