Rarely does a high school football player commit to a college before he's offered a scholarship, but that's what happened with Concord-Carlisle running back George Craan.

On Friday afternoon Craan told Boston College assistant coach Sean Devine that if BC make him an offer, he would accept it. BC extended that offer Saturday morning.

“I didn't need any time to think about it,” Craan said. “It was an easy decision. I knew an offer might be on the way. It just took a while to make sure everything was OK with admissions. I told them, 'If I get in, I'm going to go.'”

BC had been flirting with Craan since last summer. Craan drew interest -– but no offers –- from schools like Maine, UNH and Albany, and was prepared to spend next season in prep school. Earlier this month he committed to Choate Rosemary Hall in Wallingford, Conn.

“Not that those aren't quality schools, but he really had his sights set on playing at the highest level he could,” Concord-Carlisle coach Mike Robichaud said. “Unless a school like BC offered he was gonna get another year of development under his belt.

“National Signing Day kind of came and went, and BC seemed set with who they were going to go with. It looked like [prep school] was gonna be the direction he was headed in. Then some things happened, they took another hard look at him and he came back alive on their board. I don't know what those circumstances were. It all happened pretty fast.”

Craan rushed for 1,813 yards and scored 24 touchdowns last season, when he led Concord-Carlisle to a 13-0 record, earning ESPN Boston All-State honors in the process. The Patriots capped their season by beating Oliver Ames 42-9 in the Division 3 Super Bowl. Craan rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries in that victory.

Craan was also Concord-Carlisle's top offensive threat in 2010, when the Patriots lost to Duxbury in the Division 2A Super Bowl.

“He's always had pretty good shake,” Robichaud said. “He could always run away from you, but [as a senior] he demonstrated so much more power. Last season he showed a real special ability to get the yards he had to have. He could still break one at any time, but when you needed 3 yards he got you 4.”

ESPN rated Craan as a two-star recruit at running back, and the No. 13 prospect from Massachusetts in the Class of 2012. He's a shade under 6-feet tall, and weighs 206 pounds.

Craan, who won't turn 18 until July, said BC recruited him to play running back. He is scheduled to sign a national letter of intent sometime next week.

“I thought prep school was a done deal,” Craan said. “If a school like LSU offered that would be one thing, but realistically speaking BC was my No. 1 choice. I grew up watching them. I'm happy and everyone around me is happy.”