Army Bowl honors San Antonio star
SAN ANTONIO - For the second year in a row the U.S. Army All-American selection tour made a stop at San Antonio's Sam Houston High School to honor one of the nation's finest high school football players as a U.S. Army All-American.
Advertisement
In 2010 the honoree was defensive tackle Quincy Russell. On Wednesday morning as the band played in Sam Houston's auditorium, defensive end Javonte Magee was honored in front of a crowd of family, teachers, students, teammates, coaches and several members of the media.
"I just want to thank God. It's a blessing for me to be here," Magee said. "Thank my mother and father for all of their support. I want to thank my teammates. I love you all. I want to thank the coaching staff for all that you all have done for me. I love you all for that. And I would like to thank all of you and I hope to see you at the All-American Bowl."
As a U.S. Army All-American, Magee was recognized as one of the top 90 high school football players in the country and joins a prestigious gridirion fraternity which includes the likes of Vince Young, Adrian Peterson, Derrick Johnson and Ndamukong Suh.
"I'm glad to be mentioned in the same breath as those players," he said. "Those are some great players. Adrian Peterson, he runs over everybody. I'm just honored to be in that category."
Magee has accumulated several honors and awards over the course of his high school football career, leaving his mark on the Sam Houston Hurricanes football program. Sam Houston head coach Gary Green has seen Magee grow and progress on the field and believes there is no doubt Magee is very rare talent.
"I've had a lot of experience. I played major college football and made All-American there and played in the National Football League. And for a long time a lot of people thought I was one of the best, if not the best, cornerback in football," Coach Green said. "I know football and I know talent and I've seen a lot of guys play. I think Javonte is going to blow it up not just on Saturdays but on Sundays as well. I can't imagine anyone being better. I'm sure there are a lot of guys as good, but at his position he's one of the best I've ever seen."
As much of a mark as Magee has left on the football field, he has been just as dedicated off the field serving as an example for his peers.
"Javonte is one of those kids we've never had to motivate to go to tutoring," Green said. "He's been doing it every weekend for the last three-and-a-half years. He's going to one of my coach's wives and she's getting him ready for the SAT, the TAKS, and all of that. He's attended every TAKS training course here at school and because of it he's gone through the roof especially from where he's come from. He's one of the best kids I've ever known. He's a momma's boy; he loves his mom to death. But he's a kid you take home and not think twice."
The combination of on-field dominance and off-field excellence has caused Magee to be one of the most highly sought college recruits in the country. The scholarship offers have come from near and far with LSU, Alabama, Texas, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, and several others vying for his attention.
Magee has taken the recruiting process slowly, keeping his focus on the football field and Sam Houston's 2011 football season. Now that the season has come to an end Magee is beginning to narrow down his list of schools.
"It's pretty wide open but I'm going to take my visits to Texas, Texas A&M, and Baylor," Magee said. "I just haven't set them up yet."
His college decision is still unknown, but it is known he will be wearing a U.S. Army All-American jersey the next time he steps on the field. He will not have to go far, playing in front of family and friends in San Antonio's Alamodome, Saturday, Jan. 7, at 1 p.m. EST live on NBC.
[rl]