WATCH: Ben Hoffman UA jersey presentation
Long snapper Ben Hoffman received his Under Armour All-America game jersey presented by American Family Insurance on Tuesday in front of teammates, coaches, faculty and friends at Farragut High School in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound prospect, who also plays defensive end for his high school team, said the thought of being an Under Armour All-American hasn’t really registered.
"It really hasn’t set in yet,” Hoffman laughed. "At least for me as a long snapper, it’s just one of those things just seeing the game on TV, you never think that you’ll be playing in such a big-time game like that. It’s just all surreal right now.”
Hoffman said the thought of playing with future NFL stars is something that he will probably always remember.
"I just remember watching guys like Leonard Fournette; I definitely remember A.J. Green, Julio Jones, there are just so many huge, NFL superstars right now,” he said. "It’s just crazy to think about and I’m probably going to be playing with the next superstars in this game."
For a long-snapper, a scholarship offer from a FBS team can be hard to come by. Hoffman, however, is hoping the 2016 Under Armour game will help get him some recognition.
“I don’t have any offers right now and haven’t had much contact with schools,” Hoffman said, “I’d take a scholarship at a D-II school if that’s all that was available. I just love playing the game. Hopefully the game will help with more offers."
Q&A with Ben Hoffman
What is your first football memory?
Hoffman: I was seven years old and it wasn’t like a league where all the seven-year olds play together and all the eight-year olds play together. I was on a team that seven, eight and nine year olds all played together. We were doing the Oklahoma drill and I was running the ball and the biggest player on our team, who was a nine-year old just nailed me, I mean just nailed me. That was the first thing I remember and I will never forget that … ever.
If you could play 1-on-1 with any professional athlete in their sport, who would it be and why?
Hoffman: I’d have to play LeBron [James] 1-on-1. I still play basketball in high school and that would be just incredible to play him. He’s always been my favorite player. I just think it’s incredible that a guy that big can run like a 5-9 defensive back.
What number do you wear in high school and is there a reason why you wear that number?
Hoffman: I wear No. 51. I’ve always been a Florida fan growing up and [Tim] Tebow wore 15. But I’m a defensive end also, so I couldn’t really wear 15 so I flipped it around and so now I wear 51.
What is something that not many people know about you?
Hoffman: I like fly fishing a lot. Only a few of my friends know that I like to do that, but I really enjoy it.