When the question is first asked, Damien Rhodes pauses for a moment, searching for an answer.

Have you ever seen a player like him come out of this area?

Rhodes has been a part of Central New York football his whole life. He was a running back at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, then Syracuse, and now coaches at his former high school.

But Rhodes has never seen a talent like Tyrone Wheatley Jr. The combination of size, smarts, skill and athleticism is seldom seen around these parts.

He has to look all the way back to 1997, when Marquise Walker torched CNY with his 6-foot-3 frame and spectacular athleticism before becoming an All-American at Michigan.

“You see good, quick, great high-school-type players,” Rhodes said, “but one that you look at and say, ‘That’s not just a great high school player, they’re your elite talent that only come around every now and then.’”

Wheatley is that type of elite player. He’s parlayed his gargantuan frame, football pedigree and exceptional athleticism into offers from Southeastern Conference, Big 10 and Atlantic Coast Conference schools — including SU.

It’s the size that makes the 6-foot-6, 240-pound high school sophomore such an attractive commodity. The tight end and defensive end has offers from Alabama, Michigan, Penn State and North Carolina. He’s turned his raw talent into production with three touchdowns in just four games in the fall, and his age means he can still grow and develop.

“If his athleticism improves, you don’t know where that could wind up in a year or two,” Scout.com’s Brian Dohn said.

His tape shows he’s a legitimate 6 feet 6 inches, with a deft control of that build. Defensively, he has the size to power through often smaller offensive linemen, the footwork to get around blockers from a down or stand-up position, and the pursuit to track down faster running backs.

On offense, his greatest strength is as a blocker. Dohn suggested Wheatley could end up a tackle by the time he gets to college — his frame is that massive. But his size also lets him reach up for overthrown balls and shed tacklers in the open field. He has adequate speed, but looks out of place lumbering down the field.

“The more I watch him, the more you think he can play D-end,” Dohn said, “but I think at that size, if he continues to grow, he’s a kid that — if he’s a sophomore now and he’s 6-6, 235 — how big’s he going to be in two years?”

For two years, the Orange had an in with the hulking athlete. His father, Tyrone Wheatley Sr., a former star running back at Michigan, was Syracuse’s running backs coach from 2010-12. He was a part of the mass exodus from SU to Buffalo, N.Y., when former head coach Doug Marrone left to take the same job with the Bills. Wheatley joined him to retain his position as Marrone’s running backs coach.

Between the Orange and the Wolverines, Wheatley has offers from schools with family ties. Between Alabama and Penn State, he has offers from some of the most prestigious programs in the nation.

“It’s his decision,” the elder Wheatley said. “We’ll sit down and kind of look over some things, but we believe in what we’ve raised him to be: a great young man.

“He’s the one who has to get up at 5, 6 a.m. and run … so he’s got to make the decision.”

Scout.com has yet to rank its Class of 2015, but if Wheatley’s offers are any indication, then he has a chance to be one of the highest-rated tight ends or defensive ends in the class.

Wheatley has had the right teachers. His father and high school coach were both collegiate stars and boast professional football experience. But for now, the elder Wheatley said, his son is running on raw talent. He understands the sport, but he’s only played four games at the varsity level. He hasn’t even begun any formal weight training.

Even so, Wheatley’s turned heads. Syracuse was the first school to offer him a scholarship, just before the old coaching staff departed. Since then, he’s drawn eyes from all across the Eastern part of the country.

Wheatley isn’t sure if his son will remain at Fayetteville-Manlius next season since a move to Buffalo could be in order, but he’ll continue to draw attention — and offers — wherever he goes. He’ll just keep getting better.

“He’s just scratching the surface,” the elder Wheatley said. “I really don’t think you’ll see the full potential of him until maybe his sophomore or junior year of college.”

Published on April 22, 2013 at 10:34 pm

Contact David: dbwilson@syr.edu | @DBWilson2