Linebacker

IT IS NFL draft week and this is an Eagles story that plops Jerry Robinson's name into the first sentence. If you don't know where we're headed, please turn to the features section. You don't belong here. In Philadelphia, some names or phrases serve as shorthand for sore subjects, no explanation required. Joe Carter. Leon Stickle. Chico Ruiz stole home. Moses Malone traded to the Bullets. Von "5 for 1" Hayes. Every NFL draft week, "Jerry Robinson" invariably goes at the end of the sentence that starts, "The Eagles haven't taken a linebacker in the first round since 1979, when they chose . . . " Everyone knows this, bemoans this, laments this.

THE MORE THINGS stay the same, the more they change. We give you Dan Pellicciotti, who this season again will participate in the Catholic AAAA football championship game. One different aspect will be his primary position; linebacker as opposed to tight end. The other will be his uniform. As an eighth-grader, Pellicciotti, now a 6-1, 215-pound senior, at first had every intention of attending Roman Catholic, as many of his Roxborough buddies wound up doing. With academics and his perception of better football in mind, he instead chose St. Joseph's Prep.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Glenn Carson prides himself on being a hard-nosed linebacker. He finds the ballcarrier. He hits the ballcarrier. Carson's throwback style fits that of Penn State, long known as Linebacker U. It might have also been one of the factors that enticed his coaches to alter their plans and accelerate the sophomore's path to a starting job. "I really like playing the run game and I really like to hit," Carson said. "I'm definitely a throwback-style player that really likes to get down and dirty.

The four championship games in Hershey over the weekend marked the close of the 2012 football campaign. Before turning our attention to hoops, we present you with our preseason football top 10 for 2013 in Southeastern Pennsylvania, with this year's final record in parentheses. Of course, a lot could happen between now and Aug. 2: transfers, coaching changes, offseason injuries, etc. 1. St. Joseph's Prep (10-1). The Hawks lose a number of starters, including eight on defense and four offensive linemen, but are expected to return a solid core of skill-position players.

Shippensburg quarterback Zach Zulli (Perkiomen Valley), the offensive player of the year, and defensive end Jake Metz (Souderton), were named Tuesday to the first-team Don Hansen Football Gazette Division II Super Region 1 squad. Both are juniors. Senior linebacker Cody Fleming (Upper Perkiomen) and junior cornerback Avery Coleman (Penncrest) were second-team selections for Shippensburg, and senior defensive lineman Mark Kahlil Smith (Lower Merion) earned a place on the third team.

Strong-armed sophomore quarterback Mike Keir (bruised left kneecap) is not expected to play for Roman. That leaves things in the hands of junior Anthony Johnson, a running threat who scored twice in last week's 43-17 loss to top-ranked La Salle. The Cahillites also will be without senior captain and outside linebacker Abdul Basil (concussion). Johnson will fill in there, as well. Judge's strong start has been propelled by senior two-way backs Nick Myers and Connor Thompson, and junior running back-linebacker Raul Quinones.

Myles Nash, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound senior-to-be at Timber Creek High School, has accepted a football scholarship to Rutgers. Nash played defensive end and was the backup quarterback for the 12-0 Chargers. He said he was recruited to play outside linebacker at Rutgers. West Virginia, Clemson, Purdue, Kentucky were among the schools he was considering, according to Timber Creek coach Rob Hinson. At Rutgers, Nash will play alongside 2012 Timber Creek graduate Quanzell Lambert, a two-time Inquirer all-South Jersey linebacker.

T.J. White, a rugged senior linebacker for West Chester Henderson, has committed to play football at Villanova. "I had a few other offers on the table," the 6-foot-2, 220-pounder said Friday. "Villanova was a great fit for me, academically and football-wise. And I think I have an opportunity play early on there. " White, a three-year starter who also played tight end for the Warriors, also had scholarship offers from Bucknell, Coastal Carolina, New Hampshire, Towson, and Western Michigan.

A day before the season opener, Lindenwold football coach Derryk Sellers was worried about Audubon's Keith Michalski. "Watch out for their fullback and linebacker," Sellers said. "That kid is tough. " Sellers was right: The burly Michalski played a major role as Audubon opened the Colonial Conference season Thursday night with a 10-0 victory over Lindenwold. But the 6-foot-2, 225-pound Michalski's brawn was expected to be big trouble for Lindenwold. Audubon's secret weapon was a flash of a sophomore running back, Kahleil Chisolm.

Like most great leaders, DeMeco Ryans doesn't want credit. He doesn't want bouquets of praise for turning the Eagles defense around. The middle linebacker doesn't believe he's the missing piece to make the wide-nine work. And despite being called "Cap" or "Coach" since high school days, Ryans doesn't think much about why others follow his lead. "There's no magic tricks," Ryans said last week. "For me, I just go out there and be myself and try to do things the right way, so guys if they see me doing it the right way then they'll be more prone to listen to what I'm saying.