Reebok Top 25 Most Dynamic Athletes: Elijah Staley

Elijah Staley loves 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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Hometown: Marietta, Ga.

School: Wheeler High School (enrollment 2,100)

Sports: Football (quarterback), basketball (forward), track and field (triple jump, 100, 200, 4x100)

College plans: Staley originally planned on heading to Vanderbilt, then changed course in the spring and opted for Mississippi State.

"I was their No. 1 recruit for football," Staley said. "Head coach Dan Mullen has coached two Heisman Trophy winners. They have two or three other quarterbacks there now, so I'm hoping to come in there, work hard and compete for a position.

"On the basketball side, Rick Ray has been recruiting me since he was at Clemson my freshman year. The campus is beautiful."



Schools all over the ACC, SEC and beyond were in pursuit of Staley for both sports.

Favorite athletes: In terms of two-sport prowess, Staley mentioned former Florida State Heisman Trophy winner and star guard Charlie Ward as a source of inspiration. But LeBron James and Cam Newton – another Georgia native and super-sized quarterback – are his favorite current performers.

Family rivalry: Staley has three brothers and a sister. One of those brothers happens to be former Georgetown standout and 2008 NBA draft pick Patrick Ewing Jr.

Still playing professionally overseas, Ewing Jr. has been a big mentor for Staley.

"He's always been there helping me out," Staley said. "I used to be in awe of him but now I kind of go at him with a cocky attitude and try to show him I'm better than him."

SEC smack: Staley played against two future SEC defensive ends with the Wheeler football team last fall in Carl Lawson of Milton (soon-to-be freshman at Auburn) and Class of 2013 No. 1 recruit Robert Nkemdiche of Grayson (Mississippi).



How about this to fuel the fire in future Egg Bowls?

"Carl is a beast, he sacked me twice," Staley said. "Nkemdiche never touched me."
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Staley is regarded as the No. 22 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2014 by 247Sports.com. But in a day and age where most of his signal-calling peers specialize in football at an early age, Staley has continued playing multiple sports and could be a bit of a wild card with his size and speed.

He's made a huge impact at Wheeler, which went a miserable 1-29 on the field from 2008-10. Over the past two seasons, the Wildcats have won 10 games and notched their first winning season since 2006 last fall.

More on Staley's football exploits:

* He threw for 1,804 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior. In two seasons as Wheeler's quarterback, has put up more than 2,600 yards through the air and 20 scoring strikes.

* He helped the Wildcats reach the Class AAAAAA state playoffs, where they met they met top recruit Robert Nkemdiche and Grayson in the opening round.



* He helped clinch a playoff berth in the season finale against Cherokee by throwing for 183 yards.

* He caught the eye of ESPN football analyst Trent Dilfer at the Atlanta Elite 11 Camp.
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This could be a big year for the Wheeler basketball program. In addition to Staley, the Wildcats – five-time state champions under head coach Doug Lipscomb – feature star 2015 prospects Daniel Giddens and Jaylen Brown.

After going 21-9 in 2012-13 and suffering some growing pains over the past two seasons, Wheeler is primed for a title run and potentially a spot in the preseason national rankings.

"We've grown up together and matured. I just can't wait to get back into the gym and help lead this team," Staley said. "We have two juniors who will probably be McDonald's All-Americans and probably five or six Division I players. We don't want to be the team that had all that talent and didn't get a ring."

More on Staley's hoops heroics:

* Staley actually may have had more interest from top college basketball programs than he did for football. Auburn, Florida State, Georgetown, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Miami and Virginia Tech all extended offers. He is playing this week in Las Vegas with Georgia-based club Southern Stampede.



* His biggest basketball highlight – and perhaps his biggest highlight in any sport – came last season against Etowah when he recorded 40 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists. Nearly all 40 points came on dunks and layups.

* After leading Wheeler to the semifinals as a junior, he was named second team Class AAAAAA All-State by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a first team All-Cobb County selection.

* Staley and Wheeler will compete in the prestigious City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., during the 2013-14 season.
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