FAIRMONT — Leading into high school football practice starting on July 31, The Robesonian’s sports reporter Jonathan Bym is publishing a countdown of the top 15 players in Robeson County, and Fairmont’s Jordan Waters comes in at No. 4 on the list.
After playing in the shadows of Jarique Moore last season, Waters is ready for his time to start this fall.
“We’ve got some big shoes to fill with Jarique and Julius (Caulder) gone, but they opened up the doors for us with the air raid,” Waters said. “We’ve just got to finish it and keep it going.”
Despite having to share the receiving load with Moore last year, Waters was able to amass 1,000 yards receiving and 10 touchdowns. Now the junior knows that its his time to take over and has goals for himself and the team.
“I want to get at least 1,000 (yards) and win the county Heisman,” Waters said. “We are at least going to make the playoffs and win the conference. That’s the team goal.”
With the receiving corps less loaded down than last season though, Fairmont coach Kevin Inman knows that teams will key in on him. This makes his job a little tougher entering his first season with the Golden Tornadoes, but getting the ball to his 6-foot-3 playmaker is a must.
“He’s a big target, he’s physical and he’s going to draw a lot of attention,” Inman said. “Everybody in the conference knows who he is because he had a breakout year last year. It’s just about finding ways to get him the ball because everybody is going to lock up.”
This offseason brought on Water’s first college offers when Duke and Wake Forest sent offers to the in-state product. As expected, he took it to heart and has been driven this offseason to make sure those are the only ones he hauls in.
“It made me want more,” he said. “I got one and now I want more. I’ve been working hard, working out and just wanting more offers.”
This summer has been a little different for Waters as he has understood that he is now needed to step up in the locker room, breaking out of his quiet shell that he has had for the past two years.
“I’m still learning because last year I was still quiet,” Waters said. “Now that I’m a junior, I’ve got to talk a lot and lead the team and be the man of the offense.”
