Legacy speedster hoping to impress the Buckeyes
Ohio State is always looking to add speed to its roster and Frisco (Texas) Lebanon Trail wide receiver Drew Donley certainly brings that to the table. The Ohio State legacy prospect is the son of former Buckeye wide receiver Doug Donley and he'll be putting his speed on display in Columbus on Saturday when he camps at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Growing up in suburban Dallas, Donley still has the Ohio State program ingrained in him. He has been making trips to Columbus to watch the Buckeyes play throughout his childhood and in the Donley house, it's Ohio State on the television on Saturday's.
"I've grown up watching the Buckeyes," Donley explained. "Growing up, my little league team, we were always called the Buckeyes. We had the Buckeye leaves on our helmets. Everything in our house is Buckeyes. I have a Buckeye flag in my room, Buckeye floor mat. My room used to be Buckeye colors. I've always just grown up wanting to be a Buckeye."
The Little League reference is not a coincidence as the elder Donley was the coach of the team. The Ohio State influence has always been there and having the opportunity to earn an offer from the Buckeyes has been a lifelong dream.
"It would be amazing," he said on the potential of being offered by Ohio State. "I'd feel like I just conquered the world. My whole childhood has been about the Buckeyes. If I were to get an offer there, I would just feel so blessed and humbled."
Ohio State has taken notice of Donley, who played his sophomore season at the brand new Lebanon Trail High School. Brian Hartline has been on the case already.
"Coach Hartline called my coaches at the beginning of the year and I talked to him for quite a while and I also talked to coach Day," Donley explained. "Coach Hartline came to my school to see me (during the Spring Evaluation Period) and I try to call him about once a week just to check in and say hi."
Donley will have to show more than just straight line speed, however. He knows he has the basic athletic tools, but now it's about refining those tools.
"I'm working on just finishing my routes," he said. "Obviously the first part of my route is the release but just working on the top part of my route, pressing into the defender and getting my stems right and getting open. I'm fast enough that I can run past a defender but if I run a route that's short, like five yards, just making sure that I'm still getting separation."
Running past defenders is certainly not a problem. Donley is a budding track star as well who has put up some tremendous times as a sophomore.
"I ran a 10.53 electronic (100 meters) at the Texas relays against Matthew Boling," he recalled. "This summer, I opened up with a 10.27 and this past meet I just ran a 10.19."
Speed runs in the family as his father is one of the fastest to ever put on a Buckeye uniform. The latest track accomplishments from Drew have started a bit of a family rivalry. Who is the fastest Donley?
"Back in his day, he ran the 100-yard dash," Donley stated. "I run the 100-meter dash, so that's a longer distance. He always tells me that he ran like a 9.6 in the 100-yards so he says that he's faster. I don't know, I know he was fast, so I believe it."