'08 IL OL Graham Pocic (Illinois Verbal)

[Irish Envy]

Grant Pocic (6'7"/300lbs)
Lemont High School (Lemont, IL)

Schools of Interest:
Notre Dame
Illinois (Solid Verbal)
Iowa
Northwestern
Michigan
Indiana
Wisconsin
Vandy
Florida St.

Local Press:

Combine
Forty: 5.4
Bench Reps: 14
Bench Max: 320
Squat Max: 440
Shuttle: 5.2
Vertical: 28"

Star Ratings
Rivals:
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Statistics
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2007 - NA

Rankings & Accolades
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2007 - Rivals 250 to Watch

Multimedia & Resource Links

 

[Irish Envy]

Graham Pocic

 

[jiggafini19]

Got his first offer from Illinois.

Teammate of the Nagels and of Michigan bound center David Molk.

He's about 6-7/300 these days.

 

[jiggafini19]

Grew up an ND fan. Name is pronounced Poe-sic.

Lots of Big Ten interest here.

 

[jiggafini19]

IU has offered, scUM is taking a long look at tape.

 

[jiggafini19]

His list of offers includes Tennessee, Florida State, Penn State, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Duke, NU and Vandy have offered as well, thus leading me to believe grades are not an issue.

Guess who his favorite school was growing up?

 

[Irishknight1023]

THEN WHATS THE HOLDUP!? given how badly we're sitting with the remaining O-lineman this year this seems like a no brainer.

 

[IrishCalves]

First, while we've missed on a lot of guys, its still very early. If he's physically not what they want (quickness, strength, whatever), then they're justified in waiting. This is their job, not ours. We're only looking to bring in two more guys, and wouldn't want to hurt our odds with the guys we offered before him. IMO, I think we're starting to look for things to complain about at this point. I hear a lot of people squawking about guys that are probably Plan B options. We've got 10 commits, lets not do the lemming dance (and I don't mean Tom). But most importantly, ITS STILL EARLY.

Second, I live about 10-20 minutes away from Lemont. If I get a chance, I'll scope the guy out for y'all later this coming fall.

 

[marv81s]

the way I see it, if he is a good enough o-lineman for a school like Wisc, Florida St, Penn St and Tenn to offer, then he should be physical enough for ND

 

[jiggafini19]

I agree with all three of you to some degree.

Jon Major is an awesome player, but ND likes a lot of LB more and they all fit the scheme better. The staff knows best.

Lane Clelland 6-5/265/- Owings Mills, MD
Art Forst 6-8/288/5.4 Manasquan, NJ
Khaled Holmes 6-4/301/- Santa Ana (CA) Mater Dei
Kyle Long 6-7/280/5 Charlottesville, VA
Kenneth Page 6-4/272/5.2 Columbia, SC
Matt Patchan 6-6/247/4.7 Seffner (FL) Armwood

If they don't land both Clelland and Forst, who they probably have the best shot at right now, they might need to consider new options.

I think the Page kid is a good one, but he's got to visit first. Based on that feedback, we'll know where we're at. Lewis and Latina will be his contacts, which bodes well. Holmes is heavy SC, Long is looking at FSU, OSU or MLB, Patchan smells like Hurricane.

Pocic is a Bartley Webb/Taylor Dever type of prospect. Won't be less than three stars. He works very hard and was impressive as a sophomore against older, more physical D Linemen. Size and frame can't be taught, but he can because he is coachable and wants to get better physically and fundamentally. There is "upside" here, and while I hate that term, it is football speak.

Most likely the best O Lineman in Illinois.

 

[Irishknight1023]

Good points Jigga, but i think we can say bye bye to Forst for now because even after a spring game visit he declared the next day that Rutgers is his leader and that if he had to sign to somewhere toady it would be at Rutgers. Living in the area it's pretty much a foregone conclusion he's going to Rutgers. That being said it looks like Clleland and the guy from Georgia are the only ones we have a "shot" at right now. Throwing out another offer wouldn't burn any bridges but not offering might burn our own. But again its the coaches call and i just want to see action.

 

[jiggafini19]

Out of all these guys, I can only fathom Clelland and Page as being remotely possible right now.

Too bad. All of the stud O Linemen are either at Ohio State or Nebraska.

Hopefully ND can snag two more quality guys and finish it off.

 

[Irishknight1023]

Has us in his top five and was a fan growing up. We're the only team not to offer in his top 5....I've wanted him to get an offer for a long time and he has an impressive offer list, but we can hold out for the best of the best I guess....I'd still lock him up now, but thats just me.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=2&c=642770

 

[GoshenGipper]

Excluding ND the rest of his favorites include Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Florida State, and Florida. Plus he also has offers from Penn State, Tennessee, and BC.

 

[irishunclebill]

New Scout story on Pocic, this time from the Irish Eyes perspective. Pocic apparently told the ND staff that in order for him to consider ND, that he would have to receive an offer before the end of the month, and Pocic said he did not think ND had a problem with that.

The story is free, but because it is an Irish Eyes article may not stay that way for long.

http://notredame.scout.com/2/643223.html

 

[irishunclebill]

If what Pocic is saying is correct, it would confirm that if ND does not get a commit from Forst or Page by the end of May, that they will start looking for other OL, most probably starting with Pocic.

With so few slots left at certain positions like the OL, it appears that the philosophy of "If they are looking, we are looking" is going to apply to certain offers as well. Guys like Forst and Filer who may or may not be Irish leans may find themselves left out in the cold if they wait too long to decide whether they really want to come to South Bend.

 

[irishunclebill]

I see that they already took the whole story down.

