Moten a name to watch in Kansas City

Kansas City (Kan.) Sumner Academy coach Todd Wassman isn't shy about bragging about his star player, tight end Bryan Moten.

"He's good, no he's really good," Wassman said. "He' a 6-foot-4, 235-pound tight end that can really run. He's the cousin of Jamal Green and Martez Wesley, so he knows how it is to be a big-time college football player. He's also a good kid. I just wish we could get him the ball even more. He's just a guy that gets it done out there. He's got the softest hands that I've ever seen for a big man that can really run. I've timed him at 4.6, and I think he moves even better than that.

"He's got a body like a Greek God."

Moten likes to hear comments like that from his coach.

"It's great to hear that people think that highly of you," Moten said.

"I still have to keep working hard. I need to get better at running blocking. I just need to learn a little more about the position, too. I've only been playing tight end for two years, so this will just be my third year. I play basketball and for a while I thought that was going to be my sport, but now I'm a football guy. I love football. I don't know why. It's just something about it."

His coach compares him to an Antonio Gates style tight end. Moten agrees that he's more of a receiver than he is a blocker at this point.

"I like making big plays," he said. "I think I have the size to cause mismatches with defensive backs when they try to cover me, but I'm also big and strong enough to do big things against linebackers, too. When I'm on the line at tight end, I like making big plays."

Sumner didn't have the season it wanted to this year, finishing with a 2-7 record. Wassman said because of the team's struggles, Moten's numbers did struggle a little bit, but he knows that once coaches see him in person then they're convinced.

"He goes to the K-State camps, and they saw him last fall with his tank top on and they were impressed," Wassman said. "Then they say him in drills and fell in love with him."

K-State has yet to offer, but the Wildcats aren't alone in their pursuit.

"K-State seems to want me pretty bad," Moten said.

"The coaches said they likely will have an offer for me sometime soon. I was just up there a few weeks ago for a basketball game. I liked it a lot. I've been up there plenty of times for football games, too. I went to a couple of junior days at KU and Mizzou. It's all pretty cool to me.

"My cousin, Jamal Green, goes to KU, and it'd be cool to play with him, but I like how K-State is recruiting me the hardest now."