Highly Sought After TE Painter Commits To JMU
HARRISONBURG — Over the last year, Drew Painter heard many different recruiters pitch their spiel about the school and football program they represented.
The 6-foot-4, 240-pound tight end from Hershey (Pa.) High School garnered 13 scholarship offers from a mix of FBS and FCS squads. There were more programs that showed interested in him, too.
He committed to James Madison last week, and he said it wasn’t anything the Dukes tried to sell him on that made the difference in his decision.
“[JMU defensive line] Coach [Jeff] Hanson was my lead recruiter,” Painter said. “I like him a lot. He’s a great guy and he’s easy to talk to. He’s approachable.
“And whenever I got on the phone with him, he always asked me how I was doing. It wasn’t just like he got on the phone and said, ‘We want you to come here.’ It was just easy when he asked how I was doing, how my family was and I think he’s just a great family guy.
“That’s what stuck out.”
Army, Buffalo and Central Florida were Painter’s three FBS offers, but he said he also took visits to Pittsburgh, Rutgers and Temple.
JMU beat out five other Colonial Athletic Association teams — Elon, New Hampshire, Richmond, Towson and William & Mary — for Painter’s committment. Youngstown State, which fell 28-14 in the FCS title game to the Dukes, hosted Painter for a visit and offered as well.
Painter made his first visit to Harrisonburg a few weeks ago. He said JMU initially offered him in April.
Once he arrived to see the school, he said JMU coach Mike Houston treated him and talked to him very similarly to how Hanson did.
“He’s a great guy, another family guy,” Painter said of Houston. “He’s all about how you’re doing, and he gets football. He knows it all. I look forward to playing for him.”
Painter said once he started talking with Houston and Hanson about how he could fit in on the field with the Dukes, the two highlighted how JMU uses its current tight ends.
Last season, JMU tight end Jonathan Kloosterman led the team with seven touchdown receptions. He’s a preseason All-American and All-Colonial Athletic Association choice entering 2017 as a senior.
“Their tight end now gets a lot of touches and I really love that,” Painter said. “He also gets a chance to be a physical force in the run game, which I also love because I love blocking, too, but they see me playing and helping out the team in a good role at the tight end position and being a force for that offense.”
The Hershey High standout said it’s a perfect system for his style of play.
“As a tight end, I’m not just a pass threat,” he said. “I can get down the field to catch the ball. I can catch the ball in traffic, but I love blocking and tearing up a defensive end, too. I get to do both at JMU.”
Kloosterman will graduate after this season, but sophomore Nick Carlton, sophomore Mack Cullen, freshman Clayton Cheatham and freshman Joe Hunt will still be on the roster for 2018.
Painter said he’s excited for his college career at JMU.
“I love football, so I was paying attention last year and I knew what was going on with the FCS playoffs, but honestly that wasn’t the biggest thing for me, I know they’re good at football,” Painter said. “But football was good at all my options.
“What it came down to was the coaching staff and the players and if I wanted to be around them or could see myself fitting in with them. That’s what it was at JMU.”
Painter said proximity to home played a role, too. Harrisonburg to Hershey is about a three-hour drive.