AVON LAKE — It’s no surprise to area football fans that Avon Lake has one of the top high school programs around, but the Shoremen are making a case for having one of the top offensive lines in the state this year as a second Shoreman has signed a Division I commitment.

Senior tight end Dan Schneider announced he will play for Pittsburgh next year, after receiving 18 scholarship offers from top-tier college programs around the country. Schneider joins guard Christian Pace, who committed to Michigan last month, and junior tight end Brian Mihalik, who has already received an offer from West Virginia, on a talented line.

“We definitely work hard, and we play with a chip on our shoulders,” Schneider said. “We know that we’re going to be a big game for everybody on our schedule, so we don’t go into anything with our heads down. We take our blocking as a point of pride.”

But the 6-foot-5, 240-pounder has a lot more to offer than just making holes for Shoremen running backs and sticking onrushing defenders on their backs. Schneider can burn most opponents with his speed, and has solid hands.

“Versatile … yep, that’s him,” Shoremen coach Dave Dlugosz said. “He can catch the ball, he runs pretty well and he’s an excellent blocker. We’ve been kind of renowned for our running game and the tight end is really a key component in whatever we do.”

Dlugosz said Schneider is so multitalented, Pittsburgh is even considering using him in their H-back role for some plays. Not that it matters to Schneider where he plays on the field, or what is expected of him.

“I like pancaking a guy as much as I like scoring a touchdown to be honest,” Schneider said. “I feel I can do either, and they’re both pretty fun. But I guess in our offense, catching a ball is a nice change of pace.”

Schneider’s incredible size and athletic ability are showcased on OhioScouting.com, and the response has been overwhelming. Nearly every Mid-American school has sent him an offer, Florida State has represented the South, Colorado and Air Force have come knocking from the West and Indiana from the Midwest.

But it was the Panthers that ultimately impressed Schneider the most.

“I’m excited about everything they have to offer at Pitt,” he said. “It’s been a rollercoaster ride – there’s times that it’s been great and times that weren’t so great. It’s also very time consuming. Once you do the research and get to the bottom of everything, it’s not too difficult to make a decision. But the time I put in was incredible, so I’m glad that’s off my plate.”

Schneider also needed to join a program at a school where he felt like he fit academically. He is one of the top students at Avon Lake, and Dlugosz said his grade-point average is just over 4.4.

“I was looking into all the academic scholarships before the football offers came along,” Schneider said. “It’s something I would have looked into had this not come about, but it’s so hard to get academic scholarships these days I don’t know how that would have gone.

“I’ve always wanted to play football in college though, so this is fulfilling a big dream of mine.”

“He’s also an exceptional leader, not just on the football field but in the school as well,” Dlugosz said of Schneider. “He’s been the president of both the sophomore and the junior classes. He’s a very highly motivated individual and a very focused individual, and sometimes maybe even focused to a fault — he’s his own harshest critic. He’s a perfectionist who will work and work and work to make sure he gets to the level that he expects of himself.”

Which is just another way Schneider could pay dividends for the Avon Lake program during his senior season. It’s pretty much expected that he’ll perform well in most regards on the field, but the added voice and passion in the locker room could help push the Shoremen to a higher level.

“I really hope to be a captain and all that,” Schneider said. “It’s been a dream of mine growing up to be a captain of the team. I try to lead by example. I try to take that upon myself for the team.

“I feel like some of the younger guys look to me and if I can do things right, maybe they will, too.”

Contact Shaun Bennett at 329-7137 or sbennett@chroniclet.com.

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