Pat Flahrety was one of two OLine coaches at BCs pro day

Anthony Castonzo next in line for BC
Ready to tackle pro game
By Rich Thompson
Thursday, March 24, 2011 - Updated 11 hours ago

Boston College left tackle Anthony Castonzo had to play a year of prep school football to get noticed by Division 1 college recruiters.

Four years later, the player personnel guys in the NFL are coming to find him.

The 6-foot-7, 313-pound Castonzo commanded the most interest from the 20 NFL scouts and position coaches that gathered under the bubble at Alumni Stadium yesterday for Boston College’s annual pro day.

“I think it’s very ironic and it’s fun to look back on it and see how far I’ve come,” Castonzo said. “I take a lot of pride in that.”

Castonzo didn’t get even a sniff of a Div. 1 scholarship despite attaining All-Area honors at Lake Zurich High School in Illinois. He repackaged himself at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia and earned a scholarship from BC, a school known for producing NFL-ready offensive linemen.

“Out of high school I decided to go to prep school just to continue playing football,” Castonzo said. “I could have gone to college (anyway), but I wanted to go to college to continue playing football because of my passion for the game.

“I didn’t have any scholarships straight out of high school, but I knew I wanted to continue playing football.”

Castonzo started 10 games for BC at right tackle as a true freshman and shifted to the left side the following season. He started every game on the left side his junior and senior years and became an All-ACC first-team selection.

The experience he gained playing the most important position on the offensive line in a demanding collegiate conference enhanced Castonzo’s NFL credentials. There were eight former BC offensive linemen on NFL rosters going into last season and Castonzo wants to extend the tradition.

“I take a lot of pride in the fact that I’m not letting the older guys down,” Castonzo said. “I get the chance to be the next one to come out of BC and to live up to what they taught me.”

Castonzo went through several drills yesterday and received some practical instruction from Patriots [team stats] assistant Dante Scarnecchia and the Giants’ Pat Flaherty. Castonzo is projected to be a mid- to late- first-round pick in next month’s NFL draft.

“I’ve dreamed about that (draft) day for every day of my life,” he said. “I think I’ve worked myself to be in this position (first round) so I would not be surprised, but that’s up to the coaches and teams to decide.”

Castonzo was one of nine BC players and 39 overall from 17 New England schools auditioning yesterday. BC linebacker Mark Herzlich has been training with Castonzo in Florida. Herzlich was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, but missed the following season recovering from Ewing’s sarcoma.

Herzlich believes he answered all the health questions last season by starting 13 games and finishing third on the team with 65 tackles and four interceptions. He capped his college career with a trip to the Senior Bowl, but health issues remain a constant companion.

“It has been a long road and I don’t even think about it like that right now because it seems like so far in my past,” Herzlich said. “I’m only a year removed from treatments and such, but I’m excited to be where I am right now and I’m only going to get better.”

The 6-4, 238-pound Herzlich is a versatile linebacker and he believes he can adjust to the defensive schemes of the team that drafts him.

I am not real big fan of Castonzo, I really hope we don't draft him

I like Castonzo as a prospect. Him and Carimi are my two favorite OT prospects this year. Castonzo struggled a bit in the senior bowl but they played him at nearly every position on the line during that week. He could play either LG or LT in the pros.

This isn't a surprise though consider we generally like BC lineman. I also assume we paid attention to Herzlich.

Pizan wrote:I like Castonzo as a prospect. Him and Carimi are my two favorite OT prospects this year. Castonzo struggled a bit in the senior bowl but they played him at nearly every position on the line during that week. He could play either LG or LT in the pros.

This isn't a surprise though consider we generally like BC lineman. I also assume we paid attention to Herzlich.

We likely did pay attention to Herzlich as well, although we didn't send Jim Hermann along to run drills.

It should be no surprise we sent Flahrety considering the strong ties the Giants and Coughlin have at BC.

I have no issue with Castonzo as a prospect, I think he could play either tackle spot or LG.

I think it is fair to say that Castonzo is very much in the draft picture for both NYG and the Pats.