Hall County native will play senior year of football at Cherokee Bluff
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (BVM) — In their 2019 football season, the Riverside Military Academy Eagles got to witness a jaw-dropping talent. Shad Dabney, their do-it-all athlete, pieced together 2,500 all-purpose yards, alongside his 29 touchdowns. He catapulted himself to the forefront of many college recruiters’ minds, and was looking forward to his high school finale in 2020.
Then, because of COVID-19, Riverside decided not to compete in fall football. The news came as a surprise to Dabney, who had his phone bombarded by friends and family wondering what he’d be doing next.
“I got 10 to 20 phone calls within the first five minutes (of Riverside’s decision) from kids that I played against, or friends from other local schools,” Dabney said. “I didn’t know if they were talking about linking for college, but the actual news definitely surprised me.”
From there, the three-star recruit had some thinking to do. With a pivotal senior year upcoming and yet to make his college decision, Dabney has to play football this fall. Talking with his family and former coaches, Nicholas Garrett and Jason Pleasant, Cherokee Bluff High School came out as the place to be.
“It’s heartbreaking for me not to be able to play for coach Garrett and coach Pleasant my senior year, two men who really set the foundation for me and changed my life around in the game of football,” Dabney said. “But I know I still have them in my corner.”
And so far, the decision they made as a collective unit has turned out to be a blessing. Coach Tommy Jones will have Dabney playing both sides of the ball; a receiver on offense and a defensive back on defense. Dabney is impressed with the group of guys Cherokee Bluff has, emphasizing their focus on toughness and tempo.
But above all else, their dedication to a family-like atmosphere has made the new transfer feel at home.
“There is no hate, it’s all love,” Dabney said. “Everybody feeds off of each other’s energy…building that bond in the weight room and on the field, just doing our best to put Cherokee Bluff on the map.”
Entering his senior season, Dabney holds various Division I football offers from a variety of different schools. As a 4.0 student, Ivy League schools such as Yale and Princeton have expressed interest. Military schools such as the Army and Air Force have already extended offers. And Power 5 schools like Kansas and Arizona State are awaiting his decision.
But recently, Dabney made it known where he’ll be playing college football, getting the weight of the decision off his shoulders before the season begins. He will soon be a Kansas Jayhawk.
COMMITTED ‼️🔵🔴 pic.twitter.com/TmfvrGTACz
— Mr.Uno 1️⃣ (@ShadDabney) August 24, 2020
He was debating on three schools before officially making his decision, but size of school was not a deciding factor.
“I know that I can make it to the NFL from any school. I just want to go to a place that I feel is the best fit for me,” Dabney said. “Somewhere that gives me a chance to be developed and showcase my talents.”
With Dabney now having found that fit, the focus is on the present. The Bears begin their season Sept. 4 versus the Johnson High Knights.
