It is tough to talk to Raheem Cardwell on a school night. He won't answer his phone if he is eating dinner with his family or until he is finished doing his homework for the night.
Once he has finished what he needs to do for the night, Cardwell, from DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Md., can find the time to speak about the game he loves to play and will look to continue in his college football career.
With that kind of work ethic, it is no surprise that academics played a significant for Cardwell when ranking his options for college. Cardwell has an interest in oceanography and production, which he was told he would be able to pursue with a Syracuse education.
Eventually, Cardwell showed the typical traits of a high school senior looking forward to time away from home.
"College is a fun time so I would like to have a fun time," the 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker said. "Even though you should do your schoolwork and be primarily focused on your schoolwork, I would also like to have fun."
Although Scout.com states that Cardwell has given a solid verbal commitment to Syracuse, he claims that it is no¬w a soft verbal commitment. This means that while Syracuse may be at the top of his list for prospective colleges, he is still open to playing at other schools. Cardwell - a two-star recruit on Scout.com - is one of only four commits for SU.
Cardwell felt that he wanted to leave his options open until signing day in February, which is not a good sign for Syracuse recruiting up to this point.
Cardwell admitted that the recent struggles of the Syracuse program does play into his decision to remain open to other offers he may receive from other schools.
"Everybody likes to be on a winning team, and everybody likes to help out the team," Cardwell said. "I am looking to win a national championship one day in college, so that plays a little part in my decision."
Cardwell's head coach at DeMatha, Bill McGregor, said that Cardwell's best asset cannot be seen when he is out on the field, but rather before a game or on the sidelines with his teammates. McGregor feels that his leadership is what sets him apart from other players.
Evidence of this leadership comes from Cardwell's actions off the field. He said that every week, he and his fellow linebackers will go out to dinner with their families just so they'll remain on the same page as a unit.
Cardwell believes that these same qualities will pass through to college any school he picks.
"Even when I come in as a freshman next year, I still plan on coming in and doing my part," Cardwell said. "I'm still going to talk to my team and see what their weaknesses and strengths are. That's how I am going to connect with my team."
Both Cardwell and McGregor agree that another quality that will help Cardwell at the next level is his strength. McGregor said that a quick glance from an opposing quarterback would cause the kind of intimidation that every linebacker strives for.
Heading into his college career, wherever it may be, Cardwell knows that he will have to improve upon his game. His statistics last season - 60 tackles, six sacks and one interception - weren't glamorous, but Cardwell hopes his intangibles and further improvement will earn him recognition wherever he decides to go.
"I just think he is going to improve as time goes on," McGregor said. "I think as he gets bigger from weightlifting, he is going to get stronger, he is going to get faster. I just think he will end up being an outstanding college football player someday."
jssutton@syr.edu
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