Quiz: Which Current Jet Went to a Football Factory?
The NFL has accumulated a list of high schools with the most current players in the league and only one Jet went to a school with more than five players from the same school.
De La Salle in Concord and Long Beach Poly, both in California, topped lists with six players, while two schools with five players were listed: DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville Maryland and Dillard in Fort Lauterdale Florida. So which one player on the Jets current roster went to one of those high schools? Find out after the jump:
Jacob Bender — The rookie went to the same school as Quinn Ojinnaka (ATL); John Owens (NO); Brian Westbrook (PHI) and Josh Wilson (SEA).
Earlier this year, a local paper in Maryland talked to Bill McGregor and Bender about going from a kid that no D-I schools wanted to now a professional player.
“I couldn’t get any of the big schools to go on him. He was just so skinny back then… The recruiters didn’t think he’d ever put on enough weight to play offensive line. I told them, ‘Look how broad his shoulders are and he’s only 17.’ I knew that he could get up to 300 with a college weight room and training table.”
McGregor also knew the stock from which Bender came and the work ethic that had been instilled inside the player. Mike Bender drives a tractor trailer for Giant Food and installs fencing in his free time. Debbie Bender works in the admissions office at DeMatha and also drives the bus for the athletic department.
The Benders raised seven children in a modest home, but put sent all of them to college through hard work and sacrifice.
“Mike and Debbie are great, great people, real salt-of-the-earth types. Those college recruiters didn’t understand this kid’s drive, determination and desire.”
2 Responses to Quiz: Which Current Jet Went to a Football Factory?
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Drack says:
The mystery is solved! RAJ is Larry King!!
Brooklyn, New York…Hello!
I went to the same high school as Sandy Koufax… The Mets could use me