Five games equals a Power 5 commitment to Boston College for St. Thomas More rising senior Noah Clifford
OAKDALE, Conn. (BVM) — Noah Clifford committed back in March to the Boston College football team as a Class of 2022 recruit after playing only five football games in his entire life. The 6-foot-6, 280-pounder attended De La Salle High School for his freshman and sophomore years as a basketball player, before learning how to play football from scratch as a junior while attending Ravenwood High School.聽
This month, the 19-year-old high school senior is preparing for his first full football season while attending St. Thomas More. Clifford is currently ranked by as a three-star prospect and he鈥檚 the No. 7 recruit in the Class of 2022 within the state of Connecticut.聽
鈥淎s a freshman, we had one of the best high school football coaches of all time so I鈥檝e thought a lot about what if I started earlier,鈥� Clifford said. “But, I鈥檓 thankful to God that I鈥檝e finally found this sport.鈥澛�
Clifford had his first football action when he moved in as a junior with his friend and five-star Kentucky basketball commit, Skyy Clark and his family. Skyy鈥檚 father, Kenny Clark, who was a wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, persuaded Clifford that it wasn鈥檛 too late to still try out for football.聽
鈥淜enny said if you鈥檙e gonna stay with me, you鈥檙e gonna play football,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淚 was always told growing up that I needed to play football because I was big and tall. But, I was on varsity for basketball and there was a lot of pressure for me to give 100% into my team, especially because I thought I was going to play basketball in college.鈥澛�
Clifford talked to the coaches at Ravenwood, but joined the team almost halfway into the season because of transfer paperwork that needed time to get sorted out.聽
鈥淚t was a crazy day when I found out I was going to play on a football team,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淭hat day, I got a tattoo in honor of my late aunty. I headed back to the school and my D-line coach pulled me and told me that I was cleared to play. The whole team dog-piled on me. I looked at my tattoo and said 鈥業 love you.鈥欌�澛�
Clifford ultimately made the varsity squad as a first-timer, but said that it wasn鈥檛 an easy transition into the sport. He went on to experiment as an offensive lineman for one game before mostly playing defensive end. He noted that he excels in that position because of his quick feet from when he used to play soccer in middle school.
鈥淚 only knew the basics going in so I was so confused at practice,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淎fter practice, I鈥檇 go to my D-line coach and say that I needed help and so he would explain things more to me. I also picked up a lot of my football IQ from Kenny and he would tell me that he could see me going DI and even playing in the NFL one day.聽
For Clifford鈥檚 first game, Ravenwood took on big-time rival IMG Academy — a nationally ranked team currently placed as the No. 2 program by . Clifford said he had only one full practice up until that game day.聽
鈥淔irst guy I see when I entered the game in the fourth quarter looked at me and says, 鈥榃here have you been all game?鈥欌�� Clifford said. 鈥淚 laughed and told him, 鈥楧ude, this is my first football game ever.鈥� He was shocked and started telling the other guys to look at how big I am.鈥澛�
Clifford didn鈥檛 have a winning game with his first time under the gridiron lights. He went on to play four more games before the season was cut short. To his surprise, he was then offered DI offers from Eastern Kentucky and Boston College.聽
鈥淜enny was the first person to say that I should commit to BC and not even wait any longer,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淚 thought since he was in the NFL I should take that opinion under consideration.鈥�
Though starting his football career as a defensive lineman, the Eagles see Clifford as an offensive tackle, an idea he鈥檚 welcomed to.
鈥淏C recruited me as an offensive tackle and I never played that position,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淭hey said that I鈥檓 athletic, big and tall and that they can mold me since I鈥檓 fresh and don’t know any bad habits yet. I really believe I can be what they want out of me. So now, I鈥檝e been working at offensive tackle and some tight end and defensive end because I’ll be playing that this high school season too.鈥澛�
This year, he鈥檒l only be playing football and won鈥檛 participate in another basketball season since he鈥檒l be graduating in December. However, he will not officially be practicing with the team until the 2022-23 season.聽
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping that whatever the coaches want out of me, I can fulfill their wishes,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淭hey are really believing in me and taking a chance so I will not disappoint.鈥澛�
But, before he can join the team in Chestnut Hill, Clifford has to tackle getting some more game experience under his belt while attending St. Thomas More.聽
鈥淚 want to get my revenge and beat IMG this time,鈥� Clifford said. 鈥淚 want to continue to increase my football IQ and I鈥檓 really excited to join the team since the coaches and the other guys I鈥檝e talked to are super cool. Expect us to have a great dynamic and do some big things at the national level.鈥�
Clifford is one of three offensive tackles committed to BC in the Class of 2022. Although the class overall is ranked No. 5 in the ACC by , Clifford appears to be heading into a great group in terms of his position. For this upcoming season, BC鈥檚 offensive line is ranked by as the No. 1 positional group in the ACC while Clemson’s defensive line comes in second.聽
