Low key, high reward

By Joe Scalzo

Boardman’s John Greco is a low-maintenance tackle who could finish on a high this weekend.

When John Greco gets his first check from the NFL, he’s planning to take that cash and spend it on something really, really cool.

Right?

“No, I don’t think so,” said Greco, a Boardman High graduate. “I might take my parents out to dinner.”

Oh. So nothing big, not even a new set of golf clubs?

“Actually, that’s a good idea,” he said. “I didn’t think about that.”

As you can see, Greco, a four-year starter at Toledo, isn’t a real flamboyant guy. He’s a Youngstown kind of guy. He plays offensive tackle, which is a Youngstown kind of position. He doesn’t brag and he doesn’t draw attention to himself.

He doesn’t even make bold predictions. When asked what he expected to happen at this weekend’s draft, he said, “I really have no idea. I’m just hoping I get a call.”

Greco (6-5, 320) has been this way his whole career. His high school coach, Garry Smith, remembers him as one of those low-maintenance, self-motivated players who does nothing but help you win games and make your job easier.

“He was a good kid,” Smith said. “He was a good worker. He was very personable and he got along with everybody. He listened. You seldom had to even raise your voice to him.

“I never really had any problems with him. He played really well for us.”

Greco’s size and athletic ability stood out immediately to the Spartans’ coaching staff. He was quick enough to play basketball through his sophomore year and in addition to a big frame, he had long arms and quick feet.

“The only problem we ever had was he didn’t have great foot speed, but he worked on that over the years,” Smith said.

As a junior, Greco helped form one of the best lines in school history. He manned one tackle spot, while senior Steve Vallos (a four-year starter at Wake Forest who was drafted by the Seahawks last year) manned the other.

Kevin Tuminello, an all-conference center at Georgia Tech, and tight end Mike Villagrana (who had a solid career at West Virginia) blocked for standouts such as fullback Evan Beard (Navy) and quarterback Tom Zetts (Youngstown State).

Alas, the Spartans lost in the first round of the playoffs to a Warren Harding team that featured a couple guys named Maurice Clarett and Prescott Burgess, two more NFL draftees.

“That was a great group of kids,” Smith said. “That was probably the best line we ever had.”

Greco redshirted his first year at Toledo, then took over as a starter as a freshman, eventually starting 49 straight games, 36 at left tackle.

Earlier in his career, tight ends coach Chris Hedden, who recruited Greco and was recently promoted to offensive coordinator, used to sit with Greco in his office and talk about life, football and anything else on their minds.

“He treated me like he was related to me,” Greco said. “And he didn’t beat around the bush. He told me what I needed to do to succeed. I’m really thankful for all he did.”

After a solid freshman season, Greco earned first team all-Mid-American Conference his final three years and helped the Rockets go 28-21 over his career with a league title and two bowl appearances. His said Toledo’s MAC title his freshman year was the highlight of his career.

“It was nice as a young player,” he said. “We had a lot of veterans and to start my career by reaching that elite status as a team kind of set the tone. I had high expectations after that and I held everyone else to those standards.”

The Rockets went 9-3 his sophomore year, then 5-7 over the last two. The low point came in Greco’s final game when he lost to arch-rival Bowling Green for the first time, a 37-10 thumping.

“Anytime you lose to them, it’s bad, but it was my last game,” said Greco, who graduated with a degree in marketing and professional sales. “I played well but we just couldn’t get it together.”

Despite two tough seasons as a team, Greco’s talent caught the eye of NFL scouts. He’s projected as a mid-round pick — The Sporting News had him as high as the second round — and the future seems bright.

Although Toledo isn’t quite the NFL hotbed of an Ohio State or Michigan, Smith feels Greco made a terrific choice.

“There’s nothing wrong with a Wake Forest or a Toledo,” Smith said. “Sometimes a kid will go to Ohio State or Michigan and get lost in the shuffle. They’ll get behind a kid and get discouraged.

“John got to play right away and continued to develop.”

Greco recently signed with Eddie DeBartolo Jr.’s DeBartolo Sports and Entertainment LLC — his former teammate, Tampa Bay quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, recommended the company — and met with his agent four times before they even talked business.

He’s comfortable with his handlers and his future. Now comes the hard part — waiting.

“I just try not to think about it,” he said of the draft. “I’m sure I’ll get nervous next weekend, but I’ve done everything I could. Now it’s the experts’ decision.”

scalzo@vindy.com