Roddrick Roberts is a young man that you don’t want to meet in the hole. The 6’0, 180 lb athlete from the class of 2025 is known for his bone crushing hits, and relentless pursuit of the ball carrier. Roddrick is very good at shedding blocks, and that’s only if the linemen can catch him. Roddrick is the ultimate edge rusher. He has blazing speed that he uses to sprint past offensive linemen before they even know the ball is snapped. He runs a 4.6 second, 40 yard dash, very commendable for his position. Roddrick spends most of his time on the edge, but isn’t afraid to drop back into coverage. He displays good footwork that allows him to stay with his man, and an astounding vertical to go up for pass breakups. Being versatile is something he prides himself on, and it shows itself on the field. Roddrick has grown man strength to compliment his speed, making him almost impossible to block. In the weight room, Roddrick can squat an impressive 395 lbs while also bench pressing 240 lbs. His physical stature is something else to marvel at. Roddrick has very long arms that allow him to deflect the ball, along with giving him a lethal swim move. His wingspan currently measures in at an bewildering 77 inches in length. Roddrick had a stellar season this year. He totaled 78 tackles with 11 of them being for a loss to compliment his 5 sacks on the season. While the team may have lost against Forney in the playoffs, Roddrick still showed why he is a player you need to plan for. He absolutely wrecked the game with 10 tackles, 2 of them being for a loss, along with 2 additional sacks. He has been named 1st Team All- District for the past two years, and won the Outstanding Linebacker Of The Year award this most recent season. He is a very responsible kid who has holds a 3.6 out of 4.0 GPA, and gets every tasks he has accomplished. Roddrick currently only holds an offer from Arkansas State, but I expect that to change next season. Look out for Roddrick Roberts and Richland High School to make a big push in the Texas High School Football Playoffs.
Why do you love the game of football?
It’s something that I watched as a kid and was very interested in. I was a little rough as a kid so it was something I could put my energy towards.
What is you best on the field attribute?
I would say my ability to communicate on defense. If I know they are going to run a certain play based off of how they line up from watching film, I can let everyone else know. Thanks to my coaches I am very vocal and have a high football IQ. We watch film together and it makes it easier. I see what they are teaching us in film, on the field so it makes it much easier.
You guys made a good push in the playoffs but had that tough loss in the regional finals to Forney. What are you and the team learning from that game to take into next season?
Probably executing our assignments better because our pass defense wasn’t the best that game. We have to play as a team because that game, we were all getting frustrated because we were losing. We have to stay calmer and execute our assignments.
Who do you try and emulate on the field?
I wouldn’t say that I model my game after anyone, but there are players that I like to watch. Harold Perkins is one of them. Because I blitz so much, I also steal moves from Nolan Smith and Dallas Turner because they rush the ball most of the time.
What is your thought process during a play once the ball is snapped?
I read run to make sure it’s not a running play and then I get to my drop zone and make sure there are no receivers behind me.
What are some goals for yourself and your team this season?
I would say to go undefeated again and beat Aledo and Ryan. I want to make it to the State Championship, our coach talks about it all the time.
Would you personally rather get a sack or an interception, and take me through your thought process on why?
I think interception right now because I have had sacks. I would love to get a takeaway to get us the ball back and possibly take it all the way for a touchdown.
What do you do outside of team training to get better?
I recently started playing 7 on 7 to improve my pass coverage. I also try to do skills work like cone drills that I’ve seen online to try and get better. I also go out and lift.
Do you have a personal favorite highlight from your career?
Probably in the game against Forney. I sacked the quarterback and caused a fumble.
What are some ways your coaches have helped you on and off the field?
On the field, they teach us how to get an advantage on the other team. It’s things you don’t normally see coached at this level, he focuses on mistakes the other teams make and how to exploit them. It aids us with getting the ball back.
What has been your biggest improvement since you started playing?
Probably my ability to be versatile. Coming into high school I was mainly a running back, but I got moved to linebacker on varsity. I was adaptable to playing linebacker because of my father. He told me to always play more than one position because you never know where you will end up.
What is your way too early Super Bowl winner prediction for next season?
I’m gonna have to go with the Lions.
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