'09 PA OL Eric Shrive (Penn State Verbal)

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1/26

By Alkire...UConn has offered. Going to ND's junior day and then will visit Miami (FL). Also visiting Illinois with his coach and Hubie Graham.

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1/31

From BWI...PSU, BC and Temple have offered.

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2/10

From the Syracuse site. Shrive talks about his connections to Syracuse, and the fact that he has been there many times. He won't make a choice until this time next year.

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2/11

By. MAlkire. Auburn has offered.

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2/20

By Alkire...Michigan has offered. Visiting ND this weekend, Syracuse in two weeks and is setting up visits to Miami, Pittsburgh, Penn State, Boston College, Connecticut and Illinois.

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http://www.pghsports.com/PSR-News/sh...plate=Keystone

ERIC SHRIVE, West Scranton HS (Scranton) OT

The big man already has the prototypical size at 6'7", but will have to eventually add a lot more weight to his current 280 pounds. It's actually good to be too light for a lineman prospect because most have bad weight and they have to be broken down, then built back up again - so that actually helps his case. He does need to add strength, however. Shrive has good feet and also projects at defensive tackle according to some scouts. A good student and very mature, his early offers include Pitt, Penn State, Notre Dame, Miami, Rutgers, Illinois and Boston College. Right now he is wide open for his college choice.

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2/25

From TheWolverine...talks about his contact with Coach Rodriguez and Coach Gibson. Visited ND recently and has previously visited Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Syracuse and Penn State. Has visits planned for Syracuse, Miami (FL), Boston College, Connecticut, Pitt and Ohio State.

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Yahoo: Rivals2/27

Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin additionally have offered. Says Michigan and Wisconsin always have great offensive linemen. Thinks Oklahoma and Ohio State are great programs. Has no favorites at this time. Main goals are to fit in and play early. Going to visit Miami and Illinois.

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Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia offered recently.

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Scout.com: Travelin' Man

By Allen Wallace
National Recruiting Editor
Posted Mar 3, 2008

"I plan to take all five of my official visits and I won't be eliminating schools until I visit them," Eric Shrive said. "The Internet is great for researching schools and stats, but it can't give you a feel for what it's like to actually be there. I'm completely open right now and I don't even plan to start narrowing things down until August or September..."

Continued...

[GoRU]

The Times-Tribune - 24 colleges seeking Invaders’ star

Eric Shrive has always been big.

At birth, he measured 24 inches and weighed close to 10 pounds. By fourth grade, he wrestled at the East Nationals in the 110-pound weight class.

As a freshman, he moved up to the varsity football team, weighing 255 pounds and standing 6 feet 5 inches tall.

Now he’s 6-7, weighs 295 pounds and wears a size 16 shoe. And he’s a big-time football recruit.

“He’s the total package,” said Matt Alkire, national recruiting analyst for Scout.com. “It’s a combination of things. His size and strength and the way he plays football come into play. He’s technically sound.

“And Eric plays with a nasty streak and with great intensity.”

For the second time in as many years, West Scranton is at the center of the early football recruiting season.

Last winter, tight end Hubie Graham, who accepted a scholarship to the University of Illinois after being courted by 29 Football Bowl Subdivision schools, brought the spotlight to Luzerne Street.

Now it’s shining bright again.

With two full weeks remaining in March, Shrive has received 24 scholarship offers from college football’s finest programs and that list is expected to grow. Among the tackles listed on Rivals.com Top 100, only Xavier Nixon, a 6-6, 275-pounder from Fayetteville, N.C., is close to that number, with 10 offers.

“I’m trying to keep all of this in perspective,” Shrive said. “I’m excited about all of the attention, but in recruiting you can drop in a second.”

Getting noticed

Thanks to the attention Graham received last season, Shrive began to get noticed.

An outstanding effort against Blue Mountain in the PIAA Class AAA playoffs, while competing against Matt Stankiewitch, a Penn State signee, really opened eyes.

Still early in his development, Shrive, a towering offensive and defensive tackle worked hard leading up to his junior season. He got stronger and quicker.

And became a force during the Invaders’ 12-2 season.

“Eric is a very hard worker,” West Scranton coach Michael DeAntona said. “He works hard on the practice field and in the weight room. Practice makes perfect and by no means am I saying he’s perfect. He works hard on the practice field and goes hard every play and that’s what has attracted so much attention.”

