Interview: 2017 California JUCO OT Clay Cordasco is a Rare Find out of Maine

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @HogManInLA

History is not on the side of Class of 2017 junior college talent Clay Cordasco to blaze a trail to the NFL. Cordasco spent his high school years playing in Maine and New Hampshire, a sporadic at best breeding ground for professional talent.

Best guess in recent memory for Maine talent playing in the NFL was Carolina Panthers 2006 seventh round draft pick Will Montgomery. Montgomery, from Brunswick, played for Virginia Polytechnic Institute in college and then worked his way into a five year NFL career as a center also playing for the New York Jets (2007) but perhaps made his biggest contributions with the Washington Redskins (2009-10).

Maybe the best known Maine talent was linebacker/defensive end Al Harris, a fixture with the Chicago Bears from 1979-1990. Harris made it from Bangor to Arizona State and then played his way into being a 1979 first round pick, No. 9 overall, by the Bears. The next talent from the area that could make a splash at the next level is Cordasco.

Cordasco has a few hoops to jump through before the NFL is even a thought but the makings of a Power Five Conference talent is there. Listed at 6’6”, 310 pounds, the offensive tackle is just starting to put it all together on the field from a technical standpoint but has the raw athletic ability and attitude college coaches love from their guys up front. Cordasco moves really well for his size running a 5.2 forty-yard dash. He plays with natural instincts looking to bury defenders from the snap of the ball to the whistle and uses his size well clearing out holes in the run game and keeps his quarterback’s blindside safe in the pocket.

The move from Kennett High School in Maine and Conway High School in New Hampshire to Los Angeles was an unlikely one if not for a family member living in the area. Cordasco thought his playing days were done and was unaware of junior colleges before an uncle convinced him a move out west could further his time on the field.

Cordasco grey-shirted during his would-be true freshman year and then caught on as the starting left tackle for Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley during the 2015 schedule. In the offseason Cordasco moved from Pierce to Los Angeles Valley College setting up what will be an all too important sophomore season. The rest is now up to him to hone and fine tune his physical gifts for an opportunity to be a next level player.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I caught up with the relatively unknown but budding talent to find out more about his move from the east coast to the west coast, got an overview on his freshman season, and received a recruiting news update.

Interview

Clay, how did your move from Maine to Los Angeles come about for you?

“It is a funny story. My uncle lives in Calabasas and played for Pierce in the 1980’s. He said to my father, send him out here. I thought my football days were over after I graduated. I did not know about JUCO ball. I took a flight out here and that is how I got to Pierce. It is a much different experience out here in LA.”

How was the high school football experience in Maine and New Hampshire?

“I came from a very small high school. My freshman year we had 20 kids on the team. I went to Kennett my first and last year of high school ball. I was honorable mention All-Conference as an offensive tackle but I had never been properly coached. I had to re-learn everything I had been taught when I got to the junior college level.”

You made a jump from the high school level to the junior college level which is a big move in of itself but adding going from Maine and New Hampshire high school ball to another level had to be an adjustment. What was your freshman season like catching up with the speed, athleticism, and strength of the game?

“It was an eye opening year. Out of high school I gray-shirted and worked and worked out for one year. Going from high school to California junior college ball is a different game. The speed and size of everyone is bigger. I’m not the biggest kid on the field anymore.”

From high school to JUCO ball, what are your strengths on the field as an offensive tackle?

“One of my strengths at offensive tackle is my good hand speed. My other strengths are my pass protection and foot speed. I am agile for a big guy. I played offensive tackle all the way through high school at right tackle. I switched me to left tackle at Pierce and I stuck there. That was my first time playing left tackle.”

You transferred to LA Valley College in the offseason, what position will you play in 2016?

“I’m staying at offensive tackle but I’ll be playing right tackle at Valley. I like it. It is bringing me back to my roots, but I can play either way.”

What are you working in the offseason to improve upon for your sophomore season?

“I’ve never been a strong run blocker. I’m working on that and working a lot on being more powerful from waist down doing a lot of squats. I’m working on my agility, foot speed, and overall strength. If I can get my run blocking down this will be a great year for our line.”

Have you maxed out on bench, squat, or power clean lately?

“Not on bench. We have that scheduled for next week. I did squat two weeks ago and did 405 eight times.”

Which schools are recruiting you right now?

“Currently I have UCF (Central Florida) showing interest. They are coming out on April 19 to see one of our practices. UCF is the only school showing interest in me right now.”

You are a little bit older than most of the Class of 2017 recruits coming out of high school. Your thoughts and wants on a next level college might be a little bit different. What are you looking for from next level colleges as you go through the recruiting process and what will influence you to make your final decision?

“That would have to be how close to home, my family is moving from Maine to Arizona, and what kind of area the school is located. Another big thing is what I can do with my degree after football is done. Football is not a guaranteed thing at the NFL level. I want to be set up my life for after football with a good degree.”

What is your GPA right now?

“I have a 3.0.”

Have you started thinking about what you want to major in once at four-year school?

“I’m interested in engineering and business.”

Is there a NFL player you model your game after or really enjoy watching play the position?

“I would say Kyle Long (Chicago Bears). I like him because he is about the same size as me and plays tackle. The way he plays the game is how I want to play the game.”

What is your favorite part of playing football?

“Just being part of a team. We are all trying to get somewhere. We are not playing for ourselves and we are playing for a team. Just the team aspect. Also, being privileged to suit up and play football.”

Clay, thanks for your time today and good luck with your offseason workouts.

“Thank you.”

Photo credit: Megan Moureaux; No. 65 Clay Cordasco (2015).