Starting Lineup: Big things yet to come from Exeter’s 6-6 Anthony Caccese
To recognize the top players in Berks football MikeDragoSports.com has selected the “Starting Lineup,” a preseason All-Berks team that includes the 12 top linemen, backs, receivers, linebackers and specialists.
“Starting Lineup” is presented by GoBigRecruiting.com.
Players were selected based on past performance, expected performance this season and college potential. Two-way players were given special consideration. One player will be introduced each day, in random order (the players are not ranked 1 thru 12). Former NFL lineman and recruiting expert Ross Tucker offers comments on each selection.
Anthony Caccese, Exeter
| 6-6 | 280 | Senior | T/DT |
BACKSTORY: The best is yet to come from Exeter tackle Anthony Caccese. Not that he hasn’t been good so far: He earned all-league honors as a sophomore, was an All-Berks pick as a junior and collected 22 scholarship offers.
Still, there’s lots more to come says Eagles coach Matt Bauer.
“His upside is tremendous,” Bauer said. “He definitely came into his own (last) year. If you watch the film from Week 1 vs. Central York to Week 15 vs. Penn Trafford, the leaps and bounds he made were very impressive.
“He really started developing a little bit of a mean streak down the stretch. You could see him finishing guys, and going to the next level (of the defense to make blocks). That just came with time, and confidence.”
“Cheese,” as his teammates call him, became The Big Cheese.
“I played with with more aggression than I ever did before,” he said. “I was more into it. More excited for every game. Trying my hardest on every snap. When you’re on the field, you’ve got to flip the switch.”
College coaches saw his game emerge. In the months that followed Exeter’s 31-28 victory over Gov. Mifflin in the District 3 Class 5A championship game scholarship offers came pouring in. The first came from Yale, in mid February. The intensity picked early in the summer when he received half-a-dozen offers in a two-week span from schools such as Richmond, Rhode Island and Albany.
“They like that I’m an athletic offensive lineman,” Caccese said of college coaches. “I think I can move pretty well. I definitely got blessed with good genes.
“(People) expect you to be at another level (when you’re bigger),” said the 6-6, 280-pounder. “You can be huge, but if you don’t put in the work and get that mobility and speed, (that) physicality, you’re not going to be as good. That makes the big difference.”
Caccese did all he could this year to draw the attention of Division I coaches, attending camps at Maryland, Connecticut, Temple and other Power 5 schools. He’s competed twice at Penn State.
“I love playing against (top) competition,” said Caccese, who last week committed to the Delaware. “That’s how you get better. I love playing (against) people better than me. It definitely makes me a better player.”
Last month he was selected to play in the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl Jan. 30 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fl., home of the Buccaneers.
Caccese uses his size and mobility effectively on the basketball court, too. He averaged 8.6 points and was the leading rebounder as Exeter reached the PIAA Tournament last season. Last month he was named to the West Reading Summer League all-star team.
It’s no surprise to learn he has a 3.78 GPA when you see schools such as Columbia, Delaware, Lehigh, Fordham and Bucknell among his list of suitors. Caccese said from the beginning his first priority in picking a college was academics, not football.
“I want that degree, that school that’s going to set me up the best,” he said. “Obviously, (earning a scholarship) was a big dream. When I was younger (I wondered): ‘Can I really go do this? Can I get it done? It’s all happening now.”
ROLE: Will go full-time at defensive tackle as well as offensive tackle for the Eagl;es. Saw only part-time duty on defense last year.
COLLEGE PROSPECTS: Caccese last week announced his decision to attend the University of Delaware, selecting it from more than two dozen offers and a final six that included Army, Holy Cross, Kent State, Massachusetts and William and Mary. Interestingly, the Blue Hens were the 22nd and final school to offer, on July 7.
TUCKER’S TAKE: ” Outstanding combination of size and athleticism who improved greatly as his junior season progressed. Plays basketball, which helps him with his movement skills. Offensive tackle has a great frame for size potential while maintaining the feet to be able to pass protect at that level. Likes to try to finish blocks which is encouraging for a big man.”
Starting Lineup 2022
| Anthony Caccese | Exeter | T/DT |
| Cam Jones | Wilson | WR/CB/KR/LS |
| Josiah Jordan | Berks Catholic | HB/CB/KR |
| Matt Kramer | Wyomissing | FB/OLB |
| Ayden Martin | Gov. Mifflin | RB/S |
| Xander Menapace | Hamburg | QB |
| Lucas Palange | Exeter | G/LB/DE |
| Jven Williams | Wyomissing | G/T/DT |
The “Starting Lineup” team was selected by MikeDragoSports.com, with input from Berks coaches and Ross Tucker, co-founder and CEO of GoBigRecruiting.com and a former NFL lineman. Tucker, who played at Wyomissing, has deep contacts throughout college football and remains dialed into Berks football.
After the “Starting Lineup” team has been announced MikeDragoSports.com will present the “Berks Watch List,” which will include 50 more other top players to watch this season.
