Hard work pays off.

That is perhaps an overused saying in the world of sports - or any walk of life for that matter - but in the case of Austin Comire, that is exactly the reason he is on his way to playing football at the collegiate level.

A big kid who showed promise as both a freshman and sophomore, Comire worked his way up to a starting spot at Jackson Memorial in New Jersey.

Now a junior, he is a 6-foot, 235-pound two-way starter on the offensive and defensive line for the Jaguars, who are 7-2.

"The kid is a super hard worker,'' said Jackson Memorial's head coach Vin Mistretta. "He is a very good player for us. He is athletic and he really gets after it. He's a little undersized right now, but he works hard in the weight room, and I can see him easily playing D2 or D3 football down the road. He's going to be a big part of our team next year so we will need him to really step up. A truly hard-working kid.''

Comire, also a member of the school's wrestling team, bench presses 275 pounds, squats 345 and power cleans 235. He boast a grade point average of 3.7.

Scouting report: "When the Jags run behind Comire, good things happen. He can stand his man up and push him back in run protection, he is quick and fast when asked to pull and he can hold his block in pass protection. On the defensive side of the ball, he uses those same athletic attributes to make the play on a a running back or the quarterback. Comire keeps getting better, so with one more year left playing for a winning program, the college coaches are expected to come knocking.''

Junior mid-season highlights: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15102194/6331fdebbd6a6d082c7743b3

"Once the season is over, we will get his film out there in front of everyone and take it from there,'' said Mistretta.''