GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — Jonathan Sanchez was never in a prototypical quarterback role at McAllen Memorial. Even when he landed the full-time job as a senior after playing mostly tight end and receiver as a junior, he was out in front blocking for Trevor Speights just as often as he was passing or rushing.
Combined with his raw size and athleticism, that versatility is what made him an intriguing prospect for college scouts.
“At first, when I wasn’t really getting recruited, I said I wanted to do anything,” Sanchez said. “Tight end, wide receiver, athlete, quarterback. I don’t care what I get recruited for, I was going to work my tail end off at whatever they wanted me to.”
Sanchez received the official payoff for his hard work on Friday, signing his Letter of Intent to play Division I football with Rice.
After taking a redshirt year to add bulk to his almost 6-foot-7 frame, Sanchez expects that he’ll be used primarily at tight end.
“If they want me to move around, that’s up to them,” Sanchez said. “I’m ready to do whatever.”
He proved that time and time again with the Mustangs. He was the team’s primary quarterback as a sophomore and senior, throwing for 1,764 yards with 23 touchdowns and running for 1,198 yards with 22 scores in his career.
As a junior he was mostly a receiver and blocker, hauling in six passes for 56 yards.
“Most of the time you get a kid who wants to play quarterback and you move him to receiver, he’s going to pout,” then-McAllen Memorial offensive coordinator Marcus Kaufmann said. “He took it, and he got on the field and did it. A couple of times last year, his junior year, he said, ‘Coach, let me go to receiver, we’re not getting the seal block. Let me go to receiver, get the other quarterback in for this series so I can get the seal block.’ We’d move him over, he’d get the seal block, and Trevor would be gone.”
Kaufmann said Sanchez was an “amazing” blocker, a sentiment echoed by coach Bill Littleton.
Even on a team alongside a record-setting offensive weapon in Speights, the coaches saw Sanchez mature and take control of the offense over the course of his career.
“He started out as a guy who was just a big, tall, lanky guy, and by the end he was in charge,” Kaufmann said. “When he said something, the kids followed and did it. He took the lead and just took over as the year progressed. He did a great job for us in that, and that’s what made us go over the top.”
For Kaufmann, the first sign that Sanchez would have a shot at playing Division I football was his size and athleticism.
Sanchez said he’s been timed at 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash, an unusually fast mark for someone his height.
“He doesn’t look like a guy who is as strong as he is, but he’s strong, and he runs a lot faster than what you would think,” Littleton said. “When people see him, they’re fascinated by how fast he is for his stature.”
Sanchez will be attending Rice on a full scholarship, and he plans to study either biomechanical engineering or physical therapy.
He also received a Division I scholarship offer from Army, plus numerous offers from lower-level schools.
“I told the head coach of Army that I almost wish you guys hadn’t offered me because of how hard this is,” Sanchez said. “It was really close, but I just decided to stay closer to home. Easier on my family, and easier for me.”
Sanchez is already in the process of transitioning. As soon as he became official on Wednesday, Rice sent him a workout schedule for the offseason, plus nutritional guidelines for adding bulk to his frame.
“If I don’t want to die my first year there,” Sanchez said, “I better stay on the program.”
Versatile Sanchez gets DI shot with Rice
BY GREG LUCA
STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — Jonathan Sanchez was never in a prototypical quarterback role at McAllen Memorial. Even when he landed the full-time job as a senior after playing mostly tight end and receiver as a junior, he was out in front blocking for Trevor Speights just as often as he was passing or rushing.
Combined with his raw size and athleticism, that versatility is what made him an intriguing prospect for college scouts.
“At first, when I wasn’t really getting recruited, I said I wanted to do anything,” Sanchez said. “Tight end, wide receiver, athlete, quarterback. I don’t care what I get recruited for, I was going to work my tail end off at whatever they wanted me to.”
Sanchez received the official payoff for his hard work on Friday, signing his Letter of Intent to play Division I football with Rice.
After taking a redshirt year to add bulk to his almost 6-foot-7 frame, Sanchez expects that he’ll be used primarily at tight end.
“If they want me to move around, that’s up to them,” Sanchez said. “I’m ready to do whatever.”
He proved that time and time again with the Mustangs. He was the team’s primary quarterback as a sophomore and senior, throwing for 1,764 yards with 23 touchdowns and running for 1,198 yards with 22 scores in his career.
As a junior he was mostly a receiver and blocker, hauling in six passes for 56 yards.
“Most of the time you get a kid who wants to play quarterback and you move him to receiver, he’s going to pout,” then-McAllen Memorial offensive coordinator Marcus Kaufmann said. “He took it, and he got on the field and did it. A couple of times last year, his junior year, he said, ‘Coach, let me go to receiver, we’re not getting the seal block. Let me go to receiver, get the other quarterback in for this series so I can get the seal block.’ We’d move him over, he’d get the seal block, and Trevor would be gone.”
Kaufmann said Sanchez was an “amazing” blocker, a sentiment echoed by coach Bill Littleton.
Even on a team alongside a record-setting offensive weapon in Speights, the coaches saw Sanchez mature and take control of the offense over the course of his career.
“He started out as a guy who was just a big, tall, lanky guy, and by the end he was in charge,” Kaufmann said. “When he said something, the kids followed and did it. He took the lead and just took over as the year progressed. He did a great job for us in that, and that’s what made us go over the top.”
For Kaufmann, the first sign that Sanchez would have a shot at playing Division I football was his size and athleticism.
Sanchez said he’s been timed at 4.52 seconds in the 40-yard dash, an unusually fast mark for someone his height.
“He doesn’t look like a guy who is as strong as he is, but he’s strong, and he runs a lot faster than what you would think,” Littleton said. “When people see him, they’re fascinated by how fast he is for his stature.”
Sanchez will be attending Rice on a full scholarship, and he plans to study either biomechanical engineering or physical therapy.
He also received a Division I scholarship offer from Army, plus numerous offers from lower-level schools.
“I told the head coach of Army that I almost wish you guys hadn’t offered me because of how hard this is,” Sanchez said. “It was really close, but I just decided to stay closer to home. Easier on my family, and easier for me.”
Sanchez is already in the process of transitioning. As soon as he became official on Wednesday, Rice sent him a workout schedule for the offseason, plus nutritional guidelines for adding bulk to his frame.
“If I don’t want to die my first year there,” Sanchez said, “I better stay on the program.”