“Tight End is such a special position because you are technically two positions. Being able to block and run efficient routes is crucial, but personally I need to get better on my separation at the line and at the top of my routes. I think being able to do that will set me apart.”
Those were Witchoskey’s words to us on February 26th, and on April 10th–he set himself apart for this aspect of his game plus many others at E7TC. Simply put–Witchoskey is exactly what you want to see in a tight end prospect at this point in the process. His 6-feet, 4-inch 230-pound frame is enough to warrant a look, but when you add the fact he’s been a starter on the Cougars’ Baseball team–one that made it to the finals in Class 8A last season, you begin to become intrigued.
This season he’s tied for the lead in doubles on the team with eight and carries an OPS of .752 and is perfect in the stolen bases category at six-for-six, which tells you the athleticism isn’t an issue. He carries an offer from the hometown Bulls and would make quite the addition to either the football or baseball roster at the school.
We now continue our deeper look into the MVP’s from E7TC in Lakeland with Durant’s Steven Witchoskey.
WHAT WAS SAID:
“TE – Steven Witchoskey (Durant) – Class of 2017
He has an offer from USF and tells us that several Mid-American Schools are starting to gain interest, but this two-sport athlete took a moment from his baseball season with the Cougars to absolutely own the tight ends’ group amidst plenty of competition at the spot. Witchoskey caught eight passes for Durant totaling 127 yards and three touchdowns in 2015. “I think it was great–I just came out here today to have some fun and enjoy some quality competition on both sides of the ball.” said Witchoskey.”
WHAT THE ‘EYE IN THE SKY’ SAID:
In the immortal (and paraphrased) words of Dennis Green–‘he was who we thought he was’–Witchoskey’s hands and body control were just a part of the equation that included strength and crispness in his route-running. One of the statements coming from breaking down his film is that Witchoskey consistently catches the ball as good as anyone that’s ever camped with us.
THE IMPACT:
Oh, there’s potential impact all-over-the-place. Durant’s starting quarterback Carlton Potter is just an ’18 prospect and his development is coming along very nicely, which means the mutualistic relationship has a chance to flourish between the tight end and his QB. They have an impact wide receiver in Brandon Myers and players in the backfield that call for attention plus on OL that can protect, therefore Witchoskey’s potential impact appears to be limitless once he gets the ball in his hands. Expecting Witchoskey to feast on single-team coverage and still be effective on double-team’s feels like a safe bet at this point, but we also know the Cougars play in one of the toughest districts in the state of Florida, so coaches will be scheming and we can’t wait to watch the competition unfold in the fall.