UA All-American: Alex Ofodile

Regardless of its validity, Alex Ofodile has heard the argument about players from Missouri not seeing the competition level of other, more elite high school football states. Sure, the show me state isn't Texas. It's not California. It's certainly not Florida, either.

A four-star wide receiver at Columbia (Mo.) Rock Bridge High School, Ofodile understands that. It's part of the reason why he accepted an invitation to play in the Under Armour All American Game. Competition? Ofodile seeks it out. And as he accepted his Under Armour game jersey during an assembly at his high school, he certainly found it.

"For me, the Army game was the more traditional one, but the Under Armour game has been on the rise. The talented players that go to the Under Armour game played a big part. For me, it's about being able to compete with the best.

The ceremony and presentation are over; it came and went in a hurry. Ofodile was never much for that stuff anyway. His focus is not on the fanfare that comes with a national-level all-star game. Instead, his focus is on what happens when the contest itself kicks off in January.

Ofodile, an Oregon commit, has little left to prove to outsiders at this level. He's spent his career to this point doing that sort of stuff. His final football game as a high school athlete will serve as a purely internal comparison.

"It's going to be a measuring stick for me going into college," Ofodile said. "For me, it's a way to see how I stack up against the best."

Ofodile accepted his All-American jersey at his high school on Friday morning. The presentation was part of a ceremony that took place in front of his classmates, family and teammates.

Business trip or not, Ofodile won't try to tell you he's totally unfamiliar with the game's growing mystique. He understands the opportunity in front of him. Really, he does. He's just not one to become elated about individual accolades.

He's focused on playing the game. The nerves may kick in as kickoff approaches. For now, though, the closest he comes to excitement is recalling Under Armour games past.

"I always used to flip through the channels and watch it a little," Ofodile said. "I remember seeing A.J. Green in it. That was super fun to watch. I've always been kind of a fan of it. There have been a bunch of greats to play in the game."

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