The dust has settled with the NCAA football winter transfer portal closing on Dec. 28.
The time is upon us for North Andover’s Jake Saalfrank to find a college football home.
“It’s just been a waiting game, because of the transfer portal. Things are kind of crazy now,” said Saalfrank, a tight end/defensive end who currently has offers from Stonehill, Bryant, Merrimack and Marist. “Waiting for that deadline, teams need to see who they might land and who they have lost.”
An Eagle-Tribune All-Star in 2023 as a senior at North Andover High, Saalfrank chose the post-grad route at Phillips Andover this fall. If any boxes were left to be checked by the 6-foot-4, 220-pounder, they no longer remain.
“We had a rough season, but I felt like I did all I could. I put together a lot of good film,” said Saalfrank. “It was definitely a different experience. There’s a lot of talent in this league that I had not seen before I came to Andover. I pushed myself against those tougher kids.
“And I feel like I’ve grown into the leadership role, being one of the older guys here on the team.”
For his work with the Big Blue, Saalfrank earned the team’s “Ernie Adams Award.”
“The award honors someone’s love for football, day in and day out, and it meant a lot to win that award,” said Saalfrank. “I’m super-passionate about what I do, so, yeah, it meant a lot.”
Making the season and the accolades even more special was the fact that Adams, a Phillips grad, football savant and longtime confidante of Bill Belichick, was on the Big Blue staff this fall as a volunteer assistant coach.
“He’s had insane experiences working with Nick Saban and Bill Belichick, and I was just excited for anything that I could pick up from him,” said Saalfrank. “He was there every day. He watched an absurd amount of film and did everything he could to help the team.”
Saalfrank, who is playing hoop this winter for the Big Blue, says life on the Andover campus was the perfect interlude for him between high school and college.
He feels prepared and ready to tackle the next challenge.
“It’s a tremendous school and offered me a great opportunity,” said Saalfrank. “It’s definitely helped get me ready for college. I’m in the dorm with people from all over the world. It’s been cool hearing about their experiences.”