Linebacker

THE COMMITMENTS for the class of 2013 continue to roll in at Penn State. The Nittany Lions received a verbal commitment from outside linebacker Zach Bradshaw, from Damascus (Md.) High, according to recruiting websites. Bradshaw, 6-3, 205, becomes the 13th junior to commit to Penn State. He cannot sign a letter of intent until February. He is considered a three-star prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com. Scout has him as the 67th best linebacker in the country in his class.

Andy Reid is right; his linebackers are young. They range in age from 22 to 26, average out to 23.9 years of age, and are two years younger than the average age of the Eagles roster. "They're just a young group," Reid said Friday, echoing a refrain he's only recently made. "We're young at safety, we're young at linebacker. Zero excuse on that - that's not what that is - that's reality. " Apparently, it took four months for reality to hit Reid. When the Eagles were signing free agents left and right during training camp - sometimes overstocking at positions like cornerback and wide receiver - the general feeling was they also had to add a veteran linebacker at some point.

Germantown Academy's Keith Corliss, who committed to Princeton's football team before an injury ended his senior season - and, he said, his chances of enrolling at the Ivy League school this fall - has committed to Johns Hopkins. Corliss, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound linebacker and running back for GA, said he chose Hopkins over fellow Division III schools Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall and Ursinus, as well as Penn, which recruited him for wrestling. He said he will play linebacker in college.

Look over the Eagles roster and you don't find many glaring holes, particularly for an 8-8 team. They have a quarterback they are committed to, a star running back, and an offensive line that should remain intact if they can re-sign guard Evan Mathis. They have two talented wide receivers, at least at this moment, and a strong tight end. Their defensive ends create pressure, they have a glut of cornerbacks, and while there are concerns at safety, the team isn't ready to give up on the second-round picks it added there each of the last two years.

Who says the Eagles don't care about linebacker? For the second time this offseason the Eagles made a major move to improve their linebacker corps, a perennial weak spot that has been as much a part of the Andy Reid experience as screen passes, fastball linemen, and "time's yours. " After landing DeMeco Ryans in a stunning trade, investing in a veteran middle linebacker with a significant contract to fill a significant need, the Eagles on Friday used their second pick in the draft, number 46 overall, to bring in Mychal Kendricks, a 5-foot-11 speedster from Cal. It's the earliest the team has drafted a linebacker since Reid's first draft, when he took Barry Gardner with his second-ever Eagles pick, 35th overall.

There is something attractive about a college football team that is referred to as "Linebacker U. " Just ask Mike Hull, who went to Penn State because of its reputation for preparing linebackers for the NFL and stayed for the same reason after the NCAA imposed sanctions against the university. The 6-foot, 228-pound Hull, a redshirt sophomore, is considered the next star in the pipeline where he receives a share of playing time behind three starters - Michael Mauti, Gerald Hodges, and Glenn Carson - who probably will be taking the field on Sundays very soon.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. - Even by his high standards, the performance of Rutgers senior linebacker Khaseem Greene in last week's 23-15 win over Syracuse was over the top. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound Greene had 14 tackles, 11/2 sacks and an interception. He also forced three fumbles and earned both the Walter Camp and Chuck Bednarik national player of the week awards. Last season, Greene was the Big East co-defensive player of the year. So, when Temple (3-2, 2-0 Big East) hosts Rutgers (6-0, 3-0)

AND SO, the Eagles' Brian Rolle arrives at weakside linebacker with 5 feet, 10 inches of body and 6 feet, 5 inches of confidence. Casey Matthews is out and Rolle is in, and it is fair to say that the team has now picked the right guy out of those two. Whether it makes a difference is another issue entirely. "I feel like I'm a guy that is athletic," Rolle said yesterday. "I'm physical, a guy that knows the game very well and plays hard. I'm not saying that Casey didn't - Casey's a great player, as well.

STATE COLLEGE - Rich Mauti says his son would rather not have to be this vocal, but he just needed to do it. Pat Mauti says his brother, who likes to keep to himself, had to show the world what Penn State football was actually about. Freshman Kyle Carter says his role model just has something special in him. So what does Mike Mauti himself have to say about his vocal support of Penn State? "This is a university that I've cared about and put my life into for the past 4 years," he said.

Remember the Eagles' sneak-attack signing of Nnamdi Asomugha last July? Well, don't expect a repeat blockbuster acquisition from the Eagles when free agency kicks off Tuesday at 4 p.m. As much as Birds fans may be hoping for their team to drop another bomb - Mario Williams? Vincent Jackson? Peyton Manning?!? - the Eagles are likely to let other teams fend for the top free agents in this year's class. That doesn't mean they won't address areas of specific need like linebacker, running back, or backup quarterback.