Diamond in the Rough: Lucas McWilliams

Lucas McWilliams is a guard at Rospine High School. During the bowl game, he played at tight end. To begin our interview, I asked him what position he liked playing the most and he told me, “I’d rather play guard or tackle”. The game of football has always been a part of Lucas’s life since the age of 7. 

Since he’s been around the game for so long, I asked him what he has learned from playing football that he can apply to his daily life. Lucas replied, “Football helped me to work as a team and it helped me push myself”. As our interview progressed, I asked him what he would bring to a college program and he answered, “Versatility. I can play more than one position”. That is obvious since he plays guard as well as tight end. Having a player who can be placed at different positions is ideal for any coach. One of Lucas’s greatest strengths is his academic performance and his ability to take tests well. 

Social skills are an area he considers to be a weakness. As we talked, I noticed he was a somewhat quiet guy. However, once I was able to relate to him on certain things, he opened up more and his personality emerged. Lucas would describe himself as a coachable player and a quick learner who is willing to work hard in whatever position he’s placed and whenever he’s needed on the field. One of his notable responsibilities on the team is making sure everyone on the offensive line picks up his correct assignments. I know we don’t give the guys who battle in the trenches enough credit, but he has the ability to read and understand how the defense is set up. Lucas McWilliams’s quiet demeanor certainly won’t hinder his ability to be coachable and follow assignments given to him by his coaches.