South Jersey native and former standout at Eastern High School and Rutgers Logan Ryan will try and help the Patriots win their fourth Super Bowl title in franchise history. Photo by Al Thompson

CHANDLER, AZ: Eastern High School can hang its head with any high school football program in South Jersey in the area of turning out great players.

The world’s football eyes will be on former Eastern standout Logan Ryan, who excelled at quarterback and defensive back for the Vikings from 2007-09 before he went on to an All-American career at Rutgers as a cornerback.

Drafted in the third round of the 2013 draft, Ryan is an important member of the New England Patriots secondary, who face the Seattle Seahawks Sunday in Glendale Arizona in Super Bowl XLIX.

He is not the only Viking making news in the football world.

Last month former Vikings standout defensive back Eli Apple, playing for Ohio State, intercepted Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota on the Ducks last, desperate drive helping the Buckeyes secure college football’s first playoff national championship.

In 2013 Eastern was in the spotlight when Tom Flacco – brother of Ravens QB Joe – was celebrated as the top athlete of the year in South Jersey.

The Audubon native passed for 2,782 yards and 25 touchdowns while racking up 641 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground. He finished third on the South Jersey all-time passing list with 7,387 career yards. He excelled in baseball as as well.

Flacco was taken by the Phillies in the 2014 MLB Draft in the 32nd round.

Flacco has made a commitment to the grid iron and is waiting to start his career at Western Michigan next fall.

Ryan though is on the highest stage a football player can reach.

Ryan, who turns 24 on February 9, says his career has been a terrific journey already.
“It’s been a lot of fun” Ryan said at Wednesday’s media day. “It’s been a long trip; I’ve enjoyed the ride the whole time. Right now I think I am at the pinnacle of my young career.”

Ryan says he has fit in with the Patriots for some very simple reasons.

“I just bought in to the system, the scheme and I work hard every day,” Ryan said. “I’m a winner and this is a winning organization. I come into work every day and try to win and that is something our coaches preach to the players they are going to play…I fell like it’s a good fit for me.”

Like most kids growing up in the Delaware Valley, Ryan said he grew up an Eagles fan. He said loved the team but only attended one live game, a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ryan said he got to play at the Linc against Temple during his career at Rutgers.

“I grew up an Eagles fan… all the NFC championship losses,” Ryan said with a bit of a laugh. “I experienced all that so it’s good to be on this side of it.”

Ryan was asked of all the great defensive backs who have worn the Eagles uniform – Bobby Taylor, Troy Vincent, Sheldon Brown, Lito Shepard were mentioned to him. Who did he admire most growing up?

“All of them,” Ryan said. “I watched all of them. They were all great players in their own way, all great defensive backs.”

Ryan then admitted he does have a favorite Eagle.

“I would say Brian Dawkins,” Ryan said of the Eagles safety, who had his No. 20 jersey retired last year. “He was the heart and soul of that defense for a long time. You’ve got to love the passion and intensity he played with. He made the players around him better. He was a playmaker in different aspects with covering, tackling and his blitzing. He is definitely one of my favorites growing up watching.”

Dawkins had a great career, got a close several times but never got that Super Bowl ring. It is an opportunity Ryan will have Sunday when the Patriots face the Seahawks.

Ryan talked about the Patriots organization and how it is a contender almost every season.

“That’s the crazy thing about it,” Ryan said. “A lot of great players never made it to this point, to where I am right now. It shows you how hard it is, and it shows you how much it is a team game. It’s not about one player. It shows I am on a great team with great coaches, I am out there trying to contribute.”

“It shows the consistency and longevity of winning here,” Ryan continued. “Every team is a different team. This team is different than last year that went to the AFC Championship. This team is a little different, this team’s closer, where we’re tight off the field; we joke all the time. We have a lot of fun playing with each other, we play for each other. Which I think shows in our play.”

The Patriots know they have their hands full with Seattle. It will take a great effort to win the Super Bow for the fourth time in franchise history.

“We have to be willing to tackle,” Ryan said. “If you are out there not tackling, you can’t play nine against eleven. The corners have to be able to tackle without a doubt. You’ve got to limit the big plays. Those receivers, Russell Wilson…last game (against Green bay) they showed you they can make big plays at the end of the game to win the game…big throws down the field…that is something we have to contain, something we have to stay on. We’ve just got to compete. They are a hard-working group. They play with a lot of effort and intensity. They like to compete. We have to match that, if not do a little bit more.”

Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse are the starting wide receivers for the Seahawks. They do not have the marquee status of Dez Bryant, Calvin “Megatron” Johnson, Demaryius Thomas or DeSean Jackson, but these are the only two receivers Ryan cares about right now.

It was Kearse who caught a 35-yard strike in the end zone from Wilson in overtime to put Seattle in the title game.

Ryan gave a simple rundown of his opponents

“They work hard in the pass game and the run game,” Ryan said. “They don’t take any plays off. They block. They play with a lot of intensity and they show they can make big plays, clutch plays to win games. They’re winners over there. They’ve won a lot, we’ve won a lot of games so that’s why I think it’s a good matchup.”

Ryan was asked if he says he stays in touch with the Eastern football program. Not only does he stay in touch, his whole family has remained fans of the Vikings football team.

“Without a doubt,” Ryan said. “My dad still goes to games on Fridays, sits up there in the stands. My family, my parents, we support the school greatly. Seeing what (Tom) Flacco did, beating everything I did as a quarterback when I went there (laughing now), I am still close with Eli Apple who represented our school well winning a national championship. I am very in touch with my roots down there and wish the best for those guys.”