Welcome to the Fold: Andy Garcia

Today, Danny Hope snagged his 9th commitment for the Class of 2012. Andy Garcia, a three-star linebacker from Florida, decided to join the Boilers within in the last hour. Garcia had numerous offers, mainly from MAC-level schools, but had interest from a handful of power conference schools.

Listed at 6'0 and 210 pounds on his highlight tape, Garcia is close to college size already. His stats last season are eye-popping. Garcia had 111 tackles, 38 of them for a loss. He shows great ability getting to the quarterback, as he recorded 12 sacks. With a year left to grow and mature in high school, Garcia looks to be a force when he joins the Boilers next year.

In his video, he looks to possess good speed for a linebacker, probably in the 4.5 range. He also showed the ability to shed blocks to get to the football. He also played a little upback, and he hit the hole fast and efficiently. His ability in pass coverage looks ok, but it will have to be improved upon.

The best thing for Garcia is that he's coming to a program with a lot of linebacker depth. He could very well end up redshirting next year, which allows him to pack on more size. If he can keep his speed while getting a bigger, we look to have a fantastic prospect on our hands. His stock seems to be rising at the moment. Great job by Coach Hope and company getting Garcia to commit, and I can't wait to see him on the field at Purdue.