Prepping For The Pros

Kyle McCarthy is conditioning in anticipation of NFL draft day

By JOE SCALZO

Vindicator sports staff

On Tuesday afternoon, as the Mahoning Valley was getting buried by yet another blizzard, Kyle McCarthy was 2,500 miles away, enjoying 65-degree weather in California.

After finishing up his finance degree at Notre Dame last spring and taking a handful of graduate school classes in the fall, the Mooney High graduate is now preparing for an even bigger test — the NFL draft.

In late December, he signed with Athletes First, a sports agency based in Irvine, Calif., and has been working out three times per day with other draft hopefuls such as former Texas quarterback Colt McCoy and former Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, who both finished in the top five in the Heisman Trophy voting.

Although McCarthy has always kept himself in good shape, he’s using these workouts to excel in combine drills such as the 40-yard dash and the cone drill, which focus on speed and explosiveness.

“It’s been great,” said McCarthy, a 2005 Mooney High graduate who played safety for the Irish. “This is my job now and I put everything I have into it.”

McCarthy was one of three area players invited to this month’s NFL combine in Indianapolis, joining Penn State QB Daryll Clark (Ursuline) and YSU wide receiver Donald Jones.

McCarthy also played in the Senior Bowl last month, capping a terrific career that saw him start his last 25 games after spending his first few years on special teams.

“Obviously, it’s every kid’s dream to play in the NFL,” said McCarthy, who is projected as a mid-round pick. “Although I didn’t start my first few years at Notre Dame, when I got the chance, I showed people I could play.

“After that, I never really looked back.”

McCarthy (6-foot-1, 210 pounds) was a tackling machine at Notre Dame, compiling team-highs in tackles in 2008 (110) and 2009 (101).

He is the only defensive back in Irish history to have even one 100-tackle season. He also led the Irish (6-6) in interceptions last fall with five.

Unfortunately, the Irish lost all six games this season by seven points or fewer, including their last four, which prompted the school to fire head coach Charlie Weis.

“I would have loved to win more games but I’m proud of the way the team stuck together and fought through adversity with the coaching situation,” McCarthy said. “It was great to have a productive season for myself but ultimately it didn’t produce wins.”

When asked what it was like to play amid the firing rumors, McCarthy said, “We knew it was a possibility, but I’m a Coach Weis guy. I support Coach Weis. When we actually heard the news that he wasn’t going to be back, it was tough.

“People don’t know how much he cared about Notre Dame and each player. Unfortunately, that’s the way it is when you play in a fishbowl like Notre Dame.”

McCarthy’s younger brother, Danny, is also a safety at Notre Dame. After redshirting his freshman year to recover from a neck injury he suffered his senior season at Mooney, Danny played in five games last fall, recording one tackle for the Irish.

Both were standout two-way players for the Cardinals, leading the Irish to state championships (Kyle in 2004, Danny in 2006). McCarthy said he still keeps in touch with his coaches at Mooney and has enjoyed their recent success, which included a 15-0 record last fall.

“I owe a lot of my success to the work ethic I learned at Mooney,” he said. “It’s very close to my heart and it helped me become the person I am today.

“It’s awesome to see the success they’ve had in the last couple years.”

His gratitude extends beyond Mooney, he said.

“I’ve just been really thankful for all the support I’ve gotten in Youngstown from my friends and family,” he said. “I feel so blessed to be from Youngstown and I try to model the way I play on some of the things Youngstown is known for.

“I take pride in being a blue collar-type guy and I hope people look at me and are proud. I’ve worked really hard to apply the values I learned from home.”

scalzo@vindy.com