SOUR LAKE, Texas — In Sour Lake, a high school basketball star is just learning about his potential on the field.
"Everywhere I've played they were like, oh you must play football, and I was like, no I don't like I haven't got into it or anything," junior Wyatt Samaha said. "Then, it opened my eyes to this could be a real thing. I could really do this and it's opened my eyes a lot to what I could be in the future and what I can be next year."
Wyatt Samaha has gone from Hardin-Jefferson's big post player to the Hawks' reliable tight end.
"Seeing what Wyatt can do on the basketball court l knew it was gonna be an immediate transition to our football program," head football coach Zach Bass said. "He fit the role of what we want out of our tight end. He was an all-district tight end, hadn't played football since middle school."
"I've played basketball for the past 8 years, 9 years, and it was always work, work, work, and then I came to football this fall and it was just fun," Samaha said. "It was nice to be out here and just have a great atmosphere to come play in. Just fell in love with catching the ball and running."
Coach Bass says Samaha's experience on the court made him a natural fit at tight end.
"He found areas, soft areas and zones to sit," Coach Bass said. "I think that comes from moving around the basketball court. Spatial awareness that comes from multiple multiple reps from playing basketball that naturally transitions to football for route runners to find spots and settle in zones, soft hands, he's a big target, has a good catch radius."
Samaha's measurables are eye catching which means his growth potential is too and after only one year of high school football, Coach Bass says he's already proven to be valuable.
"The sky's the limits for Wyatt," Coach Bass said. "When you're 6'4, 240 pounds, and as athletically gifted as he is, and you're first team all-district your first year playing high school football ever, I think whatever university is blessed to get Wyatt Samaha and his family on their campus is gonna have someone who adds value to their team, and not just as a gifted athlete, but as someone who is just a good moral person."
View Wyatt Samaha's Hudl profile at the link below: