'09 FL LB Conor O'Neill (Wisconsin Verbal)

[Bernini]

Florida FB Profile

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Fort Lauderdale (FL) St. Thomas Aquinas

HT: 6-1
WT: 195
40: 4.6
GPA: 4.21

Statistics: 67 tackles, 16 TFL, 7 sacks, 3 FF, 2 FR

Originally Posted by Florida Football

Having watched O'Neil play a number of times, you can guarantee that this is one of those athletes who has found a way to combine his football skill level with his speed and football abilities.

Honors: Honorable Mention All State

Notes:
- team won state championship
- star baseball player
- teammate of Duron Carter

Interest: Wisconsin, Florida, Auburn, Alabama, Florida St., Boston College, Syracuse

[Bernini]

Rivals $

5/18

O'Neill was excited to receive an offer from Auburn, adding to his previous list of offers which included: Wisconsin, Purdue, and Syracuse. He expects an offer from Wake soon....top 3 is Auburn, UW, and Wake. Wants to play baseball also.

How long until he finds out we're the only school in the Big Ten without a baseball program? Damn, that reality definitely hinders our recruiting a bit, especially with quarterbacks (I realize O'Neill is an LB).

[marley26]

is there a reason that we don't have a baseball team? the weather? or what?

[Bernini]

Originally Posted by marley26

is there a reason that we don't have a baseball team? the weather? or what?

We dropped the baseball program and a few other sports because we had a budget deficit and it wasn't generating enough revenue. Baseball requires a lot more equipment than say volleyball or wrestling.

Minnynoplace is colder than Madtown, so that wasn't the issue.

[badgerinseattle]

Originally Posted by Bernini

We dropped the baseball program and a few other sports because we had a budget deficit and it wasn't generating enough revenue. Baseball requires a lot more equipment than say volleyball or wrestling.

Minnynoplace is colder than Madtown, so that wasn't the issue.

We dropped baseball because of Title IX

[Bernini]

Originally Posted by badgerinseattle

We dropped baseball because of Title IX

Maybe indirectly as a result of....

NYTimes

[marley26]

well very interesting...i had no idea...thanks for the help in answering my question

[Heavystarch]

that was also when our athletic department was losing a ton of money. Bringing it back is trouble because of title IX haha

[cportbucky]

Minnesota's baseball team can use the dome until the weather warms up, so that makes it easier. To be honest, the level of high school baseball in WI isn't very good, and a UW team would likely be in the bottom 10-15% of D1 programs every year.

I might be wrong, but I thought someone a few years ago played one summer with the Mallards. If he is good enough to play D1 baseball, the Mallards would definitely take him on, but it might keep him out out of summer conditioning.

[Bernini]

Originally Posted by cportbucky

Minnesota's baseball team can use the dome until the weather warms up, so that makes it easier. To be honest, the level of high school baseball in WI isn't very good, and a UW team would likely be in the bottom 10-15% of D1 programs every year.

I might be wrong, but I thought someone a few years ago played one summer with the Mallards. If he is good enough to play D1 baseball, the Mallards would definitely take him on, but it might keep him out out of summer conditioning.

Was it Stocco?

I don't know how playing for the Madison Mallards would compare to playing baseball at Auburn, who could potentially advance to College World Series'.

College baseball of course fits into a football player's schedule seamlessly. College Football season from September til early January -> Baseball Practice from January to early March (or whatever) -> Baseball season from March til June -> Football preparation all summer.

Hypothetically if he submitted his name to the MLB draft, is there any way he could fit pro baseball AND college football into his schedule. I know it's not an NCAA violation to be a professional in a different sport than you're competing in with your college. Does anybody know if either Drew Henson or Jeff Samardzija played pro baseball while they were in college?

[cportbucky]

Samardzija played at ND. I think Henson might have, and I know Quincy Carter from GA played minor league ball in summer.

The talent level is much higher at Auburn than the Mallards, but scouts would still be at games and he would have the opportunity to play professionally if he performed at a high level.

I have no idea how good of a player O'Neill is, but one thing you have to worry about with a guy pursuing pro ball is that you might lose him completely in June. Two years ago the Brewers drafted Brent Brewer who was a 3* commit to FSU, and he ended up getting enough money where he decided to play baseball full time.

[Bernini]

Originally Posted by cportbucky

Samardzija played at ND. I think Henson might have, and I know Quincy Carter from GA played minor league ball in summer.

The talent level is much higher at Auburn than the Mallards, but scouts would still be at games and he would have the opportunity to play professionally if he performed at a high level.

I have no idea how good of a player O'Neill is, but one thing you have to worry about with a guy pursuing pro ball is that you might lose him completely in June. Two years ago the Brewers drafted Brent Brewer who was a 3* commit to FSU, and he ended up getting enough money where he decided to play baseball full time.

Thanks.

So it looks like O'Neill would indeed have the option to come to Wisconsin for football, and just play professional baseball on the side during the summer. Like you, I have no idea how good he is. I don't know if he'd be a high round draft pick who commands top dollar, or not even be drafted at all.

If he were a high round draft pick and decided to go professional full time, at least the timing wouldn't be such that we'd be forced to scramble for reaches to fill his spot. The draft is in June like you said, and September is the end of the season. It's not anywhere near signing day. Of course he could decide to commit fully to baseball at any point during his college career. But if he was really passionate about the sport, he'd probably be satisfied by playing it alone as soon as he got the money (Henson being the exception).

[GoRU]

FIU, UCF interested in multi-sport star O'Neill - 06/24/2008 - MiamiHerald.com

BIG TACKLER

Besides being second on the team in tackles, O'Neill returned a fumble and interception for touchdowns, returned a kickoff 73 yards for a touchdown in the state final against Kissimmee Osceola and led the Raiders defense in tackles for loss and sacks.

''He's a football player,'' said St. Thomas coach George Smith, when asked what stands out most about O'Neill. ``Conor is a prototype football player. He's an athlete, very intelligent, he runs around real well and he's fearless.''

Because ''he runs around real well,'' O'Neill did not begin his football career on defense. Instead he was a receiver/tight end as a sophomore, but Smith was intrigued by what O'Neill could do on defense.

''This kid has got to play, let's see what he can do,'' recalled Smith of a conversation he had with his assistants two years ago. ``We ended up moving him to outside linebacker that spring. He had a great season for us.''

Despite having a strong first season on defense, the transition wasn't easy at first for O'Neill

''It was a little rough because you're catching balls and getting away from being hit,'' O'Neill said. ``But then I was giving the punishment. After the first week, I picked it up and I started loving it. It was rough getting used to the plays. The whole defensive mindset where I had to get used to reading the offenses instead of adjusting to what the defenses were giving.''

The 6-1, 200-pound O'Neill has been thriving attacking offenses ever since.

Last season, he had 67 tackles (56 solo), 16 tackles for loss that totaled 104 yards, and seven sacks. All of which has schools such as Florida International, Auburn, Central Florida and Florida Atlantic knocking on O'Neill's door.

A TOP PROSPECT

Said Miami Herald recruiting analyst Larry Blustein: ``While many remember his return for a touchdown on a kickoff in the 5A state championship win over Kissimmee Osceola, some are not aware of the fact that this former receiver/tight end was among the top tacklers for the Raiders. Also a tremendous baseball prospect.''

One factor that could determine where O'Neill goes to college is the ability to play both football and baseball.

O'Neill, a big fan of multi-sport athletes Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders, plans on getting a scholarship for football and then trying to walk-on for baseball. He ''definitely'' would like to play both sports at the Division I level.