McGill-Toolen head coach Norman Joseph knew he had something special when his football team faced Daphne to end the 2021 spring workouts.
“Braylon went 80 yards on the first play from scrimmage I think,” Joseph said. “I knew right then.”
Braylon is Braylon McReynolds, the Yellow Jackets’ star senior tailback.
All he’s done this fall is average 10 yards a carry, helping propel McGill-Toolen on a five-game winning streak entering Friday’s home game against Blount.
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“I’ve had some bigger backs,” Joseph said. “I’ve never coached anyone who can cut like him and, once he gets into the secondary, he has another gear. He just leaves folks. In addition to that, he has the best hands on the team. He runs excellent routes. He’s the total package.”
McReynolds is listed at 5-foot-9, 180 pounds. That could be what is keeping him from raking in multiple college offers.
But Joseph – along with McReynolds’ stats and on-the-field performances – clearly say size should not matter when it comes to this senior.
“I don’t know if anyone has pulled the trigger yet, but all they have to do is look at his highlight tape,” Joseph said. “He’s a great student and a great person. He knows how to communicate. He’s phenomenal in every aspect. He’s a great all-around person and player.”
McReynolds, though he admits to playing with a chip on his shoulder as a senior, said he is not concerned with his recruiting at this point.
“I try not to worry about it or stress over it,” he said. “I just put it in God’s hands. Someone is going to pick me up, and I think whoever does will be happy about it. Right now, my focus has to be on the team.”
Baldwin County coach Scott Rials said someone will be getting a steal in McReynolds. In McGill’s 31-21 win over Rials’ Tigers on Oct. 1, McReynolds rushed for 336 yards and 4 touchdowns.
“When we played Baldwin County, there was a look on his face I haven’t seen all season,” Joseph said of McReynolds. “He never said, ‘feed me the ball,’ but I knew it. I could see it in his eyes. So, I did not disappoint him, and he did not disappoint us. It is one of the most unbelievable efforts I have witnessed.”
McReynolds said he was driven that night by some Baldwin County players “woofing” at him during the week before the game.
“I don’t take disrespect lightly,” he said. “I had a little extra chip on my shoulder, and I guess coach Joseph saw it.”
Clearly, there was no disrespect on the part of Rials either before or after the game.
“I talked to him before the game and told him, ‘Man, you are like the best back we’ve seen,’” he said. “He was really humble and nice. Not only is he a fabulous player, but he seems like a fine young man. He’s tough to tackle, and it’s not just us. I’m glad to see -- when I look up and he’s got like 10 carries for 240 yards on some of these other teams -- that we’re not the only ones who can’t tackle him. It is like trying to tackle air.”
Rials is right about Baldwin County not being the only defense McReynolds has victimized this year. He had 242 yards against Pike Road and 211 against Saraland and both of those were McGill losses. He also had 101 yards against Gulf Shores, 181 against Murphy and 224 last week against Robertsdale.
“He’s a great downhill runner, but he’s elusive also,” Rials said. “He’s an extremely good back. I don’t see why everyone and their brother is not trying to offer him and get him to their school because he’s really, really good.”
As a junior, McReynolds rushed for 1,395 yards and 22 touchdowns on 190 carries. Through seven games this year, he already has rushed for 1,397 yards and 19 TDs on 135 carries this season. He is shooting for Ito Smith’s record of 29 touchdowns as a Yellow Jacket.
“You can’t measure the intangibles, and he has those – commitment, dedication, determination. It’s all there,” Joseph said. “Then you take his skill and talent, the way he creates missed tackles, those are God-given talents.”
Clearly, some people are taking notice of McReynolds’ eye-popping stats. He was invited Wednesday to participate for his state in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in December.
“Oh, my goodness,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to be in it. I grew up watching former McGill athletes in it. They told me stories about how fun it’s going to be. I’m just ready to prove myself against the best in both states. This whole season has just been a blessing. I can’t ask for much more.”
McReynolds also was named to AL.com’s A-List Senior Watch List over the weekend.
Joseph knows a little something about college football talent. He had head coaching stints at Belhaven (1998-2000), Louisiana College (2004) and Mississippi College (2005-2013) before taking the McGill job last winter.
“Braylon McReynolds can play Division 1 football,” he said. “He’s a Division 1 back, and someone is going to get a jewel. No one has told me why they haven’t offered him. I don’t know. But someone is going to get one fine player and one fine person.”
After Friday’s game against Blount, McGill (5-2, 4-1 Class 6A, Region 1) finishes the regular season with a pair of road games -- at Spanish Fort and at Dothan.
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