A real big deal in Millis
At 6-8, 275, Kevin Pyne in line to follow in family tradition
MILLIS — Even Kevin Pyne knows this is not normal. First came a football scholarship offer from the University of Rhode Island last winter, followed by one from Boston College. That opened the floodgates. Now, upward of 15 major college football programs from across the country — Michigan, Florida and UCLA, just to name a few — have offered Pyne a scholarship. And Pyne is only a sophomore at tiny Millis High School. Standing at 6-foot-8 and weighing 275 pounds, the offensive tackle’s recruitment is bordering on the unprecedented while he stars for the Mohawks and carries on a family legacy. “I’ve seen Massachusetts kids get heavily recruited, but not this early,” said Millis coach Dana Olson. “Kevin’s unique. He’s a 6-8 offensive tackle. That’s the money position that all colleges are looking for.” Playing offensive line at the collegiate level and beyond is nothing new for the Pyne family. Pyne’s grandfather, George Pyne III, played for the Boston Patriots in the 1960s, while his uncle, Jim, played at Virginia Tech before embarking on an eight-year NFL career.
Pyne’s father, David, starred as an offensive lineman at Lafayette, which is also where Pyne’s older brother Austin plays. At the Pyne residence, a blocking sled is stationed in the backyard so family members can work on their craft.
And the multitude of scholarship offers isn’t the only recognition received by the 17-year-old offensive lineman. According to 247 Sports, Pyne is ranked as the No. 2 prospect in the entire country for the class of 2020.
While the ranking certainly holds prestige, Pyne almost disregards it. He is more intent on continuing the hard work that got him to this point.
“I don’t know when the last Massachusetts kid was ranked that high,” Pyne said. “There’s a bunch of rankings out there, but I realize where I’m at isn’t good enough for college. So, even though they say I’m No. 2, if I say, ‘All right, I’m happy with that,’ everyone is going to get better.
“I still have to work every day. It means that I’m good now, but what does that say when I’m in college? That’s what I want to keep working toward.”
Pyne, who is a Milford native, does not rely on his size alone to dominate in the trenches. He combines his massive stature with an athleticism that is rare for his size, along with polished footwork.
In the offseason, Pyne hit the weight room, adding on 10 pounds while also improving his conditioning, as he will play on the defensive line this season as well.
“There’s a ton of kids that are big kids out there but struggle to move,” Olson said. “Usually you don’t get all of it together. You got the height, the size, the wingspan and you can move your feet. That’s a very rare combination that Kevin brings to the table and one of the reasons why he’s one of the most highly recruited offensive linemen in his class.”
While the spotlight will only get bigger, Pyne is focused on what he can do on any given Friday night.
“As a young kid, it’s obviously baffling,” Pyne said. “Right now it’s football season, so I’m trying to not even think about any of that. I’m just trying to really focus on this week.”