When Whitehouse (Whitehouse, Texas) quarterback Patrick Mahomes first started playing football, he had no doubt his collegiate future would probably be on the baseball diamond, but after a productive 2012 football season, in which he put up 3,800 passing yards with 49 touchdowns, it seems like he might have more options than he previously thought.
“My first love has always been baseball, since my dad was a professional baseball player, but as I started to get into football and being able to be a quarterback, it's starting to become my new love,” admitted Mahomes. “To tell you the truth, I don't know what my favorite is right now, but I'm just going to let it go and play it by ear.”
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Texas product has always had suitors to play baseball at the next level, but now football recruiters are also starting to show the same type of interest.
“I've had some schools contact me for football and when I talk to them they say that baseball would go along with it,” shared the junior. “I’ve already received an offer from Texas Tech and I'm also hearing from TCU, Texas A&M, LSU, Michigan State and SMU. I'm also hearing from Notre Dame for baseball also.”
Would it be fair to say that is home state has the edge to receive his commitment when the time comes?
“I'm keeping all my options open right now and any school that shows me interest, I'm also interested in them,” claimed Mahomes. “I've watched Notre Dame growing up and I really like the tradition they have up there. Right now, they’re recruiting me in baseball, but if they also gave me the chance to play football, I would be very interested in that.”
If the Whitehouse standout’s name looks a little familiar it might be because his father, Pat Mahomes, played major league baseball from 1992 to 2003 for teams like the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. Being able to have that type of influence around is priceless because the elder Mahomes has experienced everything his son will be going through in the near future.
“Of course it helps out that he's been through the whole recruiting process himself,” said the Texas star. “He also was recruited in just about every sport coming out of high school, just like I am. It really helps out a lot that he's able to guide me through it.”
The talented quarterback helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-2 record in 2012 while guiding the offense to the tune of 45 points per game. Mahomes knows the success they had on the gridiron this year should keep Whitehouse hungry for 2013.
“Next year, I know I'm going to have to be a leader,” he said. “We played a lot of big games this season, including a game against the number two team in the state (Tyner) in which we only lost by seven points. There were over 14,000 people in the stands and that experience of being in front of such a big crowd and performing will help me in the future when I’ll have to lead my team to a victory.”
Though he has yet to hear from the Irish about the possibility of playing football, the two-sport athlete hasn't given up hope that that might happen sometime in the future.
“If Notre Dame continues to show interest, I would really like to get up there to visit sometime,” added Mahomes. “I've always liked Notre Dame and I played baseball over the summer with one of their commits, Torii Hunter, Jr. We know each other from our father’s major league days, so that would be cool to go out there visit.”
2014 LB Sees Jump In Recruiting
Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, Calif.) linebacker Tyler Cook has always been a warrior on the football field, but last year he would be challenged in the off-season by an illness that caused him to lose around 15 pounds. Playing the season at around 195-200 pounds, well under his normal playing weight, the talented defender charged through the adversity he faced and in the process attracted the attention of college football recruiters from around the nation.
“Recruiting's been going real well and I've been hearing from a bunch of colleges,” claimed Cook. “I've had a few come visit me at my school and I've really been enjoying it. A few of the colleges that have visited me are Oregon, BYU, Arizona State, Washington State, Boise State, UCLA and Washington.
“Ever since that setback (the illness), I've been really working hard to put that weight back on. I've already put on about 10 pounds and I'm looking to add a little bit more.”
With a number of fine universities already keeping in contact with him, the 2014 Vista Murrieta standout is excited that recruiting is starting to take off, but there's still another school he'd love to hear from.
“My sophomore year I met the Notre Dame recruiting coordinator for my area (Mike Denbrock),” he shared. “I'm pretty sure he was there to see Su’a Cravens, who's one of the top defensive players in the nation, but it was a real honor to meet him.
“I'm very interested in Notre Dame. Coach Brian Kelly has had a winning record ever since he went to Notre Dame in 2010 and the coaches I would be dealing with if I want there would be coach Bob Diaco and coach Scott Booker. I mean coach Diaco help develop that defense into leading Notre Dame to a 12 game winning streak and that really means a lot.”
Cook, along with Cravens, helped lead the Broncos to a 13-1 season in 2012 and a deep run in the playoffs before losing to Centennial, 30-28.
“It was a great year we had, but I really wish we could have won that game,” the linebacker reminisced. “Just from my view, I really don't want to feel the pain I felt that day ever again. I'm never going to forget that feeling the rest of my life and I'm going to make sure my teammates don't forget that feeling either. We have to continue to work and prepare for next season, so we can go on and be more successful than we were this year.”
With his former teammate, Cravens, going to USC, Cook decided to get a sneak peak of the Trojans when they faced the Fighting Irish at the Coliseum in November.
“The Notre Dame -USC game was really a great game,” he said emphatically. “Notre Dame played incredible against USC and I have great respect for both teams, but Notre Dame played one heck of a game.”
With the recruiting process just getting started, the California prospect is extremely excited, but he still planning on taking things slowly and making sure he's prepared for the whole process.
“I'm hoping to take some visits, but I have to find out first which colleges are most interested in me,” explained Cook. “Once I have a good idea which schools those are, I'll then decide where to visit and hopefully Notre Dame is one of those.”
