Commit #7 - Aaron Mclean

[BNich]

All I know is this: If you have a 6'6" WR with ANY wheels whatsoever, you are going to have a successful offensive player. The level of success will depend on the level of wheels. Keep in mind that he will be going up against defensive backs that are a half-foot shorter...

EDIT: Also, you've gotta figure that this kid has the hands if he's a hoops player too. Just sayin'...

I think of Dorial Green-Beckham for one (first 6'6" WR that comes to mind) RU had a WR as well. There have been plenty of tall WR's with adequate speed that have been successful. He looks like he has plenty of room to fill out and add muscle. Don't be surprised if he is a pass catching tight end/WR down the road. I mentioned Fuchs in the same post in another thread I believe. A lot of similarities.

 

[Skiblets]

The vibe around this program has been completely transformed. We may not see it on the field this year but watch out in the fall of 2015. Oh and one more thing Hathaway and Pasqualoni

 

[tjhusky]

From St. Marks website:

Fifth Former Aaron McLean was named to the All-New England Class C football team. This is a rare honor for a St. Marker—McLean is only the second SM player so recognized over the last decade—and especially so for a junior. McLean led St. Mark’s in receiving this year and he led the entire ISL in touchdown receptions with 10, earning All-ISL status.​

In Bob we trust.

 

[Sportsman5]

From personal experience I can tell you that there are a ton of high major d1 athletes that don't get offered by any of the big boy schools. In fact there are a ton of athletes who could play in the NFL that don't even play in college because they go to small high schools and no one identifies their raw potential early enough. I've seen kids side by side with 4 star athletes rated by the sites who have as much potential to be star players but don't play d1. The key is finding athletes who haven't lifted consistently or been coached by top high school coaches. They can make massive progress as a redshirt freshman.

 

[UConnJim]

From personal experience I can tell you that there are a ton of high major d1 athletes that don't get offered by any of the big boy schools. In fact there are a ton of athletes who could play in the NFL that don't even play in college because they go to small high schools and no one identifies their raw potential early enough. I've seen kids side by side with 4 star athletes rated by the sites who have as much potential to be star players but don't play d1. The key is finding athletes who haven't lifted consistently or been coached by top high school coaches. They can make massive progress as a redshirt freshman.

It's called Northeast football. Kids in the Northeast don't focus on football like they do in other parts of the country. In places like Texas and Florida, you find developed athletes who have been focusing on football and are ready to step in and play Division 1 football. But, their upside is pretty limited as they have been developed. These types of kids are few and far between in the Northeast. That's why you see kids like Kendall Reyes, Scott Lutrus, Ryan Griffin, Donald Thomas... blossom in college as they train and get top coaching.

Developing tall and big framed athletes is the best strategy for UConn football and I am a believer in Diaco's strategy. I also expect Diaco to bring in a couple of developed athletes per year who are ready to step in and play.

 

[noeynox]

It's called Northeast football. Kids in the Northeast don't focus on football like they do in other parts of the country. In places like Texas and Florida, you find developed athletes who have been focusing on football and are ready to step in and play Division 1 football. But, their upside is pretty limited as they have been developed. These types of kids are few and far between in the Northeast. That's why you see kids like Kendall Reyes, Scott Lutrus, Ryan Griffin, Donald Thomas... blossom in college as they train and get top coaching.

Developing tall and big framed athletes is the best strategy for UConn football and I am a believer in Diaco's strategy. I also expect Diaco to bring in a couple of developed athletes per year who are ready to step in and play.

This is starting to change though. Your starting to see full year conditioning for football at the HS and youth level in CT. I expect to see FBS prospects to increase into the high teens low twenties in about dozen years or so.

 

[UConnJim]

This is starting to change though. Your starting to see full year conditioning for football at the HS and youth level in CT. I expect to see FBS prospects to increase into the high teens low twenties in about dozen years or so.

I'm not so sure about that. I live in the Northeast and kids play other sports like hockey and basketball in the winter and lacrosse and baseball in the spring. In Texas and Florida, there are many kids that just focus on football. And spring football in the South is a sport.

If a guy like Jeff Adrien lived in Texas, he probably would have been a defensive end. Ben Gordon would have been a defensive back. The Northeast develops plenty of athletes, but they are not generally focused on football.

 

[jdb50]

Welcome to another Hungry Husky. If this trend keeps up there is going to be hell to pay for 5'11" guys with 18" verticals in pick up games at Guyer Gym.

 

[Dooley]

LOVE this class! Diaco is doing what we should have been doing for years: hire a top strength coach and take advantage of our on-campus facility. By the time these 6'4" and taller frames are upper classmen, they are going to have the builds of NFL players. Welcome aboard Aaron!

 

[uconnfan68]

That actually is a recipe for disaster.

Which? Dressing for the next level, or recruiting for the level you're stuck on?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

What's that? Make sure the head coach boards the same plane as the players on the way home?

Hey, Sweet Lou Marinelli, aren't you the guy who always lectures people about moving forward and not dwelling on the past? Does that only apply to your buddies Paul & George?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Diaco has been around major and second tier and mid-major programs enough to judge talent for each, I would hope. If he is giving an offer early, he has to think that the player is able to contribute and play at a level that can make his program successful. Edsall's best classes, like 2004, had lots of early commits even if they were from kids that ended up not getting other offers. Edsall's classes ended up struggling on the field if he got to the fall with only 4-5 commitments.

