Miami (Ohio) football recruit Jonathan Stangl emerges as a top prospect in class of 2025
CANTON — Future Division I college football offensive tackles usually don't grow on trees for Central Catholic High School. Still, the Crusaders were able to sprout Jonathan Stangl, a 6-foot-8, 310-pound multi-sport athlete and develop him into one of the top linemen in Stark County.
Stangl, who committed to Miami (Ohio) last month, currently holds 11 Division I college scholarship offers. Some include schools in the MAC, as well as West Virginia, Army, Western Kentucky and Dartmouth.
Stangl had been standing tall all his life, which led him to play the offensive line once he began playing organized football in the second grade.
“I’ve always been one of the bigger guys growing up, so on the football field, they (coaches) automatically liked having me block for people," Stangl said.
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By his freshman year, Stangl reached 6-6 and he became Central’s starting left tackle in his sophomore season. Throughout his three years on varsity, Stangl has started at left and right tackle and even saw some time at guard. According to Crusaders coach Jeff Lindensmith, it all depends on their game planning against an opponent.
Stangl is open to playing anywhere on the offensive line at the next level.
“I’ll play whatever the coaches need me to,” Stangl said. "I’ve been playing tackle as long as I can remember, but wherever the coaches want me, I’ll play.”
Outside of his large frame, Stangl’s footwork has impressed college recruits, as he is expected to play tackle at the next level.
“His size is always going to stand out when you are looking at someone who is 6-foot-8, 310 pounds,” Lindensmith said. "That, really, is kind of a big body. But the area of improvement where strength is going to happen that he is going to possess in another year when they get him down there. He’ll be even bigger."
The All-Ohioan lineman wants to continue to work on his footwork and quickness.
“I think that is something, (for) myself as an offensive lineman, I can always improve on, along with footspeed and general pad level," Stangl said. "So it’s pretty much fundamental stuff that I think I can get better at and always keep improving.”
What also helps is Stangl being a multi-sport athlete. He plays basketball in the winter and competes in track and field in the spring. He thinks he's really benefited from playing basketball, helping the Crusaders win district titles each of the last two years.
“I’m constantly changing direction from the court,” Stangl said. “That helps a lot with the general reaction time. Footwork helps me with just balance when (I) have to go through contact. A lot of it will correlate between the two, and a lot will transfer over, too.”
In the last two seasons of football, Stangl has helped Central reach the playoffs each year. As he enters his senior year, his individual goals are his dream goals. He hopes to lead Central to another playoff appearance and hopefully past the second round of the playoffs.
“I like the team we have for this year,” Stangl said. "I know we can do a lot with it, so I think we have a pretty good chance of a good playoff year. I hope we can make another good playoff run.”
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Central Catholic football's Jonathan Stangl gains recruiting momentum
