Keystone QB on Purdue's Radar

Pittsburgh (Pa.) Central Catholic quarterback Tino Sunseri (6-2, 200) is a prospect that I’ve known about for three years now. Sunseri, the son of former Pitt Panther All-American Sal Sunseri, is one of the top gunslingers in the nation. Tino has several scholarship offers and Purdue could put their hat in the ring soon.

“I have scholarship offers from Florida State, Louisville, Southern Miss, South Florida and Buffalo.” Tino Sunseri said.

“There are a lot of schools that have been through the school and that are recruiting pretty hard. Oklahoma came in the school yesterday. Coach (Kevin) Wilson and coach (Josh)Heupel both seem very interested in me. Coach Heupel came down to the Elite “11” last week and he saw me throw.

“Florida State, Louisville, Oklahoma, Purdue, South Carolina, South Florida and Southern Miss are my current favorites.”

Suneri transferred to Central Catholic from Weddington High School in North Carolina after his sophomore season. Tino participated in the U.S. Army Combine two years ago, competing against older competition and held his own.

High school prospects mature the most between their junior and senior seasons and this is never more evident than in Sunseri who shot up from 6-0, 185 and is now 6-foot-2 and 200-pounds. I saw Tino at a combine in Orlando this past January and could hardly recognize him.

After watching Sunseri’s highlight tape, I see a fearless dual-threat quarterback who was extremely productive as a junior. Tino threw for 2,000 yards at a school that is most known for running the football. He completed 65% of his passes, threw 18 touchdown passes and had 5 interceptions.

Sunseri reminds me of former Northwestern quarterback Zak Kustok, a strong-armed leader, who can win ball games in the air and on the ground. Tino is a good decision maker, he has a live arm with a nice over-the-top delivery. And can throw with good zip and velocity.

Sunseri shows the ability to throw with touch and accuracy and he can also drill the post and hit targets on the move. He shows the ability to lead with confidence and he’ll stand in the face of pressure and take a hit to deliver the football.

You can’t coach competitiveness and that’s exactly what Sunseri is and I guess we couldn’t expect anything less from a young man whose father was an all-american linebacker and is now the current defensive line coach for the Carolina Panthers.

Is Tino Sunseri a good fit for the Boilermakers? Joe Tiller and Ed Zaunbrecher have asked Sunseri to come to their elite quarterback camp in June. Will that happen?

“I can’t say yes or no right now,” Sunseri explained.

“I’m probably going to commit early. If that’s in May, June, July or August? I don’t know yet but I’m going to commit early.

“I was voted top quarterback at the Georgia Tech “Elite 11” and today I’ll be in Cleveland for skills camp and I’m going to the Penn State Nike Camp. I don’t have anything else planned right now.

“I’d like to make a decision before the season. I’d like to get it all behind me and concentrate on football.”