With his blend of size, speed and power, Brother Rice’s Kameron McGee makes his presence felt.
The 6-foot-4, 235-pound sophomore edge rusher is piling up scholarship offers like he piles up tackles, with Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and Texas among his many suitors.
While McGee has remained humble, he understands what he brings to the table, too.
“There aren’t many guys built like me, who look like me and play like me,” he said. “Everybody wants to catch the ball or be a receiver. I want to be that guy who makes plays on defense.”
McGee made a bunch of those plays Friday night, totaling seven tackles and putting constant pressure on the quarterback for the host Crusaders in a 48-6 win over St. Laurence in Chicago.
Four of McGee’s tackles were for loss, while Jaylin Green ran for four touchdowns to lead Brother Rice (7-1). Army recruit CJ Gray threw a 25-yard TD pass to Lucas Strang and also ran for a TD.
Cory Les connected on an 80-yard TD pass to Matt Williams for St. Laurence (5-3).
Time and time again, however, McGee showcased why he has 30 scholarship offers, with pretty much every significant Power Four football program in the country courting him.
During one signature sequence in the second quarter, he posted back-to-back tackles for losses.
“He has great toughness and physicality,” Gray said of McGee. “This is his first year on varsity, and I just feel like he has a great energy and power.
“I go up against him every day in practice and we get the best look — for both of us.”
McGee’s transition to varsity from playing on the freshman level was strongly influenced by the mentoring of senior linemen in Illinois recruit King Liggins and edge rusher Michael Fitzgerald.
“He plays with a lot of violence and intensity and just flies around,” Fitzgerald said of McGee. “He’s always hyped up. Whenever he makes a big play, he’s wired and clapping.
“He’s gotten a lot more disciplined and he works very hard on the field.”
McGee has fused together his striking physical tools with a keen desire to improve. He makes the commute from his Bellwood home at dawn.
“My explosiveness is my greatest talent,” McGee said. “Not everybody wants to get on a train at 6 o’clock in the morning or get back on it at night. Everybody wants to be on Instagram or Twitter.
“Nobody sees what you do in the dark.”
Interestingly enough, McGee flashed great promise as a receiver while winning a national title with the Mokena-based Jr. Celtics. But his future is clearly on the defensive side of the ball.
That’s where McGee can take advantage of his reach, size and athleticism.
“I feel like I’ve optimized my game because I can play the edge or drop back at linebacker,” said McGee, whose older brother is a senior at Proviso West. “I can just fly around the field and play.
“I really have power, but I really like speed. There are not many guys who can stay in front of me.”
As the youngest in his family circle, McGee came of age quickly. And it’s starting to show.
“I’m the youngest with my brother and all of my cousins,” he said. “Everybody was much older and I was soft. But I’m going to compete with my brother. I’m going to compete with my cousins.
“It doesn’t matter how old they are.”
Although his name is now everywhere nationally, McGee is keeping his feet on the ground.
“I’ve always been a humble kid,” he said. “The offers and the attention are just crazy. Every single one is a blessing. I try to keep a level head.
“I’m in a great situation, with great schemes and players around me, and I’m always in position to make a play.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.