‘His ceiling is through the roof’

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This article was published 24/01/2022 (1336 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

So, how good of a prospect is Mekhi Tyrell?

Considering how the 17-year-old wide receiver from Winnipeg has attracted interest from big time NCAA schools such as Alabama and Penn State, it’s safe to say he’s a damn good one.

Tyrell, a sensational athlete at Murdoch MacKay Collegiate on the gridiron and on the hardwood where he averaged over 37 points per game playing junior varsity basketball, is coming off his first season at Football North — a prep program based out of Clarkson Secondary School in Mississauga, Ont. Football North plays against American high schools.

“When you look at a guy that teams need to stop, that’s him,” said Football North head coach Larry Jusdanis.

“He can high point the ball very, very well and he’s dangerous when he gets the ball in space. He’s that number one receiver that everyone looks for on a team. That’s what he means to us. He’s a very talented receiver. His future is bright. He’s an NCAA athlete… His ceiling is through the roof. He has the potential to play at a very high level.”

Tyrell, who is back home in Winnipeg taking his Grade 11 Clarkson courses online, was one of three Football North players to get invited to Penn State in November to watch the Nittany Lions take on the Michigan Wolverines. Tyrell recently received a recruitment package in the mail from Alabama and has garnered interest from a long list of schools including Nebraska, Arizona State and Cincinnati.

“I was sitting there thinking ‘Man, I’ve come so far,’” said Tyrell on his Penn State visit. “From no one knowing me from Winnipeg or anything, to moving, and now I’m getting a lot of coaches talking to me and everything. I’m just blessed. Honestly, I’m just happy that this is happening.”

A big reason why it’s happening is because of Tyrell’s natural athleticism. The 6-1, 185 pounder can throw down a windmill dunk with ease. But even before Tyrell could dunk, people could tell there was something special about him. Originally a soccer player, the Transcona Nationals football club somehow heard about Tyrell, a seven-year-old at the time, and reached out to his mom asking if he’d be interested in trying football. It’s been Tyrell’s sport of choice ever since, even though basketball came incredibly easy to him.

“I actually got into basketball in Grade 8. Before that, it was literally just football. But then I was like ‘What should I do in my free time?’… So then I tried basketball and it started clicking… I watched my friends who are very, very good at basketball and I just copied their moves and I somehow ended up dropping around 40 points a game in Grade 10,” said Tyrell, who helped Murdoch win the KPAC junior varsity boys Div. 2 title.

But Tyrell shelved his basketball career to focus entirely on football. He made the switch to the Football North to challenge himself and play against better competition. It didn’t take him long to show that he belonged as he scored a pair of touchdowns in his debut against St. Frances Academy — the top high school football program in Maryland.

Football North has had 36 kids receive NCAA Div. I scholarships in the past six years.

“It was scary at first as I didn’t know anybody and it was all so new,” Tyrell said.

“I was nervous and had butterflies before the first game. I didn’t really know what I was doing, that’s how nervous I was. I had to get my mind straight but after a while it clicked, I got the plays down, and that’s when I started balling out.”

Tyrell, and another promising receiver prospect from Winnipeg named Dallas Sims, helped Recruit Ready win a 7 on 7 Association of Canada touch football tournament in Moose Jaw, Sask., on Sunday. One of the program’s coaches is Winnipeg Blue Bombers receiver Nic Demski, who brought the Grey Cup to a practice last week to serve as some extra motivation to the young talent.

Tyrell plans to commit to an NCAA program next year. He isn’t looking too far ahead, but he’s hoping he can go on to have a professional career as successful as coach Demski’s.

“Anything works. CFL, NFL, whatever. It’s fun playing ball.”

taylor.allen@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @TaylorAllen31