Council Rock North football’s James Closser headed to Johns Hopkins

NEWTOWN – One of the most prestigious academic-athletic commitments in some time in Bucks County, Council Rock North linebacker James Closser is headed to ECAC rival Johns Hopkins University.

A 6-2, 210-pound, four-year varsity player for the Indians, Closser was recruited by JHU head coach Jim Margraff to play inside linebacker for the Blue Jays, a team that was recently selected by the Eastern College Athletic Conference as Division III Team of the Year.

A student with a 4.4 GPA and over 2000 on his SATs and planning to pursue a science major, Closser also considered Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Carnegie Melon Institute.

“I was getting recruited by a bunch of Ivy and Patriot League schools,” said Closser.” It’s an interesting process; you go to a lot of camps. But things just didn’t work out with some of those schools.

“I decided on Johns Hopkins. They were the best fit for me, the closest and I felt at home there.”

Last year under Margraff’s guidance, the Blue Jays posted an 11-1 record, won a seventh straight Centennial Conference title and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in four years. Johns Hopkins spent the entire 2015 season ranked in the top 15 in the nation and is one of just four Division III teams in the U.S. to be ranked in the top 20 every week since the beginning of the 2012 season.

“They’ve been very successful recently,” added Closser. “Coach Margraff has been there a while and he’s really built a great program. I don’t think they’ve lost a league game in four years.

“We’re looking to keep winning the league and keep winning in the playoffs.

“They haven’t been able to get past that second round of the playoffs and that’s a goal of mine to get past there.”

Closser actually sizes up well against his peers at Johns Hopkins. Junior Jack Campbell, a junior linebacker out of Chagrin Falls, Ohio who registered 58 solo tackles and 43 assists for the Blue Jays last season, is 5-10, 200 pounds. Keith Corliss, a four-year senior from Blue Bell who was named to the D3football.com All-American Team, registered 32 solo tackles and 41 assists at 6-2, 215 pounds.

But Corliss will be gone by the time Closser arrives. If Closser wants to help fill the shoes vacate By Corliss, he knows he’ll have to work hard.

“I’m just going to have to get bigger and stronger just like most of the other freshmen will,” commented Closser. “I feel pretty comfortable. I have to add some muscle but I think I should be alright.”

While James said the recruitment process of traveling the East Coast and visiting about 10 different college campuses was grueling, he feels he made the right choice in Johns Hopkins.

“The players are great and the whole vibe of the school is awesome,” he said. “It’s a good balance between tough academics and good athletics. They do a really good job there of having a good balanced system.

“I’m excited.”

In his four years at Rock North, Closser registered 124 solo tackles and 42 assists. In his last season with the Indians, one that saw Rock go 7-3 in the regular season with a third straight berth in the PIAA District One playoffs, Closser posted 31 solo tackles together with 18 assists.

Contact Steve Sherman at ssherman@21st-Centurymedia.com or @BucksLocalSport on Twitter