College Football Recruiting: Don Bosco Is Once Again Loaded with Star Seniors

When people think of high school football, most probably think of the sport’s hot spots in states like Texas, Florida and Pennsylvania. However, one of the nation’s current preeminent programs just so happens to be nestled up in the hills of Ramsey, New Jersey.

The Don Bosco Prep Ironmen aren’t a high school football team, they're a high school football machine.

The Ironmen have been New Jersey’s most powerful and dominant team for nearly a decade, routinely dominating all challengers and racking up seven state championships since 2002.

Don Bosco has so far surpassed the rest of the competition in their home state that the team now routinely crosses state lines to take on some of the nation’s top high school teams from all around the country.

Whether it be California powerhouse De La Salle or Alabama’s Prattville High School, located over 1,000 miles away, it doesn’t matter. The boys from Bergen welcome all takers.

So how has legendary coach Greg Toal kept his program so consistently great for so long?

It’s no secret; Toal gets the best athletes in the area.

Don Bosco, a private catholic school, can recruit and harvest talent from New Jersey, New York and even Connecticut.

Coach Toal brings the best young athletes through the doors, then he sticks him in the weight room, molds them into men and churns out a bunch of highly touted college football prospects year in and year out like clockwork.

The Ironmen have a storied history of sending players to big-time football schools, especially since Toal took over.

In fact, it was coach Toal’s son Brian, an Army All-American, who was the school’s biggest recruit of all time and one of the best New Jersey has ever produced.

This year, the Ironmen have five seniors who are guaranteed to catch the eye of the college football’s top programs.

The star of the show is Darius Hamilton.

The 6’4’’, 245 lb. Hamilton is one of the top defensive end prospects in the country.

Already rated as a 5-star recruit by both Scout and Rivals, Hamilton has drawn offers from the likes of Florida, Michigan, Miami, Penn State and Oregon.

The son of former New York Giant Keith Hamilton racked up 63 tackles and 13 sacks last season.

Joining Hamilton on defense will be fellow star prospect Elijah Shumate.

Shumate lines up at outside linebacker for Don Bosco, but his future seems to be at safety in college.

The 6’1’’, 205 lb. senior is a physical player who takes pride in taking down opposing ball carriers.

Shumate finished the 2010 season with 65 tackles and five sacks.

There won’t just be the one star in the secondary this season.

CB Yuri Wright is a defensive playmaker who has schools from around the country interested in his services.

The 6’2’’, 180 lb. corner intercepted six passes and registered 45 tackles in 2010.

Wright has offers from Alabama, Michigan, Notre Dame and USC.

Hamilton, Shumate and Wright will be the leaders of a defense which will be counted on to be stout as the offense deals with the growing pains of breaking in departed star QB Gary Nova’s replacement.

One player who will miss Gary Nova the most this season is WR Leonte Carroo.

Carroo, like his highly touted defensive teammates, has garnered interest from some major college football heavyweights like Notre Dame, Michigan and Miami.

The 6’1’’, 205 lb. receiver is one of the fastest players in New Jersey, and his speed is what separates him from every other receiver prospect in the state.

Carroo caught 49 passes for over 1,100 yards and 18 TDs last season.

The last of the five big Bosco names is LB Mike Strizak.

Strizak doesn’t have the same kind of national notoriety as his four counterparts, but what he does have is offers from legitimate schools such as Boston College, Rutgers, Pittsburgh, and Illinois.

The 6’2’’, 225 lb. Strizak has the instincts and awareness to be a solid middle linebacker at the next level.

With those five talented recruits and a roster full of talent, Don Bosco should have a great chance to keep their King of New Jersey crown for another year.

One thing's for sure, Bosco should have no attendance issues this season. There will be plenty of scouts and recruiters to fill up the stands on game night.