The Jackhammer plans for jump onto football’s biggest stage
Jack Colletto’s versatile play won him the nation’s Paul Hornung Award (Courtesy OSU Athletics)
It’s fair to say that Jack Colletto is the most well-rounded player in Oregon State history, at least since college football went to the two-platoon system in the mid-1960s.
The 6-3, 240-pound linebacker/fullback/H-back/quarterback/special teams standout was justly honored in December with the Paul Hornung Award, given to the nation’s most versatile player. Colletto joins the likes of Alabama’s DeVonta Smith, Penn State’s Saquon Barkley, Stanford’s Christian McCaffrey, Washington’s Shaq Thompson and LSU’s Odell Beckham as recipients of the annual award. (The inaugural winner of the award in 2010 was Stanford’s Owen Marecic, a graduate of Portland’s Jesuit High.)
The Camas, Wash., native now is busy in preparation for the Beavers’ Pro Day on March 13 and the NFL Draft from April 27-29. Colletto, 23, has been training in Los Gatos, Calif., since Jan. 1. He has hired an agent — Steve Caric of Las Vegas — and though he was not invited to the NFL Combine, he has his sights set on making an NFL roster next fall. I’m taking all bets that he makes one.
Colletto is focusing on “working my butt off, showing up every day and giving myself the best opportunity” in the NFL
I caught up with “The Jackhammer” in a phone conversation this week.
KE: You ended your college career with a 30-3 rout of Florida in the Las Vegas Bowl. That had to be a good way to go out.
JC: Not only that, but to end it the way (the regular season) ended at Reser Stadium was a bit of a story in itself.
KE: Indeed, Oregon State’s 38-34 come-from-behind Civil War win over Oregon was more than a bit of a story.
JC: It was kind of funny. There were a lot of emotions in our locker room before that game. A lot of players had been there for awhile and had put everything they had into the program. To have all those emotions on Senior Day and the way it turned out? It was just picture perfect. Not better way to end it.
KE: And the bowl game?
JC: I consider that icing on the cake. It would have been a great season regardless of the result, but it does mean something to finish a bowl game like that and go out in style.
KE: You had your typical all-around game: A blocked punt, four tackles, two carries for 17 yards, including 11 and a first down on a fake punt.
JC: It was great to just get out there and contribute at all. It was something I had done throughout the course of the year. To have a good, complete game propels myself into what’s next for me.
KE: How did you feel about winning the Paul Hornung Award?
JC: It’s not necessarily the award itself that I’m proud of. It’s the process that got me to that point. Don’t get me wrong — it’s a prestigious award and an honor to be a part of that group of winners. But really, what’s most memorable for me was the process and everything I had to do to get to that point, and the support I had that came along with.
KE: I’m sure you’re referring first to the support from your parents, Bert and Kris, and your older brother Nick.
JC: My mom was the person who allowed me to transfer high schools to get myself a better opportunity to get to college I ultimately wanted to go to. I had to go to a JC (Arizona Western) for a year, but ultimately it carved the path for me to get to where I am today. I went to a small high school by Seattle (Kingston) through my sophomore year. A multitude of factors led us to Camas.
KE: You quarterbacked the Papermakers to the state 4A championship as a senior, accounting for 48 touchdowns passing and rushing and earning Washington Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
JC: Going to a bigger school was part of the move. It guided me to where I am. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had stayed at my old high school. With my dad, football was what created a relationship with him for me. It was always a point in common between the two of us. Not that we didn’t have a relationship, but he is a big sports guy and I had the dream to play in the NFL. I’ve had that dream since third grade.
KE: Your story at Oregon State is something that dreams are made of.
JC: I credit coach (Jonathan) Smith. I came to Oregon State as a quarterback. After a year when things didn’t necessarily go my way, I wanted to switch positions. He was open-minded about me switching to linebacker. He stuck with me. Props to him about being good with that. I’m appreciative of all the coaches, but especially Trent Bray, who was my linebackers coach and is our defensive coordinator now. With the offensive package, I’d say coach (Jim) Michalczik and coaches (Brian) Lindgren and (Brian) Wozniak.
