WELLSBURG, W.Va. — 6-foot-5, 225 pound Brooke High School receiver Thomas Cole added to a growing list of instate D-I football commitments for the 2016 class with a recent pledge to Akron.
Cole, who finished his junior season with 819 yards and seven touchdowns on 58 catches, projects to play at tight-end for the Zips.
“Right now, they run more of a pro-style offense with the tight-end on the line because they don’t have a
whole lot of athletic tight-ends right now,” Cole said. “With me being athletic, they said they can split me out a little bit more and I really wanted to go to a program that could do that, setting up a mismatch with linebackers.”
The recruiting process picked up for Cole this past winter after initially not receiving a whole lot of D-I looks. Some of his other eventual offers included Albany, Air Force and VMI.
It was Akron and head coach Terry Bowden, though, who showed interest first.
“I went up for their spring game and saw their campus, their weight room,” Cole said. “They offered my after that, and told me to let them know when I was ready. I really felt like I could get to my full potential there.
“Coach Bowden is a great guy and I can already tell that he’s going to help me (progress),” he continued. “I know he’s a man of God and I really like that. I feel like I can really connect with him and that’s a major thing that you need to have with a head coach.”
Cole hopes to beat at 235-240 pounds going into Akron’s program next summer, before eventually adding on more weight to an eventual goal of 250 pounds.
“Physically, he’s what you’re looking for in a Division I football player,” said Brooke coach Mac McLean. “He’s not a thin kid – he’s strong and well built. He’s put up some pretty decent 40-times for his size, in the 4.6-4.7 range right now. Anyone who has seen him play basketball knows that he can go up and get it, too.”
Trying to build off of his junior year, Cole hopes to help get the Bruins back in playoff contention.
“For the team, I don’t want to go 3-7 again. That’s a major goal – we don’t want to let that happen,” he said. “For myself, I’m trying to get 20 touchdowns and 1,500 yards. I’m going to work hard in the off-season to help achieve that.”
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