 

[Pudge]

Like UConnJim and cttxus, I also like what Diaco's doing. He's a realist. I think he found out quick he can't wave a Notre Dame magic wand around and get recruits. He's come to a realization of the place this program is in, the conference we are in and the perception of our team to recruits.

I have a feeling at first he was a bit jarred by reality but now he and his staff came up with a new gameplan - a halftime adjustment if you will - to go aggressively after guys quickly who have character and size and pairing these kids with this new strength guru and a coaching staff he believes in.

THAT is how he intends on getting the hottie on Prom night. Not by asking the hottie when she's a senior and she can a pick of the litter, but going after the girl no one thinks twice about but has a lot of potential to grow into hottie-ness while they're both freshmen.

I like our odds better of him landing the possible freshman hottie than the current senior hottie.

I just don't think this is the way it is. You all are putting too much thought into this. In Sales, YOU have opportunities. Sure ... it's not Notre Dame; but, truly few Programs can recruit like Notre Dame. Iowa? Virginia? Cincinnati? Do you really have any notion that we aren't looking at that type of kid ... in our footprint?

As Edsall proved, we need to reach and develop more than the next Program. We do need to go hard into Florida and Georgia. Edsall never quite got NJ; but, HE did have a ton from PA. I think Diaco will go both. And I say ... keep mining Eastern Canada.

MY view: we have a solid accomplished staff for recruiting. Talented. Diaco knew what he was doing & that is the start of getting good kids. Assembling the staff.

 

[uconndogs]

The insinuation from some is that Diaco came here thinking that recruiting at UCONN would be akin to doing so at ND. God help us if that was the case, because that would make him more of an idiot than his predecessor by quite a long margin. The guys is not stupid and I think he's going about things much the way Edsall did trying to latch onto kids that are really athletic and before they get onto everyone's radar. Again, we won't know until the kids hit the field and the recruiting sites know just a little more than jack .

 

[UCFBfan]

I like what Diaco is doing. However, with the way recruiting goes, if one of these kids blows up their senior season, Diaco's biggest test will be being able to keep them committed when a SEC or B1G program comes sniffing. I keep thinking about A. Hernandez and how that all changed. This is why I don't bother with recruiting. It's too fluid and can change immediately. Diaco's biggest task will be keeping these kids committed should they have big senior seasons and bigger programs take note.

 

[weyuo]

Hey, Sweet Lou Marinelli, aren't you the guy who always lectures people about moving forward and not dwelling on the past? Does that only apply to your buddies Paul & George?

Your right. Touche. I was trying to be funny about it but time to bury the hatchet and move forward. I liked Edsall up till the last season or two where it seemed he was only going to be able to bring the horse near the water. I'm kinda liking what Diaco has been doing so far. Engaging the masses, spreading the UConn Football word better than the past two head coaches. Getting kids to verbally commit before August. The kids might not be household names but neither was Donald Brown and he went pro. And...was happy to see Diaco able to corral Arkeel Newsome(I have a gut feeling by the time he's a junior he may be the next Donald Brown, just a step better), move Knappe to the O-line(where I thought he would fit or help the team better), weed out some of the bad apples and retain O-line coach Foley. Now if he can only convince Warde to put pressure on the uniform makers to replace that cartoonish looking helmet and eventually get some of our old Big East foes(Pitt, Cuse, WVU, BC) on the non conference schedule.

 

[Srqhusky]

2star recruit + coach balis edge training = 6 star nfl ready prospect

 

[Bonehead]

What's that? Make sure the head coach boards the same plane as the players on the way home?

Wish PP hadn't many a day - some coaches are smart and some are dumb.

 

[BNich]

This thread got out of hand quickly. Welcome aboard Aaron!!

 

[huskymedic]

Aaron Mclean ‏@AaronMcLean_15 5m
Officially committed to play football at #UCONN next year!

Aaron McLean (WR/FS) - St Mark's High School, Southborough, MA St Mark's High School

6'6" 205 lbs. Certainly keeping up with the big theme.

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1634185/aaron-mclean

St. Mark's McLean emerging as a special talent
http://espn.go.com/blog/boston/high.../st-marks-mclean-emerging-as-a-special-talent

>> With his attention on football, McLean began to emerge as one of Mass. top recruits; currently, he is ranked the No. 11 recruit in Massachusetts by ESPN. He drew attention from schools such as Boston College, Harvard and Yale and received offers, in addition to UConn, from Holy Cross and Bryant. But with the 2014 season quickly approaching, McLean opted to give his verbal commit early to ensure a scholarship and not worry about the possibility of schools offering other players.

“UConn had been my top school and I didn’t want to wait on it,” explained McLean on the decision to verbally commit early. “Some schools I talked to in the Ivy League, if I waited too long to make my commitment they could offer my scholarship to another player. So I just felt it made the most sense to commit to my number one and take the stress off heading into my senior season.”<<

>>Although it’s not clear what position UConn will line him up at on offense, one thing’s for sure, McLean is just excited for the opportunity that lies ahead but also looking forward to playing with his St. Mark’s teammates for one last season. “I’ve been told I could be playing anywhere from tight end to any of the wide receiver positions,” explained McLean, who also plays defensive back at St. Mark’s.”<<