Kansas Football: Interview with Lawrence Free State 2021 DB Ryley Wheat
By Charlie Beuttel
Twitter: @charlie_cds3
Lawrence Free State High School went 8-2 in their first season under Kevin Stewart reaching the second round of the Kansas state playoffs. Now one year later, Coach Stewart has a strong senior core that is ready to take this program on an even longer playoff run led by defensive back Ryley Wheat.
Wheat stared in the Free State secondary in 2019 racking up 34.5 tackles, six pass breakups, two interceptions, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery during his junior campaign. After the season, Wheat won several individual honors including All-State Honorable Mention. This 5’11”, 175-pound, playmaker does a good job reading his opponents so he can use his agility, athleticism and quickness to make big plays all over the field.
The Class of 2021 recruit currently holds one college offer from Graceland University and is also drawing interest from several other college programs including Arkansas Tech and North Dakota State. Wheat not only leads by example on the football field but also in the classroom where he holds 3.78 GPA.
In an exclusive Recruiting News Guru interview, I caught up with the Firebirds star defensive back to talk about his junior season and get an update on his recruiting process.
Interview
First off, what are your thoughts on the 2019 season?
“I thought we had a great season overall. We lost a game early on and we were able to come back stronger and make it all the way to the second round of the playoffs.”
How would you grade your individual performance last season and why?
“I would give myself a 9 out of 10. I made some great plays and had two interceptions but there is always room to improve.”
What are your strengths on the football field?
“Some of my strengths are that I’m really good at reading offenses and putting myself in the right spot to make a play.”
In your opinion, what made you and your teammates gel together on the defensive side of the ball?
“We wanted to win and we knew we had to work together to make it happen. We knew we had to keep our heads in the game no matter the situation and trust one another.”
What was your most memorable moment in your junior season?
“The first game of the season, which was my first varsity start, on the first defensive series I got my first varsity interception.”
Did you receive any individual postseason honors?
“Sunflower League Honorable Mention Defensive Back and All-State Non-Senior Honorable Mention Defensive Back.”
What was the toughest challenge that you faced last year?
“I would say having a new head coach was the biggest challenge and getting use to his way of coaching.
How did you overcome this challenge?
“We put our trust in him because we knew that he would help us win.”
What is your practice and workout schedule during the offseason?
“I try to lift at least four times a week and get on the field to do some work three days a week. We have had daily team Zoom meetings because of Covid-19 but we can start conditioning as a team here soon.”
What are you working on most to improve your game?
“I’m always in the weight room trying to get bigger, but I’ve been working on getting faster the most right now.”
What is your fastest 40-yard dash time?
“4.8.”
What kind of coverages will you and your teammates execute this year?
“We play a lot of Cover 2, Cover 3, and man.”
Is there an NFL player that you try to model your game after?
“Sean Taylor.”
Do you play any other sports in high school?
“I wrestled my freshman and sophomore years and this year I was on the track team but the season ended up canceled because of Covid-19.”
Do you have any college offers?
“I have one offer from Graceland University.”
Are you receiving any interest from any other college programs?
“Yes, I have talked to some other programs including North Dakota State, Washburn, Missouri Southern State, Missouri Western, Central Missouri, Dakota Wesleyan, Arkansas Tech, Benedictine, and Quincy.”
Who has had the biggest impact on your football career and why?
“I would say many people like my family, some of my coaches, and trainers, because both my family and my coaches have done so much to get me where I’m at and will continue helping me grow on and off the field.”
What do you like most about playing at Lawrence Free State?
“The thing I like most is playing with all the same teammates that I have since I was a little kid. I also love the fans and the atmosphere on game day.”
What is your GPA?
“3.78.”
Do you have a favorite quote or Bible verse?
““With God all things are possible” – Matthew 19:26.”
Photo credit: Twitter.com; Lawrence Free State DB Ryley Wheat