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West Catholic star a big-time attraction

WHEN IT COMES to college football programs, "Burger" is looking for steak. While there's nothing wrong with competing at the Division II or III level, especially if the experience provides great fun and is accompanied by a solid education, every kid would love to get a taste of the big time.

West Catholic's Jaryd Jones-Smith said he has bench-pressed 275 pounds and squatted 325. (Rick O'Brien/Staff)
West Catholic's Jaryd Jones-Smith said he has bench-pressed 275 pounds and squatted 325. (Rick O'Brien/Staff)Read more

WHEN IT COMES to college football programs, "Burger" is looking for steak.

While there's nothing wrong with competing at the Division II or III level, especially if the experience provides great fun and is accompanied by a solid education, every kid would love to get a taste of the big time.

Jaryd Jones-Smith, aka Burger due to his bulk, is a tackle prospect at West Catholic High. Because he's large (6-7, 320) and surprisingly mobile, and because the scouts see amazing possibilities (in part because he won't turn 18 until September), Jones-Smith owns numerous scholarship offers.

His Final Five includes Virginia, Pittsburgh, Temple, North Carolina State and Central Florida and it likely would have included Penn State if not for The Scandal.

Shortly before the Sandusky disaster went public, Jones-Smith was given fodder for a story for life.

As part of a group of maybe 50 prospects, he was invited to State College to watch the Nittany Lions play Iowa. Well before the game, the kids and their parents - Jaryd was accompanied by his mother, Shirley Smith - were given a chance to check things out at field level.

"It was amazing just to be down there," Jones-Smith said. "But then coach [Joe] Paterno walked right over, directly to me and my mom.

"He shook my hand and said 'Hi' to her. He didn't greet anyone else. Just us. What a feeling. That was mind-blowing."

Though Jones-Smith grew up in South Jersey - he now lives in Voorhees after a long stretch in Collingswood - he always loved Penn State football. His first our-eyes-are-on-you letter came from the Nittany Lions and he was asked to fill out a questionnaire. That was at the start of his junior season, as he re-entered West after spending 10th grade at Collingswood High, and such contact from a high-profile program sufficiently stirred his juices.

If not for the mess, Jones-Smith said Penn State would now rank among his top choices.

Thus far, only one official visit, to Virginia during the weekend when the Cavaliers hosted Maryland, has been made. Jaryd recently trekked to Pitt, in unofficial fashion, to watch the Panthers host Temple and, before announcing his choice, he intends to take the allotted five official visits.

"I want good academics and a great football tradition," the quiet, yet affable Jones-Smith said Tuesday, before the Burrs boarded a bus to head to practice at 48th and Woodland. Saturday will bring a Class AA subregional semifinal vs. Conwell-Egan (1 p.m. at the South Philly Super Site). "I want a place that's going to have a good overall atmosphere, so I'll be comfortable away from football, too."

Coach Brian Fluck uses Jones-Smith at left tackle, and providing protection for sophomore quarterback Antwain McCollum has proven to be noooooo problem.

McCollum has completed 58 percent of his passes for 1,267 yards and 11 touchdowns and, two weeks ago in a two-point loss to La Salle, he ch-chinged his way to a school record 342.

With the help of Kyle Sheaffer, West's trainer, the Daily News measured Jones-Smith's wing span at 7 feet, 4 inches. Two years ago, when his height was 6-4, J-S' reach was exactly 7-0.

Size and/or athleticism run in the family. His maternal grandmother stood 6-1. A brother is 6-6. His father, James Jones, competed in boxing while at West Chester and a cousin, Harold Dalton, played cornerback for Iowa.

In the earlier part of his sporting life, Jones-Smith was mostly partial to basketball. Though he saw occasional action for West's 2012-13 varsity, this winter he'll concentrate on track with the hope of becoming a springtime force in the shot put, discus and javelin.

An offensive-line future is still sinking in.

"I always concentrated on defense when I was younger, and I still start at defensive end," Jones-Smith said. "But offense is fine, too. It doesn't matter what I play [in college] as long as I get on the field."

Fluck would not be stunned to see Jones-Smith reach the NFL.

"I could see him blowing up," he said. "He's still young and raw. When he gets himself much stronger, especially in the lower body . . . I can see him being the prototypical left tackle."

Jones-Smith is one of three Burrs viewed by Fluck as being capable of playing Division I-A or I-AA football. (Sorry, can't stand those new designations. Gimme a break.) The others are defensive end Dom Toney and cornerback Shaquille James.

J-S is receiving the most attention, and that should not surprise given his assorted particulars.

Thus far, phone interaction has been enjoyable and his two favorite callers are Pitt assistant Jim Hueber, a Philly native and North Catholic grad, and Virginia coach Mike London, mostly because of their humor.

In college, Jones-Smith plans to major in something connected with mathematics.

"It's one of my favorite subjects," he said.

Pause. Big smile.

"I like to count money."

And, by now, Burger doesn't mind being counted among the gigantic.

"I was always the biggest guy in my grade," he said. "Maybe only by 2-3 inches, but always the biggest. For a long time I wasn't too comfortable with it. Kinda felt like an oddball, really. But now I'm good with it. And with hard work, I plan to make something of my size."