BROTHER RICE SENIOR READIES FOR CHANCE TO LIVE UP TO FAMILY NAME

The pedigree is perfect. The stage is set. Now, all Birmingham Brother Rice senior football stud, Conor Hart has to do is show up on the field this fall and fill his rightful place in his family's pantheon of gridiron greats. No easy task for sure. However, make no doubt, Hart, a big and fast tight end/defensive end prospect is sure to be ready to produce.  CAN U SAY BREAKOUT YEAR? If u believe your boy Burney that is exactly what is going to happen! Take it to the bank!

After doing his work quietly in the background for the Warriors the past two seasons, this 6-feet-4 inch 250 pound menace is set to be a featured part of both the team's offense and defense this year.  On offense he will be catching the ball across the middle from quarterback Tyler Lendzion, who like Hart himself is in the midst of an extremely productive and improvement-filled summer. His speed – he is an all-conference runner during track and field season in the spring clocked as fast as 4.5 in the 40 – will also allow the Rice staff to send him on fly routes, a very pleasant, yet very rare facet of any prep tight end's game. On defense, he will provide the upfront pass rush on Rice's 'D line alongside fellow DI recruit Levi Richards. Last season, Hart collected 7 sacks and 73 total tackles playing defensive end, the position he projects to be at the college level right now.

This kid's genes alone tell you he's going to be a keeper in the college ranks. Leon Hart, Conor's grandfather won the Heisman Trophy in 1949 at Notre Dame before going onto an all-pro NFL career with the Detroit Lions. Kevin Hart, Conor's dad, also played at Notre Dame (as did his older brother Brendan) and was a member of the Fighting Irish's 1977 National Championship squad.

The unfortunate lack of exposure of Conor's talents earlier in his prep career has translated into the majors of the recruiting game failing to come flocking right away. He currently has offers from mid-majors Toledo, Central Michigan, Ball State, Buffalo, Colorado State and Miami (OH), but as of right now no offers from any major programs.  That said, he has significant interest from some of the Big Boys like MSU, Notre Dame, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Colorado and offers are certain to start pouring in from them as well as others if Hart has the type of season everyone is predicting.