Stonehill Locks Down 4th OL Commit, Kaiden Knox

Stonehill has been on a hot streak with linemen lately, and that only continued last week when they secured a commitment from 6’5”, 300 lb OT Kaiden Knox from North Schuykill, PA. Sources close to the program have confirmed to NEC Blitz that Knox was a priority recruit for the Skyhawks, which makes this commitment a big win for the program. There’s sometimes an idea that recruiting is a lot like playing roulette, and that higher ranked guys are more likely to hit. Don’t fall for that. It’s definitely true that star ratings correlate to reaching the pros, but when a program designates a player as a priority, it’s a careful evaluation that the player meets what they’re specifically looking for at the position for what the position coach, coordinator, and head coach all want to do. It’s got a whole lot more homework to it than roulette ever had.

We had the opportunity to speak with Knox following his commitment to the Skyhawks. His recruitment began in a sort of atypical way.

“Coach Berardelli gave me a call to check in and asked how I was doing and how summer workouts were going. I told him things were going great,” Knox told us. “Then he said, ‘I don’t usually do this, but you’re the first person I’m offering just off a phone call.’”

That had to be some impressive game film. Well, you decide:

The offer was a big deal for Knox, but actually heading into Shovel Town is what sealed the deal.

“I went up for a game day visit and ended up staying overnight for my official visit. The game day atmosphere was incredible. The fans, the energy, the players, everything stood out,” Knox said. “After the game, they took my mom and me to a hotel and then out to dinner with some of the players. I got to hang out with them for a couple of hours, which was awesome.”

So the atmosphere at Stonehill for a big conference win against LIU was on point, and the relationships with the players made Knox feel like it was somewhere that he could be. But visiting the football facilities and speaking with Coach Gardner was the sugar on top.

“The next day, I went back to the facility and talked with [Coach Gardner]. A few days later, I decided to commit. I really liked the facilities, the school, and the overall vibe.”

Knox pointed to Coach Dylan Berardelli as someone he developed a strong relationship over the recruitment process.

Kaiden Knox is the 7th Stonehill commit and the 4th who plays OL as at least one of his positions.