As the scholarship offers and showcase invitations mount, Starkville High School All-State linebacker Willie Gay never skips a day of counting his blessings.
“It’s an honor to be competing on this level,” Gay said. “I know how hard I have worked, but I will never take anything for granted. To have had these opportunities I already have had is something that amazes me at times. I know how special all of this has been. I feel blessed.”
This past weekend, Gay took part in The Opening, a national combine for high school seniors in Beaverton, Oregon. The four-day event brought together some of the nation’s best for a 7-on-7 tournament and series of one-on-one drills.
Hundreds of college and professional coaches attended, as well as several current NFL players. Gay took delight in being tutored by longtime NFL linebacker Willie McGinest, who played 15 years in the league.
“That was the best thing, receiving so much advice from the NFL coaches,” Gay said. “You are being instructed by coaches who played in the league and who have Hall of Fame resumes. It means a lot when they tell you what you need to work on (and) when they tell you the things you are doing really well.”
Gay, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound linebacker, gave a verbal commitment to Ole Miss earlier in the summer. From there, the summer has been filled with visits to showcases and camps. A strong performance at a camp in Atlanta paved the way for the invitation to Oregon.
“Each time I attend something like this, I just go there with the intention to learn,” Gay said. “I want to pick up that one thing that is going to make my game better. During the fall, you are working so hard with your teammates trying to reach the goal of a state championship. This is fun because it’s a unique opportunity to work on making your individual game that much better.”
One hundred sixty-six players took place in the event, including five from Mississippi. Clinton quarterback Cam Akers, Morton wide receiver D.D. Bowie, St. Stanislaus quarterback Myles Brennan, and Madison-Ridgeland Academy linebacker Saahdiq Charles joined Gay in Oregon.
“It was a lot of fun being around the best players in the country at all positions,” Gay said. “We learned, got better, and had fun. When you make a play on a five-star running back, you feel good. If you are locking down a top-five player, that is exciting.”
In Oregon, Gay had a 40-yard dash time of 4.53 seconds, a 20-yard shuttle run of 4.26 seconds, and a vertical jump of 39.2 inches. His rating of 128.22 was fifth highest among the linebackers.
Last season, Starkville rode a veteran defense to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A state championship. The Yellow Jackets allowed 11 points per game en route to a 14-1 record. Gay had 84 tackles, including 17 for loss.
This season, Starkville will again be a favorite in that classification. The opener is Aug. 19 against Noxubee County.
“We have a lot of pieces back on defense,” Gay said. “I think everybody is ready for August and to get started again.”
Follow Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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