Elijah Staley is a big presence on the football field, on the basketball court and on the track. He plans on having the same presence as a multi-sport star at Mississippi State.
Photo by Dennis Carter
playing sports.
Always big for his age growing up and in the 6-foot-7, 230-pound range entering his senior season at
Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), Staley wasn't begrudgingly pushed toward athletics due to his advanced physical stature.
He is a football and basketball star who had attractive Division I offers in both sports. He spent part of the spring with the Wheeler track and field team, competing in the triple jump along with the 100, 200 and 4x100-meter sprints.
Norman Campbell, Staley's father, would even love to see him return to the baseball field, where he once dominated as a pitcher.
"I threw heat," Staley stated playfully.
Staley committed to Mississippi State in June. Much to his chagrin, he is increasingly asked about narrowing his focus to just one sport – a scenario he is having a bit of a tough time accepting.
See our special Elijah Staley photo gallery"It would be really rough," Staley admitted. "Life would be pretty boring. I've played different sports my whole life with all my best friends. When I get up in the morning, sports gives me something to look forward to."
Football or basketball will be the question once he arrives in Starkville. On the gridiron, Staley is an intriguing quarterback prospect. In basketball, he is a versatile and productive forward for one of Georgia's top high school programs and also competes at an elite level on the club circuit.
"I'm planning on starting off playing both," Staley said. "We'll see how I progress and try to determine which sport can take me the farthest and which one seems most promising."
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