In-depth with DePalma

Wayne (N.J.) DePaul Catholic linebacker Vinny DePalma is one of BC's top 2018 targets, though the Eagles are still in the formative stages of evaluating and targeting junior recruits.

The seniors might be in focus between now and February 1st, but DePalma knows he's a priority recruit for the Eagles.

The 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker from the Garden State already has offers from Boston College, Rutgers and Pitt with more sure to come.

DePalma told Eagle Action early this week that Duke is also very interested. He camped and visited both Duke and Wake Forest over a weekend in the summer and the coaching staffs at both schools told DePalma they were impressed with his film. DePalma is also expecting a lot of coaches from different schools to stop by DePaul Catholic after the dead period.

Pitt was the first school to offer. That happens on November 28th, his brother's birthday. Boston College offered the very next day and Rutgers extended their verbal offer a week after that, early in December.

DePalma has been to Rutgers for a junior day but he hasn't been to Pitt. He has visited Boston College a couple of times. He was at the Heights once in the summer, for a camp with his team, but before that for spring football last year.

"I really like Boston College," DePalma said. "I like the school and the campus and I really like the coaches. I have a good relationship with the coaches, Coach (Steve) Addazio and Coach (Anthony) Campanile, who recruits North Jersey. I knew him when he was at Rutgers. I've known him for a long time and he's a great coach. He's a great guy to have a relationship with.

"When I was up there they told me I was one of their top guys," he said.

DePalma said he's "not a huge city guy" but he likes Boston and where BC's campus is positioned. He doesn't know any of the current players on BC's roster but he did know Shakim Phillips on at least some level, because he attended DePaul Catholic before bouncing around from UCONN to BC.

It has been a while since DePalma visited Rutgers but he said he enjoyed his time meeting the Knights and their then-new staff.

"I haven't really been down there much. They really want me to come down there again. When I talked to the coaches they said they really want me to come down a couple more times and start to build a relationship," he concluded.