Ben Braunecker leapt at the chance to play football and study biochemistry at Harvard University.

"I think Harvard is at the top," said Braunecker, a Forest Park High School senior who signed papers committing to the Crimson on Thursday. Ivy League schools do not give athletic scholarships, but Braunecker is receiving academic aid.

"They won the Ivy League championship and have great athletics. They are also one of the most prestigious universities overall in the U.S. and the world."

Ben Braunecker

Braunecker turned down a full athletic scholarship from Southern Illinois University.

"Obviously going to school for free and playing football did spark my interest," said Braunecker, who was also recruited by Columbia, among others. "But I rely on the '4 and 40 rule.' You're only playing football for four years and ultimately you have to decide what you're going to do for the next 40."

Braunecker, a 6-foot-4, 215-pounder who is a straight-A student and class valedictorian, caught 27 passes for 644 yards, a 23.9 average, including seven touchdowns, in earning the Courier & Press All-Southwestern

Indiana Player of the Year honors. He was the Pocket Athletic Conference Most Valuable Player and named honorable mention all-state.

Braunecker averaged 34 yards per kick return, including two touchdowns, and 36.5 yards on four punt returns. Braunecker also had three interceptions playing defensive back.

Harvard is looking at him as a "hybrid," a combination of split end and tight end.

Braunecker, who also plays basketball and is a member of Forest Park's track and field team, will improve as he specializes in one sport, said Rangers football coach Terry Wagner.

"He'll have time to reach his full potential," Wagner said. "For us, he never came off the field. They want him to put on 15 more pounds and develop into an even better player."

Wagner said Braunecker was looking for a challenge.

"Academics is very important in his life," Wagner said. "He realizes that school comes first and it's a school that is rich in tradition and he got caught up in all that."

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Forest Park's Braunecker headed to Harvard