Bishop Kelley standout Sam Rhoades V Sam Rhoades V 6'4" | 235 lbs | ATH Bishop Kelley | 2024 State OK is headed off to Air Force to play at the next level and we’re fired up to see where that takes him. First off, Rhoades has the ability to play on either side of the ball and we firmly believe that. On offense, Rhoades is a solid tight end that could turn into a hybrid fullback. On defense, Rhoades was outstanding during his senior season as a defensive end coming off the edge. He’s another example of a prospect on this breakdown that could play a variety of positions at the next level. For some guys, that position is obvious, for Rhoades, he has options.

Bishop Kelley senior standout Sam Rhoades V Sam Rhoades V 6'4" | 235 lbs | ATH Bishop Kelley | 2024 State OK was one of the players that was no stranger to us coming into Friday night’s game. We’ve seen Rhoades quite a bit over the last few offseasons while he played 7v7 with Sooner 7. But on Friday night, Rhoades was arguably the most dominant defensive player on the football field. The Air Force commit was an absolute nightmare for Claremore to handle on the line of scrimmage. Rhoades was routinely getting into the backfield and causing problems for Claremore’s passing attack. And with the Zebras missing their starting running back, Rhoades was able to pin his ears back and get after the quarterback. And Claremore’s passing game is one of the best in Class 5A but they did not have much time on Friday with Rhoades consistently coming off the edge on the blind side.

2024 athlete Sam Rhoades is the Bishop Kelley prospect that we are most excited to see this fall for the Comets. Rhoades was already pretty high on our list and the offseason he’s had has only risen that expectation as he goes into his senior season. Last season, Rhoades had 25 catches for 400 yards and also had nearly 50 tackles on the defensive side of the ball. But when we look at Rhoades this offseason, it’s been in 7v7 tournaments and it’s hard not to be excited about the potential there because his hands might as well have been magnets. He caught everything thrown his way. He’s getting more and more attention from FBS programs as well for his versatility and overall athleticism.

Bishop Kelley jumbo athlete Sam Rhoades V Sam Rhoades V 6'4" | 235 lbs | ATH Bishop Kelley | 2024 State OK had a fantastic offseason and we think that his momentum is going to continue in a big way this fall for the Comets. First off, Rhoades was automatic in the 7v7 circuit as a tight end for Sooner 7. The offense seemed to just run through Rhoades at various times this offseason as he would make catch after catch and like Edwards, he was a nightmare to cover in the red zone. Rhoades also has the ability to turn around and play defense, whether it’s at defensive end or linebacker. That’s what gives him the jumbo athlete distinction because he can definitely bring a lot of versatility to the football field but he isn’t necessarily considered a skill position player. With our preseason content starting in July, we’ve been doing our homework and we really like Rhoades and Bishop Kelley this fall.

Bishop Kelley 2024 tight end Sam Rhoades V Sam Rhoades V 6'4" | 235 lbs | ATH Bishop Kelley | 2024 State OK continues to have a very strong offseason while playing 7v7 football with Sooner 7. Rhoades was outstanding once again this past weekend and the number one thing that stood out about him this time around was his consistency. They kept it very simple with Rhoades and that was very apparent as we went through all the film we shot during the tournament. Almost all of the catches that Rhoades made were on simple five-yard out routes. He made a few catches over the middle but the majority of his damage was done on the out routes to the left. Whether it was in the red zone to put some points on the board or near the beginning of the drive to get the offense into a rhythm, Rhoades had to be considered the “security blanket” of the Sooner 7 “Green” offense over the weekend.

I’ve coached against Bishop Kelley for 10 years and when you think of BK’s defense, it always seems like they have a player like Rhoades out on the edge.  Standing at 6’4″ and weighing in at 230 pounds, Rhoades is athletic with a long body.  When attacking the edge, he does a good job of dipping his shoulder with a rip getting to the quarterback without running upfield.  Rhoades does a good job coming off the ball and fighting through the block.  He displays good technique and can create separation with one arm to get off the block to make the tackle.  He works to set the edge and plays down the line of scrimmage.  With his frame, he can cross face once the running back commits and is long enough to come back to make the play inside for a tackle for a loss.  The other thing that I like about him, is Rhoades can slant inside or stunt two gaps over.  Rhoades typically creates pressure on the quarterback because of the way he moves with his footwork and his athletic frame.

Another prospect picking up his first offer was Bishop Kelley 2024 tight end Sam Rhoades V Sam Rhoades V 6'4" | 235 lbs | ATH Bishop Kelley | 2024 State OK last week as he was offered by Eastern Michigan. We actually got the chance to see Rhoades this past weekend in Plano while he played with Sooner 7. Physically, he’s a really impressive athlete to watch and he was a red zone nightmare for defenses. Rhoades has a lot of versatility to his game, playing tight end on offense and then turning around and playing defense at defensive end. Right now, we like Rhoades and his ability to make plays on the offensive side of the ball but it’s hard not to be impressed after watching him in person this past weekend. And just like Rowland, we have a feeling that this is going to be a big spring and summer as more coaches see the Bishop Kelley standout in person.