It didn’t take long for the same avalanche of offers Graham received to head in Shrive’s direction. In September, three schools, Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Syracuse jumped in and presented him with his first scholarship offers.

By the end of his junior year, Shrive earned first-team all-state honors from The Associated Press, with offers from North Carolina State and Illinois coming in December.

“Eric and myself and his family work closely together to make sure he is able to handle all the attention that is coming toward him,” DeAntona said. “I’m a big believer in staying humble, and his family is too and they appreciate the opportunities that come with hard work.”

What they see

First and foremost, the 17-year-old’s size jumps out to recruiters.

At 6-7 and 295 pounds Shrive is the prototypical college offensive tackle. He’s got the height with good arm length that college coaches crave, and he has room to build and put weight onto his frame.

“He’s a big guy, who is an athletic player,” Alkire said. “I think he’s a right tackle prospect. He’s got quick feet and is a mobile kid.

“He really has the skill to play on either side of the ball.”

According to Mike Farrell, who is in his 10th year as a national analyst for Rivals.com, in this era of college football, the range for a prospective linemen’s height is between 6 feet 5 inches to 6 feet 8 inches or better. They must have long arms for leverage. And most want the tackles to be “light” or at a weight where they can run, be mobile and have room to grow.

“Right now, somebody has confirmed his size,” Farrell said. “He’s at 295. That projects out to be around 320 after two or three years in a college weight program. So he’s right where he needs to be.”

Second and sometimes the first thing scouts look at, a lineman must have good agility and footwork. On the clock, Shrive timed at 5.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

Recruiters will study hours of film breaking down the intricacies of blocking, analyzing techniques.

“I try to see how they move their feet,” Alkire said. “Most high school players do not keep their feet under their bodies, and Eric does that. They will take pivot steps. Eric also has really quick feet.”

Because Shrive is so big and overpowering his run blocking has been rated very high. His pass blocking, while solid, is not polished and will need to get better, according to Farrell based on what he’s seen on film.

“Eric has got great leg drive,” Farrell said. “He gets low for a kid 6-7. He’s very powerful and is moving people backward. He blocks to the whistle. In pass protection you look to see if he is engaging the defender or if the defender is engaging him. Does he use his arms well.

“We still need to see a lot more of him doing that.”

Finally, a player’s aggression is a key component to being a top prospect.

Playing at West Scranton, which prides itself on playing physical football, especially along the line of scrimmage, has served Shrive well in his development.

“You can see on the film he’s an aggressive kid,” Farrell said. “He plays with a defender’s mentality on offense. He goes after his assignment, will continue on and look for his second block.

“In space, he moves real well and can take on smaller players.”

Currently, Scout.com has Shrive rated as the No. 3 offensive line recruit in the Class of 2009. He’s the 18th ranked prospect overall.

“It’s rare to see a kid like Eric because with his size they tend to be heavy legged, straight up, using size to overpower people,” Alkire said. “Eric has good knee bend and a good punch. He finishes his blocks 20-30 yards down field. He has that nastiness. And he’s a mature kid.”

In the first ranking by Rivals.com, Shrive came in at No. 87 among the Top 100. That’s a number that could change dramatically.

“The more you watch him on film and you study him he’s moving up,” Farrell said.

What’s ahead

Scholarship offers are continuing to come into the West Scranton football office.

With so many opportunities to play college football, Shrive is making time for unofficial visits to as many schools as he can.

Last week, he traveled north to Syracuse and attended a men’s basketball game against Marquette.

In March, his schedule is booked solid. He and his family will be in Florida to see his brother Jason, who is a student at Stetson University College of Law. While there, he plans on going to Florida and Miami.

There will be a trip to Illinois in April and Pittsburgh, Penn State, Connecticut and Boston College soon after.

Right now, he’s focused on maintaining his 3.0 grade-point-average, knowing the importance of his education because he plans to study business when he gets to college.

“That’s important, too,” Alkire said. “How does he do academically? Recruiters don’t want to bring a kid into a program who isn’t a good kid.”

And Shrive will continue to work toward improving his strength and skills as he gets ready for the 2008 season with the Invaders.

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3/17

From CaneSport...visiting his brother in Tampa this week and will visit Coral Gables and Gainesville while he down there.

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3/19

From the Florida site...Eric's coach talks about what makes him such a special talent and how he is helping Eric through this process.