OHara one of Floridas top juniors

With a resume that includes more than 4,600 career rushing yards and “Player of the Year” honors in his class as a junior, Paul O’Hara has already accomplished more than most high school stars could ever imagine.

But there’s one more season ahead for the Cross City (Fla.) Dixie County standout, and that spells trouble for opponents.

“Paul’s had an amazing career for us,” Dixie County coach Brent Wilkerson said. “We needed somebody to replace a 2,000-yard rusher we lost when he was a freshman, and once he got that opportunity, he never looked back. He’s been a three-year starter for us and one of the most productive players in Florida.”

O’Hara (6-0, 210, 4.58) had almost 2,000 yards rushing, 27 touchdowns and 200 yards receiving as a junior in leading the Bears to an 11-1 record. He was named the Class 2B Player of the Year and all-state for the second consecutive year.

“He’s done that with a lot of people keying on him,” Wilkerson said. “We don’t really throw the ball that much, and he faces a lot of defenses that are geared to stop him. Even with eight or nine people up in the box, he still gets 150-200 yards a game.

“His greatest attribute is his vision. He’s a very patient runner, and he really sees the holes developing. Once he finds it, he just explodes through it. And he’s got just enough speed to run away from most people.

“He’s also got great hands. He’s just a complete player.”

Some may also project O’Hara as a safety due to his physical tools, although he’s not spent much time on the defensive side of the ball in high school.

According to Wilkerson, O’Hara is receiving interest from major programs from coast to coast.

“Once he gets his test score – and we’re pretty confident he will do that soon – he’s going to have all kinds of offers,” Wilkerson said. “But I know Florida State really likes him. They’ve already started on him pretty hard. All three of the big ones down here in Florida have expressed interest. There’s also been quite a bit of attention from Notre Dame, Iowa, Tennessee… it’s a pretty long list at this point. I know he's pretty interested in all of those."