St. Thomas More offensive lineman Ashton Helaire certainly knows how to stand out in a crowd.
"He's got size and some natural strength," Cougars head coach Jim Hightower said. "He's always had good feet. For a big guy, he moves his feet well."
Helaire is 6-foot-4, weighs 320 pounds, and wears a size 17 shoe. His measurements have been off the charts since a young age.
"I was looking at one of my football pictures when I was nine years old and I was 5-foot-7," Helaire said. "I would play at Brown Park. People would say that I wasn't old enough. It got to the point that my family had to start bringing my birth certificate. Sometimes I just wanted to tape it on my body."
It's also easy to pick out Helaire's voice. No matter if it's encouraging teammates or cheering on classmates, he's always bringing the energy.
"I've always been a joyful guy," Helaire said. "If I can bring some happiness to the team and give energy, I love to do it. When I know I have my spark going on, I'm going to make sure everyone knows it."
Helaire's power and personality have attracted some of the top teams in the nation. The three-star o-lineman got his first Power Five offer from Georgia Tech in the ninth grade.
"We talked for 15 minutes, and he asked if they offered me would I come here," Helaire said. "After that, honestly, I cried."
The list has now grown to schools like Michigan, Miami, and Florida State. Helaire projects as an interior offensive lineman at the next level, which is part of the reason he's moving to center as a senior.
"Me and coach (Shane) Savoie talked about it at the end of the year," Helaire said. "I want to show coaches that I can play 1-5 on the offensive line. I played a few snaps at center last year, but now I'm making that full transition to show college coaches that I can play anywhere. It's a huge step for me."
The transition has been a steady process for Nelaire but through 7-on-7's and other workouts, he is ready to anchor the trenches for the Cougars.
"A lot of teams that we're going to be playing this year have big nose guards," Helaire said. "I feel like it will be more comfortable for my quarterbacks and running backs if I stop that guy and slow him down. It's been different with snapping the ball and making the read. I'm out here with the guys trying to get more comfortable with it."
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