GoMids.com: How did you get in touch
with Navy?
Jake Cross: They were the probably the
first college to start showing interest in me, about a year ago during the
spring, they started showing interest in me.
GoMids.com: When did you visit
Navy?
Jake Cross: I visited them the third
weekend in January.
GoMids.com: How did your visit
go?
Jake Cross: It was really
great. I had visited Air Force and
Georgia Tech before Navy, the first weekend and second weekend, and
then I visited Navy the
following weekend and everything was so much better, you know, that feeling. It
was really good. Everybody was really cool I sat down one
on one with the defensive line coach there, coach Pehrson, and he
was telling me all the stuff about their defense. It interested me a lot.
GoMids.com: When did you decide on Navy?
Jake Cross: Actually, that Sunday
morning, before I left for my plane ride [home], coach Johnson called me into
his office and sat me down and told me I had an offer. I told him I wanted to take it
right then and there so he handed me the letter of intent to sign for signing day.
GoMids.com: What positions did you
play in high school?
Jake Cross: I played mostly noseguard;
you know, defensive tackle. I also
rotated at fullback but they [Navy] are going to have me on the line.
GoMids.com: What were some of your
stats as a senior?
Jake Cross: I ended up with 123 tackles;
about 70 or 80 of those were solo tackles.
I led the team in tackles for losses with 32 and I had like 10 or 11 sacks. I had 2 fumble recoveries and 2 caused
fumbles.
GoMids.com: Wow! 32 tackles for
losses? Incredible.
GoMids.com: So Air Force actually
offered you? Anybody
else?
Jake Cross: Yes, Air Force offered
me. I also had offers from Georgia
Tech and Kentucky.
GoMids.com: As a player, what do you
think the biggest strength of your game is?
Jake Cross: Probably between my
technique and my knowledge of my position.
I know what I'm going to do like before the ball even snaps. I pay attention close to like every
single play to like the downs and distances from the whole week watching game film.
I watched game film of my opponents every day in high school. I got to know all their schemes really good. I was really smart on that part of it.
GoMids.com: What post season honors did
you get after your senior year?
Jake Cross: I got First Team All-County,
First Team All-Western Conference, First Team All-Sun Coast and Second Team All-State.