SWVA's All-Time Best All Purpose player: Top 3

[KevinG]

Who you guys got?

[PV8]

Matt McCoy played on the 97-98 Powell Valley teams. He played all over the place on offense, returned kicks and punts, and was a heck of an OLB. His brother Jason played a similar role on the 94-95 teams as well.

 

[Union_Fan]

James Mitchell, Union - TE, WR, DE, Safety, RB, QB, PR, KR

[tornado99]

27 minutes ago, PV8 said:

Matt McCoy played on the 97-98 Powell Valley teams. He played all over the place on offense, returned kicks and punts, and was a heck of an OLB. His brother Jason played a similar role on the 94-95 teams as well.

 

This was probably the best football player that I remember during my time at RHS that wasn’t the “star” of the team. The “stars” I speak of would include Julius Jones, Eric Satterfield, and Adam Davis.

That said, if pressed to pick 3 overall off the top of my head that I have seen in person (probably excludes many), I’m going: Ahmad Bradshaw, Austin Fuller, Jeremy McCommons before knee injury. 
 

Again, Richlands is who I have seen most. Again if throwing out the the NFL talents or primary ball carrier/returner, McCoy fits the bill.

[tornado99]

5 minutes ago, Union_Fan said:

James Mitchell, Union - TE, WR, DE, Safety, RB, QB, PR, KR

I figured this one, but only excluded due to only seeing him as an underclassman TE/WR.

[Union_Fan]

1 hour ago, tornado99 said:

I figured this one, but only excluded due to only seeing him as an underclassman TE/WR.

His senior year, he did it all.

[Bluefield researcher]

Ahmad Bradshaw.

[Liam McPoyle]

The ones that first came to mind:

Phil Rogers-Gate City

Mickey Rogers-Gate City

Thomas Jones-Powell Valley

Julius Jones-Powell Valley

Boo Sensabaugh- J.I. Burton

Jake Houseright-Gate City

Larry Huff-Appalachia

Ahmad Bradshaw-Graham

James Mitchell-Union

Cam Allen-Graham

 

 

MY TOP 3 

1. Ahmad Bradshaw

2. James Mitchell

3. Phil Rogers

[Fairlawncat]

Bill Dudley, Julius Jones, Gary Clark-Pulaski, (WR, DB, Punt and kick returner)

Honorable Mention- Cary Perkins-Grundy (QB, RB, WR, DB, Linebacker, Kicker, Punter, Kick Returner, Punt Returner, Waterboy, Cheerleader, Drum Leader-did EVERYthing)Bradshaw, Mitchell, Shawn Eaves-Giles, a lot like Perkins, did everything and a one man team

[rvtne216]

Bradley Strong at Richlands is one that probably does not get mentioned as often as he should.

[tornado99]

1 hour ago, rvtne216 said:

Bradley Strong at Richlands is one that probably does not get mentioned as often as he should.

True. It was tough picking only 3.

[Hokiebird7]

Donald Wayne Snell may be the best I've watched in the SWVA area...Dude was one hell of an athlete 

[Gridiron60]

I’ll agree with all the ones mentioned above , SWVA has seen a lot of talent over the years but as far as Graham goes, Ahmad Bradshaw & Cam Allen but out of the two , Ahmad on top obviously. He wasn’t called Ahmad the Squad for nothing. 

[Weatherman]

No comparison on this one. 

Johnny McFall of Clintwood

[V-Cats]

Caleb Jennings - Richlands 

[tornado99]

12 minutes ago, V-Cats said:

Caleb Jennings - Richlands 

One of the best. My only reason for not including him was he didn’t play defense. The team was so well rounded that few really had to play both ways.

[pvfan]

Heath Miller

[JDHoss]

3 hours ago, Weatherman said:

No comparison on this one. 

Johnny McFall of Clintwood

I was going to nominate McFall, although he has lots of competition. Great, great high school football player though. 

[Liam McPoyle]

3 hours ago, Weatherman said:

No comparison on this one. 

Johnny McFall of Clintwood

 

14 minutes ago, JDHoss said:

I was going to nominate McFall, although he has lots of competition. Great, great high school football player though. 

I started to mention McFall, too.

After running over, past, and through defenders to the end zone, he'd line up and boot the extra point — straight‑on, the way God intended.

[redtiger]

Johnny McFall, hes legendary and he did it all. 

Ahmad Bradshaw, could play every position other than OL/DL

James Mitchell, incredibly versatile not much of a QB but a great all around athlete: WR, TE, Wing, DE, OLB, Safety, KR, etc. 

Austin Fuller, Luke Owens and Heath Miller also come to mind. Miller was protected defensively by playing Safety instead of LB or DE and was in a run heavy offense(I-formation and Power-I, often double tights) so he didnt get to display his talents as much as possible. Owens could play every position on OL, probably TE too. Defensively played LB at 6'5" and 270lbs, could obviously have played DL.

[swvafbrespect]

It would be hard pressed not to say the players who have had the great fortune, attitude and opportunity to play in the NFL but I enjoy reading about the great players who did it all but did not move on to the NFL. 

[Observer]

Justin Hamilton has to be mentioned in this conversation.

[tbgfan]

21 hours ago, rvtne216 said:

Bradley Strong at Richlands is one that probably does not get mentioned as often as he should.

Bradley was good.  He wore #1 like Fuller.  That was a good number for the Blues.  

Also, when his brother Reece played QB there were some great hookups between the brothers.  Reece is probably the best onside kicker in Blues history.  

[tbgfan]

16 hours ago, V-Cats said:

Caleb Jennings - Richlands 

Caleb was one of the best running backs ever to wear a Blues uniform.  I would rank him, Devon Johnson and Sandy Rogers the 3 best.  Caleb would have probably had the record for most TD's scored if not for a lot being called back for penalties.  You would think they had him stopped and then he would squirt out of the pile and be off to the end zone.  As they would say about Devon "he was a man playing against the others."

[tornado99]

2 minutes ago, tbgfan said:

Caleb was one of the best running backs ever to wear a Blues uniform.  I would rank him, Devon Johnson and Sandy Rogers the 3 best.  Caleb would have probably had the record for most TD's scored if not for a lot being called back for penalties.  You would think they had him stopped and then he would squirt out of the pile and be off to the end zone.

I’m too young to remember Rogers, but I would put Brannon Breeding up there. 
I, also don’t remember him playing defense. I had the same reservations on picking Johnson. He only played defense sparingly, with Thomas and Lowe covering that side of the ball. Strong and older brother Austin usually covered the return duties.