Will Huntley play both ways at Guilford College?

Kedlin Huntley makes big plays on both sides of the football.

Just by looks alone, you might not figure Kedlin Huntley to be a football player. Standing 5-feet-8 and weighing 160 pounds, he looks more like someone who plays basketball, baseball, or soccer.

With Huntley, though, appearance means absolutely nothing.

During his time at West Forsyth, Huntley, who graduated in June, delivered monster performances as a ball-thief cornerback and big-play specialist on offense and special teams. He was named Central Piedmont Conference Special Teams Player of the Year for 2014. As a defender, he made the All-Northwest team and was a two-time all-conference pick.

Huntley will play football at Guilford College this fall. Given his high school resume, it's going to be interesting to see where the Quakers put Huntley. There's no denying his value as a man-on-man pass defender. As a junior at West Forsyth, he had 69 tackles with 14 pass break-ups and 4 interceptions in a season in which the Titans went 12-2 and advanced to the second round of the Class 4-A state playoffs.

Huntley is at his best in open space.

Offensively, Huntley is a genuine game-breaker. Although his 4.59 seconds clocking in the 40-yard dash is better than adequate for his position, it's his ability to read blocks and make would-be tacklers miss that make him an exceptional talent.

In open space, he's a difficult match-up for any defender to handle. In watching him on video and in person, there's no question that Huntley has “competitive” speed. During an actual game, you're not likely to see him get caught from behind very often.

Also keep in mind that he's just as lethal as a kick return artist. Given the package he provides, there doesn't seem to be a ceiling on what Huntley might accomplish as a collegian.

A good case in point was this year's East-West All-Star Football Game. Huntley was chosen as a cornerback for the West team. But once practice sessions started, it didn't take long for the coaching staff to decide to employ Huntley strictly as a slot receiver. He scored the first touchdown of the game for the West on a 1-yard sprint around the left side and he caught a crucial third-down pass for 12 yards which kept that scoring drive going.

“Guilford recruited me as a defensive back, but it wouldn't bother me to play on the other side of the ball,” said Huntley. “I enjoy the challenge of finding ways to get into the end zone when I have the ball in my hands.”

As an incoming college freshman, Huntley understands that while he's reached a higher level of competition, he'll have to start at the bottom of the totem pole. In his mind, it's not a daunting task. It's all part of the process of establishing himself as a college athlete.

“My prime focus is to earn as much playing time as I can in the secondary,” he said. “In practice, I'll compete against players who are older and more experienced. That's the big challenge and I feel like I'm more than ready for it.”