KE: As a senior, you were named All-Pac-12 first team and to the Phil Steele All-American squad.
JC: I accomplished all the things I wanted to. Right now I’m in position to carry out my dreams for what I want to do.
KE: You’ve been in Los Gatos since Jan. 1, training with Dave Spitz and a company called California Strength. What are you trying to accomplish?
JC: Mostly, I’m working on the biomechanics piece, getting everything functioning to its maximum potential. It’s about building a base to get bigger, faster and stronger — getting yolked, so to speak. I’m working six days a week, going from 7 a.m. to about 6 p.m. Putting in about 11 hours a day.
KE: Are you training with any other athletes?
JC: Dave tries to keep it small, but there is a group. Among the guys are (UCLA receiver) Jake Bobo, (Purdue linebacker) Jalen Graham and (Minnesota linebacker) Mariona Sori-Morin.
KE: Are you working your butt off?
JC: The workouts are good, but the big focus is on pliability and functional movement. I’m not beating myself up for 11 hours. It is speed work to meals to lifting to recovery. So far, it’s been great.
KE: What are you weighing?
JC: At the Shrine Bowl, they had me at 239. That’s about what (NFL scouts) say they want me to be, and I’m fine with that.
KE: Did they time you in the 40?
JC: Not at the Shrine Bowl. Last year at Oregon State, I was timed at 4.60. I can open up and move a little a bit.
KE: The Shrine Bowl was Feb. 2 at Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. You were on the West team but didn’t play. Why?
JC: My knee swelled up a decent amount during the week of practice, and I had to head out early. But the week was good. Busy. A lot of good opportunities. I put a good body of work out there.
KE: What position did they have you play?
JC: Most of my work was at tight end. I sprinkled in a bit of defensive end the last couple of days.
KE: Had you had problems with the knee before? How is it now?
JC: No I hadn’t. It was more like a bone bruise. The swelling went down a lot, but I had to get it under control. It’s fine now.
KE: How long will you stay in Los Gatos?
JC: Probably right up to Pro Day.
KE: Have you any indication from scouts if and when you’ll be drafted?
JC: Not really. I’m pretty sure that process starts later, especially after Pro Day. I talked to (scouts) at the Shrine Bowl, but nothing is set in stone yet. A lot of that comes at the end of March and start of April.
KE: What position or positions do you think you’ll play in the NFL?
JC: Depends on the team that picks me. I’ll do whatever it takes to get on a team.
Jack Colletto chats with fans at the Giant Killers Collective NIL event at Jim Fisher Volvo in Portland
KE: In all my years watching Oregon State football, I don’t recall a more popular player than you. The “Jackhammer” bit really caught on. At the Vegas Bowl, you got the biggest cheers. What was that like for you?
JC: That entire experience was amazing, it really was. My goal at Oregon State was to develop over the course of my time there. It caught on with the fan base, and I was able to expand upon that a little bit. The support I got from Beaver Nation was truly amazing. It made the games more fun. It gave the people something to watch and helped fill the stands and made the atmosphere on game day that much better.
KE: Did your popularity catch you by surprise?
JC: I didn’t expect my outcome. I didn’t expect the crowd reaction, the way they embraced the things I did. I had a lot of high hopes, but honestly, I’m as surprised as anybody. It’s a situation I can’t explain in great detail. It just happened.
KE: Do you expect to make an NFL roster next season?
JC: Ultimately, I believe the best spot to be in is not to be result-focused, but more process-focused. People who worry too much about making a team are focusing on the wrong thing. The way things have played out with my life and my journey, everything seems to work out at the end of the day. What I’m focusing on is working my butt off, showing up every day and giving myself the best opportunity.
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