Bill Kipouras
Its formal name is Phillips Academy of Andover, founded in 1778. And its known world wide, producing the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Dr. Benjamin Spock; two presidents, George H.W. Bush (an ex-Yale first baseman) and his son, George W. Bush, who quarterbacked the White House Team and got sacked a few times; Bill Belichick, Dana Delaney of "Desperate Housewives," ex-baseball commissioner Bart Giamatti, and Broadway's Duncan Sheik, who won six Tony Awards.
All these popular alumni benefitted from their Andover Academy experiences.
Nick Hennessey, too. Nick Hennessey from Danvers? Yes, Hennessey benefitted as much as any in terms of development when he prepped a year at Andover.
None of the above was a first, second or third round National Football League draft choice. Or even later.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pound Colgate University offensive right tackle already has a decent draft resume. First of all, his size and effort for the 9-2 Red Raiders made him very noticeable on the radar screen. There were a ton of scouts who visited Colgate for spring ball and again in the fall.
Hennessey was the one who attracted the most attention, Colgate coach Dick Biddle said.
"I don't know how many teams they represented, because some clubs sent two, three, and four people, but I think I spoke to about 45 scouts," Hennessey said after leaving Boyle's Gym in Winchester.
Boyle's is what serious prospective pro athletes do for strength and conditioning. Mike Boyle is the Michael Jordan of the muscle business when it comes to building up bodies.
"My first time there," Hennessey said.
It's early. "Between now and the draft a lot goes on," Biddle said. "There's this all-star game coming, the combines are around the corner, the pro days at all the schools. A lot can happen. At the very least he'll get into a camp."
Hennessey has already been named to three All-America teams, the most prestigious of which were Walter Camp's (first team) and the Associated Press. As well as the Football Coaches Subdivision All-America. All the equivalent of the old Division 1-AA.
Colgate will be mildly stunned if Hennessey isn't added to a fourth All-America edition shortly, Sports Network's. Maybe this week.
"What's it all mean, all these All-America teams? It means he's a consensus All-America. It means he's one heckuva football player. I'm sure he'll get a chance.
"A projection on Nick? I'd say mid-range, somewhere in that mix," Biddle said.
The all-star game reference was the Texas vs. The Nation NFL showcase for top college seniors coming up in El Paso, Texas, later this month.
It's the old Sun Bowl.
When it was mentioned El Paso is on the Mexican border, Hennessey had a good line.
"I hope the pregame meal is not Mexican food," he joked.
That's the new Nick Hennessey. The old Nick Hennessey was soft spoken, shy, kind of quiet.
Prep school, a.k.a. Andover, did much for his maturity, and physical development. His stock rose dramatically.
Not a single Division 1 or 1-AA college approached him out of Danvers High.
"Nick was 6-foot-2 or so and about 221 in his senior year," Falcons' coach John Sullivan recalled. "Dominant as a defensive end, but not overly big. Colleges would come around and tell me about the kids they're looking at. I'd tell them, 'Hey, why not look at my kid?'"
The best Hennessey did was some Division 2 offers.
"His parents made a great decision on prep school. He was a very young 17-year-old when he graduated from high school," Sullivan said. "Andover was perfect. He blossomed there, academically and physically. In one year's time he went to 6-foot-5, 255-pounds."
It so happens a recruiter listened to Sullivan this time, and followed up on Hennessey.
"A Colgate coach said he had a list of people to look at and Chris Small, our quarterback, was one of them. I got the tapes out. I also told him about Nick at Andover and got his tapes out. The recruiter went from here directly to Andover."
You could see Nick had the potential, was very athletic, and still had room to grow, Sullivan pointed out. Hennessey played on the basketball team and could dunk.
"Nick is quality kid and comes from good stock. His father (Mike) was a good running back at UNH. Kids graduate so young now. The parents made the right move. A year at a prep school like Andover is like another year of college."
Hennessey said the invite to the El Paso event surprised him. He knows the value, however.
"I heard about it late in the season. That was exciting, and so is all this other stuff. Will there be pressure? Well, it'll be my first time against kids from 'A.' The Big 12. All the big conferences. They'll be bigger and faster than the guys I've gone against. They're probably all All-Americans. There's got to be some pressure. Hopefully I'll have a good day. It's an honor to be named for that game."
At the moment, Nick and his father are in the process of selecting an agent. It's not going to be a big time guy, he said. The NFL Players' Assn. has as rule about draft prospects having an agent.
He graduates from Colgate in May and said he's got to finish up.
Hennessey is confident "I'll be in the mix, I just don't know where."
He's already surpassed Belichick at this point. The Patriots' coach was a backup center at Wesleyan University after matriculating at Andover.
Bill Kipouras is a staff writer at The Salem News. He can be reached at 978-338-2615 or by e-mail: bkipouras@salemnews.com.
