It was the first day of football practice in helmets at San Tan Charter and Uriah Neloms couldn’t be found in the receivers’ line.
That’s because he was throwing the football to receivers.
After catching 13 touchdown passes for the 2A school last season, the 6-foot-4, 200-pound athlete is making the move to quarterback.
“It’s what helps the team,” Neloms said during a break in Monday morning’s practice. “It’s great. I get to see the game from a different perspective. It’s cool.”
This change is for his senior season only. He is committed to Arizona State, where he’ll be playing wide receiver.
He was offered a scholarship by ASU after performing well at receiver during a 7-on-7 passing tournament in June. It didn’t take long for Neloms to jump on the offer.
It’s rare that a player from a small school, especially at the 2A level — the smallest 11-man competition in Arizona — gets a chance to play at a major college out of high school.
But Neloms is no ordinary athlete.
Last season, he caught 53 passes for 1,118 yards and 13 TDs for the 10-3 Roadrunners, who reached the 2A semifinals before losing to Pima 52-49, a game in which Neloms caught six passes for 122 yards and two TDs.
Once at ASU, he’ll be learning the outside receiver position from former Pittsburgh Steelers great Hines Ward, who was hired by coach Kenny Dillingham in the offseason.
Arizona was the only other major college to offer Neloms.
“Coach Dillingham, he showed me real love,” Neloms said. “He went out of his way to show me how the campus was, how he would help me. UofA was a big school, too. I talked to the team last year.”
Neloms said most college coaches are surprised to learn he plays at the 2A level in high school.
“When they see me and I say I’m playing in 2A, they are like, ‘Why aren’t you playing up?’ “Neloms said. “But, at the same time, 2A, it’s football, right? These small schools put in the work.”
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This is the selfless, team-first attitude that San Tan Charter coach Chase Cartwright loves about Neloms, whom he’s known since his youth football days. And it is why Cartwright, a former Corona del Sol High School and Northern Arizona quarterback, didn’t hesitate to move his elite wide receiver to quarterback.
He replaces Zayden Neill, who passed for 9,900 yards and 106 TDs in his four-year varsity career at San Tan Charter.
“Uriah has been our backup (quarterback) since he got here,” Cartwright said. “He was waiting in the wings for his opportunity. Last year, he got some snaps as a junior.
“Uriah has done an exceptional job since taking over as the guy, leading by example, showing up first, leaving last, making those around him better. So we’re really excited about his opportunity.”
Besides having great hands, running exceptional routes and having big-play abilities after catches, Neloms has an exceptional arm and can throw on the run. He also gives San Tan Charter a big-play running threat.
“It depends on what the team needs,” Neloms said. “If I have to use my legs, I’ll use my legs. But my guys can catch it, and I’ll throw the ball.”
He threw a total of three passes last season, completing two, including one for a touchdown.
Take away Neloms at receiver, the Roadrunners return receivers who totaled four TD catches last season.
But Cartwright feels good about Neloms throwing to juniors Brody Prassas, Timi Akinyoyenu and Bairyk Schulte, along with incoming freshman Nehemiah Armstrong.
“We lost a quarterback,” Cartwright said. “Uriah was our best receiver. He’s now playing quarterback. So we lose that tandem. Daniel Dippre (11 TD catches last season) graduates. Maison Coffman (six TD catches) graduates. We really had to start over from scratch. We’ve got some young guys we’re excited about. We’ve got some veterans who need to step up into a starting role.
“But we’re getting there. It’s a work in progress.”
Richard Obert has been covering high school sports since the 1980s for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University athletics and the Arizona Rattlers. To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU commit Uriah Neloms moves to quarterback for 2A San Tan Charter
