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Alabama’s Gatorade POY Earl Woods III taking it ‘one step at a time’
Hueytown HS junior Earl Woods III named Alabama’s Gatorade Play of the Year for his outstanding performance in the classroom, on the gridiron and in his community. (Credit: Ken Shepherd)

Alabama’s Gatorade POY Earl Woods III taking it ‘one step at a time’

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (BVM) – Hueytown High School quarterback Earl Woods III was named Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Alabama to no one’s surprise. The junior owns a 4.3 GPA, led the Golden Gophers to their first state championship appearance in program history, and still managed to spend time giving back to his community through mentoring youth athletes. Woods joins Jameis Winston as the only two student athletes to receive the GPOY title at Hueytown and seems to be headed down a successful path.

Woods transferred to Hueytown from Shades Valley High at the beginning of his junior year and has yet to let his foot off the gas. With a 13-2 record on the season, Woods propelled the Golden Gophers to a Class 6A regional title before they fell to the Clay-Chalkville Cougars in the state championship. A true dual-threat quarterback, he completed 171-for-302 passes for 3,072 yards and 32 touchdowns, while he rushed for 2,123 yards and 35 touchdowns on 314 carries. With so much momentum after just one season, Woods has no plans to slow down.

“I was a transfer coming in this season so that was exciting for me,” Woods said. “Our focus was just a lot of hard work and trust in each other. We had to hold each other accountable to make it as far as we did. I have one more year here so we plan on doing the same thing we did this past year, but more. I want to win a state championship before I graduate.” 

Aside from athletic excellence, Woods is an exceptional student who excels in the classroom at an unmatched level. With a more-than-perfect report card and big future career plans, the junior should transition into his higher education path with ease.

“I think I want to focus on business management,” Woods said. “I want to have my own business in the future. I am not totally sure what that will look like yet – hopefully I will have a company dealing with shoes and clothes. I’m a fashion type of guy. And it could go hand-in-hand with a football career so we will see.”

The third and final component to the GPOY award focuses on exemplary character. Woods demonstrates this on a regular basis as he spends his minimal free time at various events coaching, teaching and supporting the youth in his community. He said he does his best to lead by example and loves being able to share his lessons learned with others.

“I help my little brother’s football team on the sidelines at practice,” Woods said. “Coaching them up, showing them techniques that I have used in the past, showing them how to hold the ball. I’ve also been showing kids and teaching kids at camps. Elementary school and middle school – any advice that I can give to them, I give to them.”

Each GPOY recipient is given the opportunity to gift a sports organization of their choice a $1,000 grant as a way to support the organization’s continuous efforts in youth athletics. Athletes are then given the opportunity to submit a personalized video explaining why they chose that group, which enters the organization into a contest to win an additional $10,000 grant. Woods said his decision to sponsor his high school’s quarterback club came easily.

“I’m giving the grant to the Hueytown Quarterbacks Club,” Woods said. “They do a tremendous job taking care of the field and the grass. They make sure our safety equipment is good to go, they make sure we eat a good meal before each game. I am truly thankful for what they do for us.”

Though currently unranked on 247Sports.com, Woods has received a handful of college offers and is in contact with more programs by the day. And with his new-found notoriety, that trend is sure to continue.

“I have four offers right now,” Woods said. “Jacksonville State, Middle Tennessee, Morehouse [College] and I recently picked-up North Alabama. I have a trip planned to visit Vanderbilt and have heard from a lot of different programs. It’s been fun. The recruiting process can get intense – it’s really intense – but it’s been exciting for me at the same time.”

As his recruitment process ramps up and he prepares for his final prep season on the Golden Gopher gridiron, Woods is staying focused on his future goals and doing his best to enjoy the ride.

“With my schedule being pretty crazy, Saturdays and Sundays are my free days and I take advantage of that time off,” Woods said. “But the goal at the end of the day is to make it to the next level. I just have to take it one step at a time. I hope God has it in the cards for me to reach the NFL draft. But I just have to take it one step at a time.”