NAME: Adrian Otero
SCHOOL: Hazleton Area
LAST SEASON: 2017
POSITIONS: LB/RB
The athlete that can play linebacker is a usually a dangerous combination of speed and toughness. Adrian Otero was one of those type of athletes. Otero had a very successful senior season with 124 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 fumble recovery. For his career, he was a three-year starter at lineback and had 230 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. Otero also played running back and fullback his junior and senior seasons respecively. He rushed for 1,439 yards and 8 touchdowns.
Otero was the 2017 NPF District 2 Defense Player of the Year and Wyoming Valley Conference Big School Player of the Year. He was also a Wyoming Valley Conference Big School first-team linebacker in 2016 and 2017. Otero was named an all-state linebacker by the Pennsylvania Football Writers and a first-team all-state linebacker by the Pennsylvania Football News in 2017. He was also named a first-team linebacker in 2017 and an honorable mention linebacker in 2016 by EasternPAFootball.com. Otero played in the UNICO All-Star game and continued his football career at Division I-FCS University of Maine where he started every game at linebacker his sophomore season.
Former Hazleton Area coach Mike Brennan on Otero: “Mentally and physically tough. Tremendous burst and instincts. A great teammate and competitor. Versatile athlete who did everything well on the football field.”
