Read a great article written by Pat Harty in The Des Moines Sunday Register what veteran recruiting analyst Tom Lemming had to say about Jack Beneventi.
High school quarterback Jack Beneventi annouced his verbal committment to the Iowa football team on Twitter late Thursday night.
His decision came as no surprise to veteran recruiting analyst Tom Lemming.
Lemming had a feeling that Beneventi was close to committing to Iowa on Wednesday night when Beneventi didn't attend Lemming's 2013 National Collegiate Scouting Association All-Area Underclassmen Banquet @ Soldier Field in Chicago. The banquet features the top 35 juniors from the Chicagoland area, and Beneventi was the only junior who didn't attend.
Beneventi had narrowed his choices to Iowa and Illinois, and Lemming figured that Beneventi's absence from the banquet wasn't a good sign for the Illini, because Illinois coach Tim Beckman was the featured speaker at the event.
Lemming has been evaluating Beneventi since his freshman season, and he described Beneventi as the perfect fit for Iowa's pro-style offense.
"He's got a golden arm, and Iowa is one of the perfect schools for him because they have a pro-style offense and Jack wanted to go (play in that type of offense)," said Lemming, who lives near Chicago. "He's not a runner. You'll see that on film. But he's got the arm strength and the release and the smarts and the poise to be an outstanding pro-style quarterback."
Lemming said Iowa still benefits in recruiting by sticking with a pro-style offense at a time when many Football Bowl Subdivision teams are using spread offenses.
"A lot of the quarterbacks in high school want to go to pro-style offenses," said Lemming, who has worked as a college football recruiting analyst since the late 1970s. "A lot of the players do; offensive tackles, tight ends and fullbacks. And I think it's smart when you stay with pro-style offense like Iowa has.
"Other spread offensive guys really can't if the kid wants to make it to the NFL."
Lemming said Beneventi's slender frame is similar to NFL quarterbacks Tom Brady and Peyton Manning.
"I'm not saying he's better than them," Lemming said, "but he's built just like those two guys were coming out of high school."
Very interesting insight from someone who does this for a living.