Santa Margarita ATH Drew Sulick accepts PWO at Cal Poly

Santa Margarita Catholic (Rancho Santa Margarita) defensive standout <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2020/10/southern-california-class-of-2021-sleepers-part-4/">Drew Sulick</a> will play his college football at Cal Poly. It took less than a week for Sulick to commit to Cal Poly after receiving the preferred walk-on offer from defensive coordinator <a href="https://gopoly.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/j-c-sherritt/549">J.C. Sherritt</a>. "I decided to commit to Cal Poly because of the great coaching staff, location, and the cost," Sulick said. "It’s hard to beat San Luis Obispo’s location and the coaches really sell it. Because I’m a preferred walk-on, I definitely had to take cost into consideration." https://twitter.com/DrewSulick43/status/1351333625644544005?s=20 Cal Poly’s former head coach of many years, <strong>Tim Walsh</strong>, briefly was the head coach at Santa Margarita for a couple of months before stepping down and corresponded frequently with Sulick who is one of the team’s leaders. Sulick said that Walsh told him about Cal Poly, but that he had little to do with his decision to go there. "Coach Walsh and I had talked about Cal Poly a few times and I’d say he had a little influence on my decision," Sulick said. "He never forced me to go to Cal Poly, but he told me some really great things about it that aided in my decision." Sulick had a pair of scholarship offers which he rejected in favor of being a preferred walk-on at Cal Poly. He had offers from the University of San Diego and St. Ambrose University. He was the leading tackler for Santa Margarita with 88 tackles and added two sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked punt. Sulick and fellow Trinity League defensive star [player_tooltip player_id="25155" first="Jaden" last="Genova"] of JSerra are in a similar group in my opinion in that they are arguably the best defenders on their Trinity League teams but were under-recruited for their talent. "Yes, I did feel under-recruited and I definitely still have a chip on my shoulder. I’m sure [player_tooltip player_id="25155" first="Jaden" last="Genova"] is in the same situation," Sulick said. "He’s a great playmaker and should have more opportunities to play at the next level. Not having senior film yet has hurt both of us a little and I think it adds to that chip." Players like Genova and Sulick play in the top league in the state and arguably the top league in the country. For multiple weeks a season, they are playing against teams like Mater Dei and St. John Bosco, which feature numerous Division 1 level players. Sulick feels like playing that high level of competition has helped prepare him for the challenges of playing college football. "100 percent I feel like the Trinity League has prepared me for college football," Sulick said. Playing against guys like <strong>Bryce Young</strong> and <strong>DJ (Uiagalelei)</strong> was huge preparation. You don’t see guys like that every day and getting the chance to play against them helped prepare me for college." https://twitter.com/scoutSMART_/status/1260947700536705025?s=20 Sulick played outside linebacker in high school but will likely play in the secondary at the college level. He is a disciplined pass rusher as a linebacker and a sure-fire tackler if he gets his hands on the ball carrier. He has the athleticism and football IQ to learn how to adapt to the different coverages and route combinations a defensive back will see at the college level. "I plan on playing safety or nickel. It’s pretty hard to compare myself to a pro player but if I could I would say <strong>Isaiah Simmons</strong> because of his versatility," Sulick said. "He plays all over the field whether that be at backer, safety, nickel, or even down on the line of scrimmage. In our defense at Santa Margarita, that is pretty similar to what I do." Sulick is overqualified to be a preferred walk-on an FCS school in my opinion but it’s understandable to bet on yourself as a walk-on at a school you love over taking a scholarship at a school where you won’t be happy. He should be able to get playing time at Cal Poly due to his versatility and ability to play fast. This offseason, Sulick has been preparing for a possible season at Santa Margarita the old fashioned way, participating in the occasional 7-on-7 league and lifting weights. He has elected not to play club football at the moment like some other prospects have. "I am not doing club football just because I don’t want to risk injury and possibly lose an opportunity to play at the next level. I also still would like to see us play CIF and if that happens, I will play," Sulick said. "This team is special and we’ll surprise some people. I’ve been watching the seniors before me for years and it’s finally my classes’ time. Hopefully we get to play."