FAIRMONT — Robeson County has seen better days after suffering through a tumultuous stretch in the past few months that includes a catastrophic Hurricane and the inhumane murder of a 13-year-old girl that bombarded national headlines.
Wednesday was one of the better days as two players signed to play college football on the first day of the early signing period, with Fairmont senior Jordan Waters inking his commitment letter to play football at Duke University.
“It’s a good cause because there’s been a lot of negativity in the community, so for me to sign…it brings a lot of positivity,” Waters said in the midst of a gym lobby full of joyous family, friends, teammates and coaches.
After signing, Waters patiently stuck around for over half an hour, posing for pictures with any and everyone in attendance who wanted to honor his achievement. The process lasted so long that his family had to force him to pause so he could cut the decorative, Duke-inspired sheet cake that served as the centerpiece to a table full of food to celebrate the occasion.
According to Golden Tornadoes coach Kevin Inman, it’s this type of selflessness that exemplifies who Waters is off the field and what he expects to continue when the star athlete enrolls at Duke next year.
“Man, he’s a great kid and a great leader. A community kid, as well, that embraces where he’s at and understands his role,” Inman said of Waters. “Basically, you get a total package that’s going to do well for you on and off the field.”
Back in April, Waters made sure to mention that his pursuits as a student wouldn’t be overshadowed and that his decision to attend one of the nation’s top universities had just as much to do with academics as football. On Wednesday, his tune remained perfectly in sync with what he relayed in the spring.
“Oh it’s the best of both worlds. You get a good education and play good football, you can’t beat that,” Waters said.
Inman echoed the comments of the standout athlete that he’s watched dominant on and off the gridiron for the past two years. He says Waters will “hit the ground running” academically when he gets to Duke because of the course load he’s taken at Fairmont that’s prepared him.
As far as what will happen when Waters puts his Blue Devils helmet on to compete within the white lines, Inman says everyone should expect the transition to be just as seamless.
“He’s just so explosive. Anywhere he’s on the field, you have to take account for him whether it’s offense, defense, or special teams,” Inman said. “When he’s on the field you know something big is going to happen.”
Waters racked up over 1,000 receiving yards as a sophomore and followed up with nearly 1,000 yards again as a junior receiver last season. As a senior, he was moved to quarterback and effortlessly collected well over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 29 total touchdowns.
Waters wasn’t shy when asked about what his goals are for the next level as he simply replied, “everything.” He says he wants to be an all-conference performer, All-American and take home a Heisman trophy. That will set up his penultimate goal of playing pro football, where his cousin Darius Leonard, is already making a name for himself as a star rookie linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts.
Above all, both Waters and Inman think this opportunity to shed a positive light on an area that’s going through it’s darkest times is what will inspire the next generation.
“I had to put [Fairmont] on the map, I just wanted to open the recruitment up and let them know we got talent down here,” Waters said.
Meanwhile, Inman encapsulated the moment by saying, “I think it opens the doors for a lot of our young kids…to see what hard work and dedication can do for you, not just in football, but in academics as well.”
