Recruiting/Player Profile: Hope Adebayo/Simley (2020)

Today, Nate from Northstar Football News caught up with an NFN prospect from the Metro, and that was Simley RB <strong>Hope Adebayo</strong>. We chatted with Hope about his excellent Spartans squad this year, his recruiting interest and the best parts he loves about the running back/athlete position. <strong>Hope Adebayo</strong> <strong>Position:</strong> Running Back/Athlete <strong>High School Program:</strong> Simley <strong>Class</strong>: 2020, Senior <strong>Get to Know Hope Adebayo</strong> Adebayo has been on the Varsity team for the Simley Spartans since his sophomore year. The biggest thing Adebayo wants people to recognize is that he's not just a running back, but an athlete. "I will do everything my coaches ask me to do," said Adebayo, which is why he puts himself in the Athlete category. He said this Spartans season is huge to him, as last year he came had a season-ending injury to alter his season. Hope's strengths are he's unstoppable when he has the ball in his hands (I witnessed this firsthand against NSP earlier this year) and that he's a versatile player as well. <strong>Best Part About the Athlete/Running Back Position</strong> The best part about being an athlete on the field for Hope is to "make people scared and think twice before they tackle me". While they are deciding to tackle Adebayo, he uses that split second to get past them for a touchdown or a long play. He also said "scoring a touchdown" will be something he will never take for granted for his best parts of being an athlete. <strong>College Interest</strong> Currently, Adebayo has no offers on the table, but does have good interest from St. Thomas which Hope stated: "I like their facility and what they value". He says St. Thomas is a great fit for him to "become the man I want to be". Adebayo is hoping his offers come thru over the next two months which should line up well after the season. <strong>Improvements from the Off-Season by Adebayo</strong> The biggest thing the Spartan's coaching staff told Adebayo from the last season is to work on his "balance and footwork" Adebayo told NFN. He stated that he not only worked out a lot but did a landscaping job as well, which has built him muscle from last season. This Simley team is 6-0 because the coaches have "potential in all of us" Adebayo said about his Spartans coaching staff. He said his team works well with the "little things" as they work every day to get better and better. <strong>Hope's Mentors</strong> In a rare turn of events, Adebayo's mentor was the 2014 Simley Spartans; the whole team. That 2014 won the Prep Bowl, which is the first time in Simley's history. The Simley Spartans look to break that history this season with their excellent start. <strong>Goals for the Rest of the Season for Adebayo and the Spartans</strong> #BankOrBust in the theme for the rest of the year for the Simley Spartans. Their each week goal is to go 1-0. The other three goals are: 1) Beat Tartan 2) win the conference and 3) Beat South St. Paul at home for the first time in 14 years. All in all, Adebayo said this individual and team goal is to "become better men" which I think is a great goal to have. Simley (6-0) has one of the best games the state has to offer this Friday at home against 6-0 Tartan who is ranked in 5A. This will put Simley in its biggest test of the year. Thanks to Hope Adebayo for the report!