Michael Alaimo may not be a household name in college football just yet, but there is no question that he has the talent to be in the near future. A four-star quarterback in the 2020 college football recruiting class, Alaimo committed to the Purdue Boilermakers on June 19th, 2019. It was a move that has paved a bright future for the Boilermakers' football program.
Coming out of Saint Joseph Regional High School in Montvale, New Jersey, Alaimo is the third ranked pocket passer in the entire 2020 recruiting class, according to ESPN's recruit rankings.
Standing in at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds, Alaimo had offers from quite a few quality programs. Among those were Boston College, California, North Carolina, and Pittsburgh. He decided to go with Purdue and head coach Jeff Brohm. Purdue has been rebuilding their football program over the past few years and are finally getting to the point where they are receiving serious recognition.
The Boilermaker commit completed 54.8 percent of his passes for 1,500 yards, 15 touchdowns, and just three interceptions last season. He is facing more pressure this season with the year just getting underway.
For those who don't know much about Alaimo, the talented quarterback took the time to do an exclusive interview with Evan Massey and ClutchPoints. We hope that you enjoy the interview and begin following the quarterback who might just be the next big thing under center in the Big Ten.
Here are some highlights from the 2018 season for Alaimo to give you an idea of what he brings to the gridiron.
First up, Alaimo opened up about why he decided to choose Purdue over the field.
“Purdue felt like home and I really enjoyed my visit there. I also have a great relationship with the entire coaching staff. With both the head coach and quarterback coach playing the quarterback position in the NFL at the highest level, Purdue felt like the best spot for me to be able to develop my game even further.”
Some fans may have no clue what kind of game Alaimo brings to the field. He was happy to share what fans should expect to see from him.
“I’m very accurate with a strong arm and also have the ability to tuck the ball away and run when needed. I’m very competitive and a great leader.”
He also talked about who he is away from the field.
“I grind and train every day. Either I’m lifting, training with my quarterback coach, or at speed training. Also I work hard in the classroom and keep great grades.”
Next, we talked about what his biggest strengths and weaknesses are at this stage of his career.
“I think there’s always room for improvement and you can always get better. My biggest strengths are making quick decisions, being accurate, and a strong arm.”
Alaimo also opened up on what Jeff Brohm and the Purdue coaching staff is expecting from him, as well as how much of an impact playing in the Big Ten had on his decision to commit to the Boilermakers.
“They told me to be ready to come in and compete right away. Playing in the Big Ten had a big impact on my decision because in the Big Ten you are playing tough games every week and most of the schools in the Big Ten are driving distance so my family can come watch me play.”
COMMITTED!🚂 #BoilerUp pic.twitter.com/SFKJTEWQaq
— Mike Alaimo (@michael_alaimo) June 19, 2019
We also discussed what quarterbacks he has modeled his game after and tried to add components of to his game. He had a brief and simple answer that should excite fans.
“Cam Newton because of his size and athleticism.”
Moving forward, Alaimo talked about when he knew he had the talent to play D1 college football.
“I always loved football even when I was young and was always great at it, but my freshman year when I received my first offer thats when everything started blowing up.”
We wanted to know what early goals Alaimo would set for himself if he had to, both team and individually oriented, and he listed a few.
“To come in and compete for the starting job and then win a Big Ten championship and a National Championship.”
Alaimo had a simple, two-word message to close out the interview.
“Boiler Up!”
There is no doubt that Alaimo has the talent to become a very special player at the next level. Purdue is starting to get some great talent on the recruiting path and Alaimo is the kind of player that they can build around moving forward.
Make sure to follow along as Alaimo plays this season and proceeds to take the next step with the Boilermakers.
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