
Trey Drake ready for ‘high expectations’ at North Dakota State
JAMESTOWN, N.Y. (BVM) — Being a quarterback is arguably one of the most challenging jobs in sports. One has to be able to lead, and one may have to accept responsibility for the team’s overall performance, win or lose. There’s one quarterback who already understands what it takes to lead a team: Jamestown High School QB Trey Drake.
“Being a quarterback, everyone’s watching you; the eyes are on you,” Drake said. “Just being the thermostat and setting the temperature for the room and setting the temperature for the team has been crucial. I’ve seen that shown up at our high school. So I’d say that’s the biggest thing is just being a thermostat and knowing all the guys are looking up to you, and you’re trying to lead a team at the end of the day.”
Thanks to his dad, Drake has always been involved in sports. Since the time it’s taken him to grow up, Drake has developed a love for basketball and football.
“I’ve been around sports for my entire life,” Drake said. “My dad is the athletic director here at Jamestown and our basketball coach. I just grew up around athletics as soon as I was out of the womb. I really developed a passion for basketball and football the most. I started playing football since first or second grade, and I feel like that’s when the passion started.”
As Drake began to soak in the everyday life of an athlete, Drake’s mindset also began to change for the better. He not only viewed himself as a standout player but as an influential leader who could help his teammates and others prosper on and off the field.
“I feel like, at a very young age, one of the attributes I developed right away was my leadership ability,” Drake said. “And the overall mindset that a quarterback has. The quarterback position fit me really well. I like to be in command, and you know, a quarterback commands an offense. You’re constantly finding ways to improve.”
Having that leadership quality from an early age significantly helped Drake develop. It helped him become starting QB for the Red Raiders in his freshman year. He threw for 972 yards and 11 touchdown passes, according to MaxPreps.

It also helped Drake succeed on the hardwood. This past season, Drake played in 22 games and averaged 14 points. Drake also grabbed 5.7 rebounds and recorded three assists, according to MaxPreps.
It’s obvious to some that Drake’s leader-like mindset has always helped him succeed on the football field and basketball court. But to those who are not from New York or around Jamestown, Drake knew he had to work harder and be mentally tough if he wanted to further his athletic career to the next level.
“There are several benefits and negatives from being from New York,” Drake said. “From personal experience, I believe that New York is an underrecruited place. Just from going to camps and combines throughout the state, you run into a lot of great athletes where if they were in Florida and Texas, they’d be recruited just as much as the other guys. One of the positives is that when you play in New York, you get all sorts of weather. It prepares you to be mentally strong and to be physically tough.”
Drake remained diligent in his craft. He traveled to camps and saw different college campuses. He even made his own “Pro Day” video in the Buffalo Bills’ fieldhouse. This led to several colleges being interested in him, including North Dakota State.
“Throughout the entire process, I guess you can say it has been a little overwhelming,” Drake said. “There’s been ups and downs through the [process], but ultimately, how I got led to NDSU was Mike Peters. He’s an assistant there, and he’s from the Buffalo area. With his coaching contacts, he was able to find my film. He gave it to Randy Hedberg, the quarterbacks’ coach there, and he loved it.”
It didn’t take long for Drake and his father to make the trip to Fargo after his tape was seen. And when he took his first steps onto campus, he knew it was a special place to be.
“NDSU is a place like no other,” Drake said. “I’ve been to many colleges, many campuses and many universities and football programs through the years and their culture was like no other.”
100% COMMITTED!💛💚🦬
Fargo, ND… IM HOME🤘
716 ➡️ 701‼️🔰#BisoNation #GoBison #Building23 #QBU pic.twitter.com/YpsHzLysMo— Trey Drake (@TreyDrake17) July 10, 2022
Along with recognizing NDSU as a special place for athletes, Drake also took the time to acknowledge the expectations that come with being a Bison football player.
“I know the expectations that come from being a Bison football player, especially a quarterback at NDSU,” Drake said. “I don’t shy away from that at all; I embrace and look forward to that.”
There’s little to no doubt that Drake’s athletic journey has been and will continue to be special. With his athletic future now secure, Drake can focus on leading the Red Raiders to a state title.
“I grew up in Jamestown; I was raised here,” Drake said. “I’ve been around the athletic programs and the football field for as long as I can remember. It is kind of bittersweet knowing you’re leaving next year. But at the same time, it’s kind of a relief. Going into this year was awesome to know where I was going, fully committed. I feel like it kind of lifted a weight off my shoulder going into senior year.”
But if one thing is certain, Drake will continue to give everything to the sport he loves so furiously.
“Football means everything to me,” Drake said. “I’ve dedicated my life to it.”