Throughout this offseason, we’ve spotlighted Class of 2013 quarterbacks who have a shot at making the Elite 11 finals in July. This week, we profile Gilman (Baltimore, Md.) junior Shane Cockerille, who shined at the New York City Elite 11 regional in April and will be competing at the Las Vegas regional on June 16.

Shane Cockerille didn't quite know what to expect heading into the New York City Elite 11 regional competition.

The Gilman (Baltimore) junior quarterback was widely regarded as one of Maryland’s top football recruits, but he hadn’t yet made a name for himself outside the state. He was hoping to change that at the event at Randall's Island, but he wasn't familiar with the drills or the format.

All he knew was that he’d be going up against some awfully tough competition.

But Cockerille is no stranger to good competition. His Gilman team routinely faces some of the best schools in the region, and this fall the Greyhounds will open up against perennial powerhouses Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio), Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) and Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), the latter of which finished this past season as the nation's No. 1 team in the POWERADE FAB 50.

A dual-threat quarterback, Cockerille will be tough for even those top teams to slow down. He threw for 1,100 yards last season and rushed for 1,300 more, accounting for 26 total touchdowns just one year after transferring from DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.). Cockerille helped Gilman finish 10-1 on the season, beating Calvert Hall (Baltimore) in the second overtime for the MIAA A Conference championship. The Greyhounds finished the year No. 21 in the FAB 50.

Now, as Cockerille prepares to make a run at an Elite 11 finals nod at the Las Vegas Elite 11 regional, we caught up with the 6-foot-2, 207-pound Maryland recruit to find out what he’s looking forward to this time around.

ESPNHS: How do you feel like you did at the New York Elite 11 regional?

Cockerille: I thought it went pretty well. I came out wanting to compete and to make myself known. I knew I was competing against some of the best guys in the area. I feel like I learned how the camp works. I didn’t know what a lot of those drills were, but I got a good feel for them.

ESPNHS: What are some of the things you’ve been doing since last season to prepare for your senior year?

Cockerille: I’m lifting four times a week and I ran track this season to work on getting my speed up. And I’m training with my quarterback coach on Sunday and Monday nights, too.

ESPNHS: Here’s a chance to be your biggest critic. What are some of the things you feel like you need to improve on?

Cockerille: I definitely want to work on my accuracy, and I am always working on my pocket presence.

ESPNHS: One of the knocks on you is that your accuracy suffers sometimes because of your arm slot being a little too low. Is that something you’ve worked on?

Cockerille: I’ve been working on that all offseason, getting my arm up. People have told me that in the past, that my arm is kind of low, and I’m working on it. You can definitely tell when my arm is up that my accuracy is better.

ESPNHS: Is that a tough thing to do? It seems like it’s a move from a natural movement to something that takes you out of your element.

Cockerille: It’s how I threw the ball naturally. I guess I relied more on my athleticism than just being a quarterback.

ESPNHS: You committed to Maryland in April. What made you choose the Terrapins?

Cockerille: Our [third] game of the season, against Good Counsel, coach (Randy) Edsall was out there and he saw me play in person. One day later he called and said he liked the way I played. For your hometown school to offer you to be a QB was really exciting. I looked through the process a little to see what else was going on, but when I went to the spring game, I felt like it was time to commit to Maryland. It’s a dream come true to go to your hometown school and try to help them turn things around.

ESPNHS: Are you looking forward to being the leader for this team this season?

Cockerille: Definitely. I love to do that. I feel like when I have the spotlight on me, I play better.

Shane Cockerille

School: Gilman (Baltimore)

Position: QB

Class: 2013

College: Maryland

2011 Team Record: 10-1 (Won MIAA A Conference championship)

2011 Stats

Passing Yards: 1,100

Rushing Yards: 1,300

Total TD: 26