Blue-Chip Linebacker Has Many Offers

It’s important to have a good head on your shoulders when you’re in such high demand. Fortunately for Jeremy Van Alstyne, he has just that.

The 6-foot-4, 240-pound all-star linebacker from Center Grove (Ind.) High School has been offered scholarships by every Big Ten school, with the exception of Michigan and Ohio State, as well as Boston College, Notre Dame and Colorado State, just to mention a few. But the pressures of choosing the right school shouldn’t be too difficult for Van Alstyne, who has a 3.6 GPA and 1050 on the SAT.

"I think I know what I want in a school," said Van Alstyne, who would like to major in business or education. "I’m looking for good team unity, education and playing time, in that order."

The biggest question now is when will he be able to make that decision. Van Alstyne told Gold & Black Illustrated this week that he’d like to make a choice before his season starts in mid-August. However, it could be difficult to fully judge team unity without being on campus for a game weekend.

Some recruiting analysts feel the Fighting Irish lead for Van Alstyne’s services, though he denies having a leader.

"I tried to stay neutral while growing up so I can’t say I like Purdue, IU or Notre Dame better than the other," he said.

Whichever school lands Van Alstyne will be getting one heckuva talent. He has tremendous size for a linebacker, as well as 4.7 speed, which helps when chasing the opposition down from sideline-to-sideline. As a junior, Van Alstyne registered 138 solo tackles and 11 sacks in helping lead his team to a 13-2 record. That performance has helped earn him a spot on Prep Football Report’s preseason top 100 list.

Van Alstyne also had a successful year on the wrestling mat, compiling a 33-3 record, including a semistate championship. It was late in the wrestling season that Van Alstyne received his first football scholarship offer, from the near-by Indiana Hoosiers.

There has been speculation that the Hoosiers have an edge, considering Van Alstyne’s coach played collegiately with Cam Cameron. Indiana is also the home of Van Alstyne’s older brother, who will be a sophomore this fall.

"I’ve talked to my brother about it and he said to go wherever I feel is best for me," Jeremy said. "He went so far as to say he’d come to Purdue games and root for me if I went there."

So do the Boilermakers have a chance at getting a commitment from Van Alstyne?

"I like Purdue, yeah," he said. "I went to the Nike Camp there and enjoyed myself. I think of Purdue as a program that is starting a new tradition of which lots of people can follow and be a part of. Coach Tiller has really turned things around there."