Capping off his senior season two weeks ago, Scott was
announced as the award’s winning selection in front of a locally televised
awards show at Blue Springs High School. Full of gratitude, Scott said it was a
great honor to receive.
“It was just really a blessing,” Scott said. “It felt good
to know all the hard work I put in was coming back to me now.”
With 131 catches, 1937 yards, and 32 touchdowns in three
years at the varsity level, in talking with Scott, he doesn’t necessarily come
off as the stereotypical image of a standout wide receiver. Mild-mannered,
poised, and humble, Scott says he doesn’t necessarily enjoy bragging about
himself in the limelight.
“Most people think receivers are really cocky (some are), but
I don’t personally think I’m like that because I don’t like talking about the
attention I get and my stats,” Scott said. “I try to be just a normal kid off
the football field.”
While his hands are described as some of the best by those
who’ve watched him play, he says the key is concentration that starts well
before the opening kickoff.
“It kind of starts in pre-game, I pray a lot,” Scott said.
“That helps me focus throughout the game because when you’re able to focus
before the game, it takes away how difficult a situation might be during the
game.”
Scott has always been an athlete, playing basketball and
running track in addition to football, but hitting a growth spurt and gaining speed
made being a wide receiver became his ideal focus. Looking back at a sophomore
year where he gained his first varsity experience, Scott said it was an
opportunity he truly appreciates.
“At such a young age, I was just playing football for the
fun of it, but when I look back I see how blessed I was to have that
opportunity,” Scott said.
At 6’1” 170 pounds, Scott certainly has athletic ability, but
Park Hill South coach Mark Simcox says it’s his consistency and approach to
practice that makes him such a reliable target.
“As a head coach, I like him for his consistency. We didn’t have
to worry about him missing a rep in practice, being hurt, or being sick,”
Simcox said. “He’s always the same, so you know what you’re going to get. And
that’s part of the reason he’s so good is because of the way he practices. He
caught 71 balls this year, but he probably caught 10,000 balls in practice.”
Good hands are one thing, but positioning is often an
intangible that is hard to find in high school receivers.
“His spatial awareness relative to defenders is a gift, not
necessarily something you can teach. In three years, in all the times we’ve
thrown to him, I think there was only two times where it was intercepted. He’s
going to catch it most of the time, but if he doesn’t he’ll make sure a
defender doesn’t.”
Having attended summer camps across the Midwest this past
year where he received interest from colleges around the country, Scott knows
he wants to play football next year at the next level. Still weighing his
options with visits to Kansas State, North Iowa, Idaho, and Tulsa scheduled in the
coming weeks, he will make a official decision in January. Like most skilled
receivers, he’s looking for a school with a team that can best help him do what
he does best: catch passes, lots of them.
“I’m looking for a good coaching staff, but also a place
where I can fit in,” Scott said. “I don’t want to go somewhere where I’ll be
blocking 3-4 plays and then maybe catch a pass occasionally. I want to go to a
program where I can show what I can do on the football field.”
Simcox believes his former wide-out has a chance to
contribute immediately with some of his skills already where they need to be to
earn playing time.
“He is going to come in as a pretty polished receiver. He’s
going to have to get stronger and faster to play at a high college level, but
in terms of ball skills and route running he’s pretty good. If he goes to the
right place, he could play right away. He’s an outside receiver, so he’s best
on deep fades and go-routes.
No comments:
Post a Comment