Top 2028 Mass. ATH Owen DeSalvo Remains Priority For UMass
2028 Massachusetts RB/DB Owen DeSalvo recaps last week's visit to Amherst.
UMass continues to prioritize in-state talent in the 2028 class, and Owen DeSalvo remains at the top of that board following his latest visit.
The 2028 Massachusetts athlete returned to Amherst last week, spending time around the program as the Minutemen continue building on an established relationship.
“It was awesome,” DeSalvo told Minuteman Command. “A lot of great conversations with coaches. Got to see meetings, which was really cool. The energy there was awesome.”
DeSalvo holds offers from UMass, Pitt, Duke, Syracuse, UConn, Miami-Ohio, Rhode Island and Brown, giving him a broad early offer sheet.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “It’s definitely a cool experience and something that you kind of just got to keep your head down. You can’t really think about that stuff, at least for me.
“I’ve been still working really hard. You’ve just got to keep working because you never know what’s going to happen with the process. But yeah, it’s been cool. It’s a fun time for sure.”
The Buckingham Browne & Nichols standout is being evaluated as a multi-positional option, with early indications pointing toward an offensive role.
“Right now, it’s still kind of both,” DeSalvo said. “I think they’re leaning toward the offensive side, more at running back.”
That versatility is a key part of his profile, though.
The 5-foot-11, 190-pounder has primarily played safety at the high school level, lining up across the secondary at free, strong and nickel while also rotating to corner when needed.
During the trip, DeSalvo spent extended time with running backs coach Jeremy Larkin, whose approach stood out.
“He was really cool,” DeSalvo said. “Great energy. I felt like the running backs could really talk to him about anything. They were comfortable, and that was important to me.”
He also connected with head coach Joe Harasymiak, continuing to build on a relationship that has developed over time.
“I’ve gotten to learn a lot about him over the last year and a half,” DeSalvo said. “You can tell he cares about who you are and your family. The culture there really stands out.”
His impressions of Harasymiak are overwhelmingly positive.
“He’s really reputable and what he says is very convincing,” DeSalvo said of Harasymiak. “He knows what he’s doing with the program. So it’s really exciting to see what he’ll do in the future.”
The trip also reinforced what he has seen from the program environment as a whole.
“The energy was through the roof,” DeSalvo said. “You could really feel it in the meetings and around the team.”
With several spring stops already completed, DeSalvo is focused on continuing to evaluate his options while building relationships across the board.
“I’ve just been going to as many schools as I can,” DeSalvo said. “Just keep building relationships and see what fits best.”
UMass remains firmly in that mix, with another return to Amherst already on his radar as the process continues.
“I’ll probably be back for a game in the fall.”
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