re: Class of 2018 Recruiting MEGATHREAD: So Long Old Friend Edition

quote:

---

At first I just giggled and continued shopping. I ended up in the check out lane behind her and her mother. As good southerners do, we struck up conversation. I told the little girl that I liked her boots. She had a massive grin on her face and began to speak. She let me know that those boots belonged to her Daddy. Today would have been his birthday, but he was killed last year in ‘Afghan Stan.’ To feel better about today, she was allowed to wear his boots. As her mom started to cry, so did I, as did the cashier.

---

quote:

---

Greg called his fat arse out.

---

quote:

---

If there is anyone that can have a Walker Little type rise in the 247Sports Recruiting Rankings in this 2018 cycle, Tampa (Fla.) Berkeley Prep offensive tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere is the guy that seems most likely do it.

We saw the 6-foot-7, 315-pound Little go from being a Top247 recruit, to the middle of the Top100, all the way to No. 1 by the time he inked with Stanford on National Signing Day.

Petit-Frere himself was a recent riser in our updated Top247 on Monday, moving to the back end of the Top100 to No. 98 overall. His film is as good as any other offensive tackle in the country, and he’s 40 pounds bigger than the 235-pounds he played at as a starter on the line as a freshman. With each passing day of development his stock continues to rise.

Behind the scenes, several college coaches have raved about him. People at his own school on and off the field love him.

“He just has a relentless urge to dominate on both sides of the ball, on every play,” Berkeley Prep coach Dominick Ciao said.

That relentless urge for Petit-Frere when the ball is snapped is the only speed he knows and he applies to everything else he does.

Petit-Frere attacks Berkeley Prep’s tough academic curriculum and sits on a 3.7 GPA. He stays on top of his diet and he’s persistent in the weight room. As his evolution continues, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him rise from No. 8 in our offensive tackle rankings to No. 1, in turn giving him a chance to finish in our top five regardless of position overall.

“He’s the best I’ve ever coached,” Ciao said, and that dates back to 1979.

The person that inspires Petit-Frere the most wakes up early every day and gets her workout in before she heads to work as a vice president and accountant at Citi. She makes sure her son is staying on top of the tasks within his everyday life, drives him where he needs to go, gives him the support he needs. Loris Petit-Frere's enthusiasm rubs off on her only child and her sacrifices haven't gone unnoticed.

“She’s been working hard every single day of her life for me,” Petit-Frere said of his mother. It's always been just the two of them at home. “I get my drive and determination from her. She likes to think my competitive spirit comes from her.”

It certainly does and with that and an outstanding support system led by Ciao at Berkeley Prep, Petit-Frere is flourishing. College coaches that maybe thought he was too thin at one point are now salivating over him.

A gentlemen off the field, Petit-Frere is a rabid dog on it. A fierce run blocker with the athleticism to flourish in pass-pro.

“There’s a couple times in a game where officials are telling him to ease up and the whistle hasn’t blown,” Ciao said. “He’s taking someone 12-to-15 yards downfield sometimes.”

When Petit-Frere buckles his chinstrap, the transformation happens.

“It’s a physical tough game for tough people,” he said. “If you’re not ready, don’t play the sport.”

Michigan was first to offer midway through his sophomore season. Petit-Frere is up to roughly 30 opportunities now. Every squat rep getting him closer to the player he wants to be. His mother noticed her baby was starting to fill out as a sophomore. Nobody can miss it now.

But Petit-Frere wants more.

“I don’t think anyone can be complete working out and developing their body,” he said, adding he focuses more on endurance in the weight room and being able to push out a lot of reps to just a max lift. In addition to that, Petit-Frere doesn’t take any nutritional supplements. He just stays disciplined with how often and what he eats. His trainer puts him through a variety of exercises so his body stays fresh. Each time a college coach comes by the school Petit-Frere looks more impressive than the last time and they say as much.

“I think as a whole, they just think he’s special,” Ciao said. “As he’s developed they’ve all kind of fell in love with him. I don’t know where he’s at on every board but I think he’s one of the top players on the offensive line.”

Petit-Frere is a long way from trimming his own board. He reiterates how fortunate he is to have the opportunities he has. He’s talking to as many college coaches as his schedule allows. Same with his mother.

Petit-Frere has NFL dreams but he also wants to get a great degree. He says he could major in anything from psychology to political science to engineering to law to business.

“We’ll see how senior year goes,” he said.

“The end goal is for me to find somewhere I’ll be comfortable and have the most success. Having a chance to get a great degree, having a chance to get drafted in the NFL, both are amazing things for one to do. It’s a mixture of both. Granted you’re there to play football to the very best of your ability wherever you go, but at the same time you’re a student-athlete and you can’t waste that opportunity.”

Ciao said Petit-Frere and his mother will be very thorough by the time they make a decision. Petit-Frere says his mother and coach will be integral to the decision-making process. So far he’s gotten a chance to visit Ohio State and Michigan, he’s been to Alabama, Florida, Auburn, Miami, North Carolina, Duke, Notre Dame and Florida. He says they are all still contenders.

“All those places are all top-tier programs, all play great football and have great coaches and amazing history,” he said.

Beyond the athletic gifts, it’s Petit-Frere’s pulse that makes him unique. His attention to detail to hit the bullseye in everything that he does is what makes him so coveted.

It will also be the reason he likely continues to rise in our rankings.

---