Wednesday, June 10, 2015

Big Green Haul

Through 12 rounds of the MLB Draft, not one Ivy player has been chosen. I am already seeing a lot of players picked who could not start for the 2015 Lions. My only guess is that Ivy players don't get drafted high because they have a lot of very good employment options and may not be worth the risk. 

Stay tuned to see if some the stellar Columbia players do get drafted later today. 

UPDATE: Penn's Austin Bossart has become the first Ivy Leaguer chosen. The Phillies took him in the 14th round. Harvard's Tanner Anderson has been picked by the Pirates in the 20th round.

SECOND UPDATE: Jordan Serena, Gus Craig, and George Thanopoulos, were all drafted in the final rounds late yesterday. I don't expect the junior Thanopoulos to leave school, so he may be drafted again in a year.  



Jackson Perry



Recruiting Looks Resume


I'm resuming my overall assessment at the other Ivy schools' football recruiting classes today with a look at Dartmouth's class of 2019.

I had some help on this list from some Big Green fans, but I didn't need any help singling out DT Jackson Perry for the top of it. Perry is one of those rare 270+-pound defenders in the Ivies. He also comes from a high school power, Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. Perry had been committed to Vanderbilt before he switched to Dartmouth.

 I like what I see from QB Vito Penza, who had some decent mid-major offers and has good size. 

Linebackers Jack Traynor and Jake Moen look the real deal at their positions. Traynor comes from a very strong football program in the Chicago area. 

WR Dylan Mellor from the DC area had offers from just about every other Ivy and a strong look from Duke. 

I also really like DE Jimmy McHugh from Moorestown, NJ. He's big and fast for an Ivy defensive end.

I'd keep an eye on RB Miles Smith both because Dartmouth has recruited this position extremely well over the past decade and because he comes from the same HS as Lion RB great Marcorus Garrett '14.

Also an Air Force transfer WR named Emanuel Soto is coming to Hanover this year, but he won't be eligible to play until NEXT year. 

You might also have noticed a familiar name in the Dartmouth mix. It's Harry Kraft, grandson of Columbia football alum, New England Patriot owner, and Kraft Field namesake Robert Kraft. I don't know exactly why he chose Dartmouth, but I am fairly certain that the previous coaching regime did not recruit him at all. Of course, I don't think the younger Kraft will be a factor in this league, but you never know. 

5 comments:

Coach said...

The top Ivy Football schools pick off players from top D1 schools- you just mentioned Dartmouth out recruiting Vandy. Where does Columbia ? I know they signed some decent looking transfers. Are we getting some D1 kids out of high school?

oldlion said...

I actually think it is a good thing that Mr. Kraft is not going to Columbia, unless of course he turns out to be the next Doug Flutie.

RLB said...

Serena (Angels), Craig (Seattle) and Thanopoulos (Mets) were drafted on the last day.

alawicius said...

Wouldn't that be something if someday Craig and Pizzano form two thirds of the Mariners' outfield!

Anonymous said...

A big difference between NFL and MLB drafting is there is little room for development in the NFL. They want players to be game ready. There is a practice squad but it is lousy pay by comparison. Either you have the goods or you don't make the team. Pro baseball cultivates their talent, sometimes over years. Unless you are that good to be an immediate impact player, a baseball draftee can expect to toil in the minor leagues for who knows how long. Most Ivy grads don't fit that profile.