Inside Ohio State's Weekend Camp: Sam Coverdale Talks Recruits, Offers, Coaches

Sam Coverdale is an OT prospect out of Chagrin Falls, Ohio. At 6’7” and 280 lbs, Coverdale has much room to grow and add weight.  With offers from Harvard, Stanford, Yale and Cornell, Coverdale is more than a big brute—he also possesses a great mind. 

He was rumored to have an offer from Ohio State but committed to Northwestern shortly after camp. People also speculated that OSU told him there would be no offer.  Coverdale answered that question and also provided a glimpse into the Ohio State camp. 

You committed to Northwestern shortly after the OSU camp. Why did you commit so quickly? Did OSU tell you there would be no offer?

SC: OSU never said there would be no offer. I have been thinking a couple days before the OSU camp about committing to Northwestern.  I went to the camp to compete against the top talent and see how I fared, and I thought I did pretty well.  The coaches at Ohio State did not say to me that they would not offer, they said they liked what they saw and would get back to me. There is a possibility they could offer, but I am 100% Wildcat now. 

What was the camp like?

SC: I thought it was a lot of fun. I enjoy playing football. Wanted to see how I stood up against other guys; I felt I held my own against the top D-line and top O-line. I felt I competed favorably against the best.

Who in the camp impressed you the most?

SC: Lovell Peterson was very impressive at center.  There was a defensive tackle that was beating everyone, and Lovell Peterson pancaked him when they went up one-on-one.  Kyle Meadows also impressed me; he is very athletic. I remember a junior O-lineman, Jemarco Jones, was also impressive. I would not be surprised if they offered both Meadows and Peterson, both deserve it and worked hard and are really good players.

What did you learn about Ohio State and its coaching staff?

SC: I learned that they tried to usher in a new era of Ohio State football; they had a speech on core values. Coach Meyer talked about competitive excellence and turning over a brand new leaf with the camps. 

Were you hoping for an OSU offer?

SC: Yes, I wouldn’t say I would not want one, but it is fun to be an in-state guy to get an Ohio State offer. I went to camp as an underdog. At this point, an offer is not as important as it was a week ago.

What will your major be?

SC: Engineering. Not sure what type.

Why not Harvard, Stanford, or Yale—schools that also made offers to you?

SC: I think Northwestern is just as good and more of a fit thing.  I do not feel I will be smart enough to fit in at Harvard or Yale.  Stanford?  All the way in California and a five-hour plane ride is a little too long of a hike.  There is a big difference in distance from my home in Ohio. At Stanford, the depth chart looked deep, and I may have to wait till my junior season for playing time, but I feel I can play quicker at Northwestern. Four years of my life, I want to play as much as I can. Not that I will walk onto the Northwestern campus and start playing, I will have to work hard and earn playing time, but I felt I could play a little quicker if I went to Northwestern.

So if you had to predict who would get an offer based on camp, who would it be?

SC: That is a really tough question. Shawn Welsh did really well at OG, Kyle Meadows at offensive tackle really impressed, Lovell Peterson and junior Jemarco Jones.

Was Ed Warinner the only coach working with you during camp?

SC: No, there was a coach from Toledo, a coach from Bowling Green and Kirk Barton.

Thank you, Sam for taking time to give us a glimpse into the Ohio State camp. We look forward to seeing how you do at Northwestern and wish you the best four years.

Michael Chung is a Correspondent for Bleacher Report, Sports-at-Work and Silver Bullet. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials.