Academics truly first for Kelley

Batesville (Ind.) quarterback Connor Kelley is a talented athlete. On Friday nights in the fall, he is often the best player on the field. Next winter, he will captain the basketball team in their attempt to make semi-state for the third time in four years.

Somehow, he finds the time to be a 4.0 student, with a 2020 SAT. He wants to go the pre-med route in college, possibly major in Biology. He is also interested in mathematics.

"What makes me more attractive to schools I am not a 6'5" 230 pound quarterback that can only play one position," Kelley said. "I start both ways for my team. My coach told me I am not only the best QB he has coached, but also one of the best strong safeties he has coached. I am moving up to more of an outside linebacker position next year. I can play quarterback and I can play a lot of other positions. If things don't work out at quarterback, I can be switched and things would not be wasted on me as a quarterback."

His impressive film and grades have yet to translate into much recruiting activity. Kelley has one offer, from Colgate, to play quarterback.

"Basically all of the IVY league schools I have talked to offer scholarships through camps," Kelley said. "They want to see me play live. They like my film, but I need camp at more schools this summer. I have already been to Pennsylvania. I am going to Yale this Sunday. I am also visiting Brown, Harvard, and Princeton."

Batesville is a town a 6,000 people in southeast Indiana. The high school plays in class 3A (there are five classes in Indiana) – a perfect formula for a prospect to fly under the radar.

"My goal has been to find the best football with the best academics," Kelley said. "I have not been pursuing anything else. If something happens I would be open to that."

Kelley admits he has not sent out much film to schools. He hopes to get off to a hot start his senior season and send film out to a wider variety of schools.

"I was getting a lot of stuff from Wake Forest but I never really followed up on that," Kelley said. "I just got some stuff from Stanford. I got a hand written note. I have been invited to their camp. I am not sure if it is possible for me to get out there this summer. But Stanford would be a school I would very much be interested in."