Brandon Fusco was not a high-profile football player coming out of Seneca Valley High School; that will not be the case when he leaves Slippery Rock University.

Fusco's name continues to show up on NCAA Division II preseason All-American teams. The latest came three week's ago when he was one of three players from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to be named to the Sporting News Preseason All-America squad.

That honor came on the heels of him being named first team on the Consensus Draft Services Preseason All-American Team. And that's just the start of things for Fusco. Look for him to be on just about every preseason squad that involves Division II players.

If Fusco's name isn't all that familiar, it is because he is one of those big guys -- he is 6 feet 5 and 310 pounds -- who labors in obscurity on the offensive line. Actually, he is not as obscure as some because he is The Rock's starting center.

"I'm excited by it all," he said of the preseason publicity. "But I still need to have a great senior season."

The key word here is "still" because the preseason honors are nice and mean somebody -- probably NFL scouts/bird dogs -- are paying attention to what Fusco has accomplished, but they do not guarantee he will get a shot to play on Sundays in 2011.

That is his ultimate goal ... to get an opportunity to play in the NFL. And there have been some teams sniffing around.

"I can't talk to any of them [teams] but there have been a few who have called [the school] and asked about me," he said. "The [Slippery Rock] coaches call me every time that happens and keep me informed."

Slippery Rock coach George Mihalik said the preseason honors show that Fusco is "on the radar screens" with NFL teams.

He added, "A number of pro scouts have told us they will be closely watching his efforts this fall."

What makes Fusco a prospect is his size and speed. He has been timed at 5.1 seconds in the 40-yard dash, which is excellent for a big lineman.

It doesn't hurt that he has anchored The Rock's offensive line for the past three seasons, starting 33 consecutive games. NFL scouts like durable players.

Fusco was not highly recruited coming out of Seneca Valley. Youngstown State, a Division I-AA program, was interested and Morehead State offered him a scholarship. But when he talked to Slippery Rock coaches and visited the campus, he just had a good feeling.

"I just really connected with the coaching staff. That's really what did it for me," Fusco said.

He said one of the reasons he wasn't looked at by Division I schools was because he weighed 250 pounds as a senior at Seneca Valley.

Fusco, who played offensive tackle, was redshirted as a freshman at Slippery Rock. He was shifted to center the following spring, moved into the starting lineup that fall and has been there ever since.

He said that in The Rock's zone blocking scheme he often ends up reaching out and blocking an opponent with one arm. The fact that he is so good at it is probably another reason why the pros are interested.

In an effort to get ready for the coming season -- Slippery Rock's first game is at home at 7 p.m. Sept. 2 against Merrimack College -- Fusco has been working to improve his flexibility and strength.

He said he realized after his sophomore season at The Rock, when he was a first-team All-PSAC selection, that maybe he would get a chance to play at the next level.

"That's something you always dream about," he said. "But I know I need to have a great senior season and I'm going to do everything possible to make that happen."

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