Meet ‘the best (high school) tight end in the country,’ Charlotte Catholic’s Jack Larsen
Charlotte Catholic’s Jack Larsen got his first scholarship offer from South Carolina when he was in 10th grade.
“It was the first (college) camp I’d ever been to,” he said this week, “and I wasn’t expecting it. It all kind of came out of nowhere. I went to (Gamecock coach Shane) Beamer’s office, and he told me I had an offer.”
Since then, Larsen has become a highly sought-after college football recruit, getting offers from national powers like Florida, Ohio State and Tennessee as well as in-state schools like Charlotte, North Carolina and N.C. State.
Larsen ultimately committed to Notre Dame, picking the Fighting Irish over Clemson and Michigan. A big reason why?
Notre Dame has had 22 tight ends be drafted into the NFL.
“It’s a great place for a tight end,” Larsen said, “and the education there is great, and I want to major in business and they have a great business school. Plus, I’ve been in Catholic school my whole life, so it’s special.”
Blessed with size and freakish athletic gifts
At 6-foot-3 and 220-pounds, Larsen burst onto the national recruiting scene for his size and for his freakish athletic gifts. Butler High coach Brian Hales said Larsen runs like a wide receiver and blocks like a lineman.
“Playing the teams we play, we have seen our fair share of big-time athletes and football players,” Hales said, “but he fits in that category. He’s got a combination of athleticism to go with that size that’s not normal, and you can tell the way he plays that the kid’s got passion.”
Right now, 247 Sports ranks Larsen as the No. 12 overall recruit and best tight end in North Carolina and the No. 30 tight end nationally.
Charlotte Catholic senior Frank Brewer — whose team plays at Providence Day on national television Friday night — thinks that the recruiting site has it wrong.
“I think he’s the best tight end in the country,” Brewer said. “He’s great. It’s tough for me to go up against him every day, some of the things he does; the catches he makes that are second to none. He’s one of the best players in the state and one of the best player in the country I believe.”
Four catches, five tuddies?
So far this season, Larsen has caught five passes for 84 yards in two blowout wins. Four of his catches have been for touchdowns. He’s well on pace top his junior year marks of 37 catches for 686 yards and 10 scores.
“He’s good at everything,” first-year coach Matthew Reilly said. “He doesn’t have a weak spot. He can block. He can run. He has some of the best body control I’ve ever seen in a high school kid. He’s just able to get to the ball — whether he’s alone or with two or three guys on him.”
Reilly talks about a catch Larsen made against Hale’s Butler team last year.
Larsen was triple-covered but Catholic’s quarterback still threw to him.
“He made this crazy catch,” Reilly said, “and I mean, gosh, anyone else? That’s going to be an incompletion.”
Hales remembers the play — all too well.
“It was down their sideline,” he said. “It looked pretty uncatchable. But that dude laid out and stretched out and went and got it.”
Hales laughed as he recounted the story.
“What do you do?”
The national TV game
At Notre Dame in college, Larsen will play tons of national TV games. For many of his teammates, though, Friday will be their only chance.
Catholic (2-0) plays at Providence Day (2-0) on ESPNU.
“It’s going to be fun,” Larsen said. “Playing on ESPN is a big deal. I told all the guys to enjoy this, that it’s going to be a fun week. I told them all to soak it all in.”
Catholic coach Reilly played in a nationally televised game when he was a player at an Ohio high school.
“I wasn’t starting or anything, so I wasn’t too distracted by it,” he said. “As a coach, you are more worried about everybody’s mind being on the game, because ultimately it’s just a football game, right? But I think for the exposure and everything for the guys, especially the ones who are still looking to get noticed by colleges, it’s really cool.”
Larsen, of course, won’t be motivated by the schools that are watching. He’s already made his choice. But he said he wants to help put his teammates in a good position Friday night.
“They have done a lot for me,” Larsen said. “And I’m very humbled by it all. It’s been a helluva journey, and I’ve been so thankful for my family and everyone that’s been there for me.”
