- November 24, 2024
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He will never forget the first one.
Clayton Dees, a rising senior quarterback at Lakewood Ranch High, received a call in April from Appalachian State University Offensive Coordinator Frank Ponce. The two had not spoken before, but after that call, they would speak often.
Ponce had seen video of Dees playing quarterback for the Mustangs, and made a scholarship offer on the spot.
"They liked what they saw," Dees said. "That kickstarted everything else."
After Appalachian State came offers from Charleston Southern, Temple, Fordham, Massachusetts and Florida International. Dees said he expects more offers to arrive soon, as he's been working out for schools that visit on a consistent basis.
Dees, who is 6-foot-3, isn't a stranger to being considered as a high-level athlete. A year ago, the attention he received from universities came from baseball.
A versatile player who has played both the infield and outfield, Dees spent most of his childhood on the diamond. He dabbled in football, but stopped before getting to high school.
In baseball, he impressed schools with speed — Perfect Game captured clocked his pitch at 85 miles per hour — and his ability to hit to all fields. His play earned him myriad offers, including from the University of Miami. For a long time, Dees thought baseball would be his path to NCAA athletics.
Last year, Dees decided to give football another shot after the Lakewood Ranch staff saw him throwing for fun. He won the starting job out of preseason camp and never relinquished it. He threw for 1,704 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2022, throwing just three interceptions. He also showcased his running ability with 67 carries for 391 yards and three touchdowns.
The numbers were good, but the film was even better. Not many people saw it, at least at first, but those who did could see that Dees had all the tools. A February 5 tweet from Cory Yates, a football film analyst with Reel Analytics, called Dees "the best HS QB you've never heard of" and compared Dees to Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Dees' ability to throw off-balance and make scrambling plays.
In the months since, teams have found Dees' film, and the offers are beginning to come.
"Having this all happen for football, it feels different," Dees said. "There are schools here every day. Some want to see me throw, some just want to say 'What's up?' and get in touch. It's busy, but it has been fun."
Dees can throw for schools, but it will still be a few weeks until he can show off his running ability. He tweaked his hamstring playing baseball for Lakewood Ranch this spring, feeling tightness while rounding second base on a hit. Dees said the injury isn't serious, but he's playing it smart and resting as much as possible to make sure he's 100% for summer workouts and fall camp.
Dees said this will be the first summer he prioritizes football over baseball, which he hopes will bring substantial improvement. He would like to improve his touch on shorter passes, as well as his accuracy when throwing on the run. Dees said he has been working with Drew Phillips, who runs Phillips QB Academy in Tampa, to refine his game and get the details right.
While he's improving himself, Dees said, he will also be visiting schools to find the right fit. Dees said his family has instilled the importance of academics in him, so a school where the student part of student-athlete is emphasized is a must. Other than that, Dees said, he doesn't have many prerequisites. He's looking forward to getting to know different coaching staffs and finding the best fit.
"It's a nice spot to be in," Dees said. "But I'm trying not to get too ahead of myself. I'm not getting too high or too low. I'm just staying on the path and going my way."
Dees said he would like to verbally commit to a school before the 2023 season begins so he can give 100% of his focus to the season itself. The Mustangs finished 6-4 in 2022, missing the postseason by one spot in the Florida High School Athletic Association's Class 4S regional power rankings. The Mustangs will also lose key pieces like leading rusher Kevin Everhart (1,065 yards, 23 touchdowns) to graduation, meaning Dees will carry more responsibility.
With a year of experience and a Division I caliber arm, Dees said he will be ready for the challenge.
"I'm excited to see what we can do," Dees said. "I've got the foundation down now. Last year, every game I had to learn something new or overcome something. I know what I have to do to be successful. We'll go week-by-week, game-by-game, taking what we learned. It's going to be fun, that's for sure."
