This is not the first time on the site we have written about Ladd McConkey, just last fall he made the top play on our site one week, and at the end of the season he also made the 3-A All-State team as a returner, but the last few days easily usurps those accolades, and then some. Yesterday, McConkey earned his first FBS offer by way of Kent State, which is an apropos offer, considering their famous alumni Julian Edelman, which in my opinion, is a comparable to McConkey’s skill set at slot receiver.
The positional parallels run even deeper, and this fall, the senior is expected to be suiting up as the varsity QB, which of course, Edelman played during his time at Kent State. The offers haven’t stopped though, and today the speedy rising senior earned two more D1 offers in local colleges UT-Chattanooga and Georgia Southern.
We caught up quickly with McConkey tonight to hear his reaction, “It feels great to land these FBS offers! I feel like everything I have worked for is finally happening but I’m hoping these aren’t going be my last!”
There is no question that McConkey has some wheels. Last fall he had a stretch where he returned four kicks for a touchdown on special teams in a short span, and his long angular running stride in the open field picks up yards in a hurry. This spring he ran a 10.8 100M and soon after was offered by William and Mary. According to McConkey, his fastest 40 time has been a 4.47, and he looks to show off that speed this Saturday where he is camping at Tennessee.
The college camp grind is on a lot of recruit’s minds, but for McConkey, his attention also spans beyond to the 2019 season where he has big aspirations.
“Going into my senior year, I have really high expectations for my team. We have about 30 seniors this year that all want to prove something.” McConkey continued, “We have had good seasons these past few years but it is time for us to take it to the next level and win our region and make a big run in the state playoffs.”
It will certainly be a spectacle to watch one of North Georgia’s quickest athletes with the ball in his hands on each play – region opponents will be chasing after McConkey like a pack dogs after a jack rabbit hopped on caffeine. The position change for 2019 is obvious one of the big talking points heading into the season for North Murray after what seems like a decade of Preston Poag Jr. under the helm (now at Eastern Kentucky). There will obviously be an adjustment period for the senior and his teammates, but McConkey seems ready to take on the task.
“Playing QB this year is going to make this season a little different. I have to run the offense and be the leader out there at all times. But I played QB all the way up to my freshman year so I am used to it but I am going to work really hard this summer to get back into the swing of things as a QB to be the best I can be for my team.”
The 2020 recruit’s talent project very well at the next level as a slot receiver, his outstanding speed and quickness in combination with his development in his route running should attract even more FBS programs. His 4.12 shuttle time is elite, his natural springiness to his step allows for him to explode through his breaks and create separation on short to intermediate routes. The last two days should be an eye-opener for college scouts around the area; McConkey is a player to watch for during live reps this summer, and someone local FBS programs should continue to target.
Interested in recruiting Ladd McConkey? Click HERE to visit his Recruit Georgia Profile.
