According to Adam Gorney of Rivals, OL Cody O'Connell has become the newest addition to the Class of 2013.
#WashingtonState has landed a pledge from Wenatchee, Wash lineman Cody O'Connell.
— Adam Gorney (@adamgorney) May 7, 2012
The first thing you notice when looking at O'Connell is OH MY GOD HE IS HUGE. Scout lists him at 6'8, 350 lbs, and Rivals at 6'8, 340. So ... yeah. This kid is basically the Incredible Hulk. If you're going to gamble on a kid from a small school, do it on one who is basically Andre the Giant.
Wenatchee is 4A? When in the world did this happen? For some reason I thought they were 2A. Wow.
O'Connell played both OG and OT, but he projects more outside at LT than inside at guard. He is absolutely massive and the type of OL Mike Leach loves to recruit with those wide splits. There isn't a ton of video on him right now, but what little there is can be seen here. Sorry I can't embed it. Blame Hudl.
O'Connell is really, really strong, which is to be expected. He has good hands and is able to stay on his feet while blocking (a lot of big guys will just fall on someone). This is important because it allows him to disengage and block another defender. I think he still has things to learn from a technique standpoint because when you're 6'8 and 350 pounds in HS, you don't need technique. That's not to say he has poor technique, just that it's something he can improve. He has the one thing you can't teach, though: size.
Seriously, I can't get over the fact that he's 6'8, 350. That's enormous. I could not be more excited than I am right now based on size alone. [Insert joke here.]
Scout hasn't rated O'Connell yet, but Rivals lists him as a 3 star prospect. I expect Scout to rate him the same when they update their rankings next. Leach getting in on this kid early is a great thing. If we waited until the season started, I think he winds up at Wisconsin. Very nice get by Leach and staff.
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