Menocal Impresses at Combine

Belen Jesuit 2011 linebacker Nick Menocal was a player known for his combination of size and athleticism this past fall. This past weekend at the Miami NIKE Camp the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Menocal put up staggering numbers, proving that athleticism he showed on the football field. Menocal recorded a 4.59 second electronically timed forty and boasted a 35.5-inch vertical leap.

Menocal credited his strong forty time to the fact he’s joined the Belen track team where he plans to run the 200m, 100m, and the 4×100m.

“I think what I’ve done to improve my forty is I started running track,” said Menocal. “I think getting my form down and has helped me run my forty.”

Menocal feels the speed he possesses should benefit him on the field next fall, when he will be transitioning from linebacker to defensive end full time.

“I think being able to run, especially being that I’m going to be playing on the line in a 3-point stance, getting off the ball is very important and is going to help to make big plays. I’m really looking to it actually. I’ve always liked playing down in a 3-point stance, and I just enjoy pass rushing and making big plays in the backfield.

“Our defensive coordinator had been watching our film from this year and he was noticing that when myself and the other outside linebacker had our hands in a 3-point stance we were being a lot more aggressive and getting off the ball a lot faster. It was going well for our defense so we decided to try it out this year and see how it goes.”

On the recruiting front, Menocal still only has one offer from FIU, but several schools have been inquiring about the 2011 prospect.

“I’ve been getting a lot of letters from Vanderbilt, some from UF, Boston College, I’ve been getting a lot from FSU, a few UM, Virginia, Wake Forest, Duke, and Iowa,” said Menocoal.

Belen is a school that often boasts prospects in strong academic standing, sending several players to strong academic institutions over the years. Menocal is no different with his academics being in order, but he wants play in one of the college football’s premier conferences.

“I have a 3.4 GPA, but honestly I would prefer going to a division-I, big football school. I want to end up playing in the SEC or ACC.”

To reach his goal of playing in the SEC or ACC, Menocal has a few parts of his game he wants to improve upon.

“I want work on my tackling a lot because I think that’s going to be very important when I get to college. I also want to work on getting off blocks.”