 

[irishlaw77]

I guess that's what happens when you have a commodity that everyone wants in on, but what a shift from past years to have kids left out in the cold when they haven't played a snap in their senior season yet. This must be what Mack Brown feels like.

 

[gallup21]

http://recruitsni.blogspot.com/2007/05/graham-pocic-interview.html

Interview i did tonight w/him...very nice and helpful guy. After talking to him, hes definitely got the character and attitude Weis wants. But i havent seen any tape, so we'll have to see how things pan out.

 

[Jason Pham]

Great stuff, Nick. Keep it up! On a side note, I haven't talked to you for a while? What have you been up to? Find me on AIM.

 

[Axl Rose]

I really hope we offer this kid, hes got offers from Tennesse, PSU, Florida, Florida State, Michigan, and most importantly Iowa and Wisconsin. Iowa and Wisconsin are OL U, if they like a kid then the chances are hes pretty good.

 

[gallup21]

Great stuff, Nick. Keep it up! On a side note, I haven't talked to you for a while? What have you been up to? Find me on AIM.

Just IMed you, ill be up for a while doing hw so just IM me when you're back

 

[jiggafini19]

At the Maine South QB 1 Camp, Pocic was said to have handled Goebel pretty well but Fleming was a bit quick.

One one one drills.

 

[Irishknight1023]

Gallup21 has reported that Pocic told Ianello on Sunday night that if ND is going to offer him that they have to do it by this Friday, or he won't be considering us. This is my favorite OL recruit left so I'm hoping he gets an offer and I think he will.

 

[GoIrish41]

Gallup21 has reported that Pocic told Ianello on Sunday night that if ND is going to offer him that they have to do it by this Friday, or he won't be considering us. This is my favorite OL recruit left so I'm hoping he gets an offer and I think he will.

Pocic appears to be playing hard ball. Good for him. I hope CW offers him.

 

[irishunclebill]

Pocic appears to be playing hard ball. Good for him. I hope CW offers him.

I respectfully disagree, bad for him. Pocic is obviously a great talent, but just as obviously, the ND staff considers him to be just a step below the guys already offered. Based on past history, I am sure that the coaching staff has made Pocic well aware of that. If he is in fact giving the ND staff a deadline of this Friday and he is serious about eliminating ND as a possibility if the deadline passes without an offer, then he is most likely not coming to ND if he expects them to respond to that type ultimatum. If the ultimatum is true, he also picked a bad week to make it, because there are reports that Art Forst is coming to visit campus this weekend. The status of Forst and Kenneth Page are the major hold-ups to Pocic getting an offer. If after Forst's visit, the staff feels like Forst is not an ND possibility, then Pocic has a good shot at getting an offer. If Forst decides to commit to ND this weekend, then Pocic would most likely not be offered anyway. Either way, the answer to that question will not be known by this Friday.

As a very talented, but nonetheless second level recruit for ND, if Pocic is really interested in the Irish, he will have to take the tact of other players in a similar position as him, like Brett Nagel.

 

[Jason Pham]

I respectfully disagree, bad for him. Pocic is obviously a great talent, but just as obviously, the ND staff considers him to be just a step below the guys already offered. Based on past history, I am sure that the coaching staff has made Pocic well aware of that. If he is in fact giving the ND staff a deadline of this Friday and he is serious about eliminating ND as a possibility if the deadline passes without an offer, then he is most likely not coming to ND if he expects them to respond to that type ultimatum. If the ultimatum is true, he also picked a bad week to make it, because there are reports that Art Forst is coming to visit campus this weekend. The status of Forst and Kenneth Page are the major hold-ups to Pocic getting an offer. If after Forst's visit, the staff feels like Forst is not an ND possibility, then Pocic has a good shot at getting an offer. If Forst decides to commit to ND this weekend, then Pocic would most likely not be offered anyway. Either way, the answer to that question will not be known by this Friday.

As a very talented, but nonetheless second level recruit for ND, if Pocic is really interested in the Irish, he will have to take the tact of other players in a similar position as him, like Brett Nagel.

I can't imagine how left out to dry guys like Pocic and Nagel would be if Meyer were here. Here's an offer that you can't do anything about until I say when.

 

[Irishknight1023]

This is a question from Michigan to Pocic in a free Scout article....


Are there any offers that you still want?

"No not really, I have all the ones I want."

---------He seems to be turned off by ND not offering and not offering early enough.



http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=2&c=646390

 

[Axl Rose]

This is a question from Michigan to Pocic in a free Scout article....


Are there any offers that you still want?

"No not really, I have all the ones I want."

---------He seems to be turned off by ND not offering and not offering early enough.



http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=2&c=646390

I thought he was a good prospect but I trust the coaching staffs opinion. Seems like its the last we'll be hearing of Pocic, but we hopefully land either Patchan or Frost. Or even offer Jimmy Bennet, hes a huge athletic PT who hasn't allowed a sack in 2 years.

 

[irishunclebill]

This is a question from Michigan to Pocic in a free Scout article....


Are there any offers that you still want?

"No not really, I have all the ones I want."

---------He seems to be turned off by ND not offering and not offering early enough.



http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=109&p=2&c=646390

Yeah, that is why he is supposedly pushing Ianello so hard for an offer. Excuse the dripping sarcasm, but I'll take Gallup's word any day over the crap posted by the GBW staff. They usually won't admit that someone is an ND recruit even after they verbally commit. How easy is it to omit this comment after the "No not really, I have all the ones I want." but, I sure would still like to get one from Notre Dame.

If Pocic is really turned off by ND not offering and not offering early enough that is his issue to deal with. He is just now being considered to be a top-flight OL recruit, and ND may be pushing Forst because they would like to give him an offer, but the priority is going to be the guys currently offered until they say they commit elsewhere or are not interested.