A dependable possession receiver plays an important part for any football team, snagging passes and moving the chains for a first down. It’s also vital that a team has a kick returner to put a team in good field position, or better yet, take it to the house for a game-changing touchdown.
Isaiah Arriola, from Yuma, Ariz., possesses both of these qualities. He will display those skills when he plays in NextGen All America’s The Show this coming June.
His highlights shows that he's unafraid to haul in passes on crossing patterns, which is a talent that’s rare for a youth football player―and prized for any team no matter what level.
Arriola is excited about showing off his talent when he makes his debut at The Show.
“I look forward to compete with the nation’s top talent to test my skills,” he said. “It will say a lot about me and my talent if I show that I can compete and shine in this group of talent.”
The 2023 athlete is 5’6” and 127 lbs., but don’t let his size fool you. A number of teams have made that mistake and paid the price.
“My favorite part of playing football is making big plays, making new friends with my teammates and coaches and proving people wrong,” he said. “I like proving people wrong when they think they’re better than me or don’t believe in me. I like making big plays during a game to get my team in a good position to score or win the game.”
While playing for the Yuma Coyotes in the American Youth Football League, he played a big role in helping his team go undefeated and win the conference championship. During the season, every reception he made resulted in a first down or touchdown, as well as having five interceptions and being a dangerous kick returner, scoring four times.
“I spend a majority of time on the offensive side and enjoy scoring and making big plays,” Arriola noted. “[But] I like playing defensive back because I like to change the tempo of the game with an interception and preventing them from scoring.”
He was very pleased with his performance at the NextGen Elite Vegas Showcase on January 26, especially since it earned him a trip to The Show.
“It felt good to get an invite because I was one of the few players to get one,” Arriola said. “To hear other people talk about my skills on the field gave me more confidence in myself.”
Arriola, who been playing football since he was 7, should have plenty of confidence already. He attended Football University Top Gun in Rockhill, South Carolina as one of the nation’s elite football players in his class.
In addition, he was selected to FBU’s Team Arizona, but the team as a whole was unable to travel. He was also was invited to the Diamond Youth All-American Game in Myrtle Beach, S.C., but was he unable to attend due to the travel costs. But when The Show rolls around in June, you can bet that Arriola will be there.
“I’m looking forward to competing with the best of the best,” he said, “to see where I stand talentwise.”
You can check out Arriola’s profile -> here.
View his highlight below.
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Ryan Oliver @RyanBOliver 4 years ago