Athlete Stories
Stories Built From the Work Behind the Moment
Stories of kickers, punters, and long snappers building their path through discipline, development, and steady progress.
Specialists are often introduced through one moment; a long field goal, a well-placed punt, a clean snap, an offer, or a commitment.
But that moment is never the whole story.
That is why OTU tells these stories.
Each feature looks past the highlight and into the work behind it: the training, mindset, family support, coaching relationships, setbacks, decisions, and growth that shaped the athlete over time.
The goal is not to add more hype or simply celebrate the result and work. It is to show a more honest picture of what development can actually look like.
Some paths move quickly. Others take patience, reinvention, difficult seasons, or years of quiet improvement. No two journeys are the same, but each one can offer something useful to another athlete or family trying to understand their own.
OTU stories recognize the athlete while protecting the lessons inside the journey, because the result may get the attention, but the process is where the story is built.
Blake Thompson | Built for the Snap. Born for the Moment.
Read the Off The Uprights commitment story of Blake Thompson, a Class of 2026 FAU Long Snapper from Viera High School in Viera, Floridia and the journey that led to FAU.
Drake Ford | Confidence Clicked. The Climb Changed
Read the Off The Uprights athlete story on Drake Ford, a 2028 specialists from Yorktown High School in Yorktown, Indiana,
Niko Dragin | Earned Through the Return.
Read the athlete story of Niko Dragin, a Class of 2027 specialist out of Palos Verdes High School in Palos Verdes, California.
Lucas Tenbrock: Size Doesn’t Save You. Work Does.
Lucas Tenbrock is an elite punter committed to Penn State. This story explores the patience, field-flipping ability, and long-term development behind one of the nation’s top specialists.
Ethan Curry | Built for the Reset.
Read the Off The Uprights athlete story of Ethan Curry, a Class of 2027 specialist from Bettendorf High School in Bettendorf, Iowa.
Clark Drcar | Built on Clean Strike.
Read the Off the Uprights athlete story on Clark Drcar, a class of 2027 specialists from Torrey Pines High School in San Diego California.
Seamus McIntyre: Was Ready When It Counted
Seamus McIntyre is a specialist from Concord, New Hampshire, committed to UMass. This story follows the power, team-first mindset, and steady rise that helped earn his opportunity.
Travis Given | Purpose Over Praise
Read the off The Uprights athlete story on Travis Given, a class of 2027 specialists from Cole Valley Christian High School, in Eagle Idaho.
Joel Bazinet: No Rush. No Noise. Just Results.
Joel Bazinet is a 2026 long snapper from Oakleaf High School committed to Tulsa. This story highlights the fundamentals, patience, and consistency that built his recruiting journey.
Maxx Rossow | Snap Fast. Stay Steady.
Maxx Rossow is a 2027 long snapper from Wesley Chapel High School in Wesley Chapel, Florida. This story highlights the discipline, trust, and steady development shaping a national-level specialist built for one of football’s quietest jobs.
Balint Vorosmarty: The Calm That Wins Games
Balint Vorosmarty is a 2026 kicker from Roswell, Georgia, committed to Georgia State. This story highlights the calm, consistency, and quiet confidence that shaped his path.
Jacob Baggett: The Road to the Largest Stage in College Football
Jacob Baggett is a 2026 kicker from Providence Day School in Charlotte, North Carolina, committed to Michigan. This story follows the patience, precision, and elite kickoff ability that shaped his path.
Eli Deutsch: Starting Late, Finishing Strong
Eli Deutsch is a 2026 long snapper from Franklin High School in Wisconsin committed to Alabama. This story follows the late-start journey, persistence, and trust that built his opportunity.
Waylon Payne | The Joy Is Loud. The Standard Is Real
Waylon Payne is a 2027 specialist from Medina Valley High School in Castroville, Texas. This story highlights the joy, trust, and steady growth shaping a young athlete with a big future.
Luke Crudgington: Built for the Long Marathon & The Mean Green
Luke Crudgington is a 2026 kicker and punter from Plano West Senior High School in Texas committed to North Texas. This story highlights the steady development and consistency behind his path.
Felipe Neves | He Chose the Lights
Felipe Neves is a rising specialist whose path into football is built on curiosity, adaptability, and belief. This story follows the unique background and mindset fueling his development.
Trace Rudd | Is Built, Not Given
Trace Rudd is a 2026 kicker from Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas committed to Oklahoma. This story explores the relationships, belief, and long-term work that shaped his journey.
Brody Tunison | A Specialist Who Hits Like a Defender
Brody Tunison is a 2027 long snapper from Indian Rocks Christian School in Largo, Florida. This story highlights the athleticism, versatility, and presence that make him stand out beyond the snap.
Noah Sur: No Shortcuts, Just Work, & the Path to the Big Ten
Noah Sur is a 2026 kicker from Western Springs, Illinois committed to Northwestern. This story follows the discipline, patience, and no-shortcuts mindset that carried him to the Big Ten.