Never too late: Prate commits to State

The tall, athletic-looking kid roaming Wauconda's hallways intrigued schoolmates and, particularly, football coaches.

Bradon Prate finally gave football another try, after not playing his sophomore year at his new school, and blossomed rapidly last fall.

He's not done developing as a football player and Illinois State University apparently realizes his potential.

The 6-foot-31/2, 230-pound Prate, an incoming senior defensive end, said the NCAA Division I-AA school offered him a full-ride scholarship last month and he has accepted after attending a football camp last week. He spoke with new head coach Brock Spack and verbally committed to the Redbirds.

"After being on the campus and meeting all the players and coaches, it suited me," said Prate, who also likes ISU's relative proximity to home, so his family can watch him play. "I thought I'd like it there."

Prate lived in Illinois for 10 years before moving to Arizona because of his stepfather's business. He played football for a large Arizona high school as a freshman but said he didn't play, as he was one of about 100 kids on the team. He moved back to Wauconda for his sophomore year, but chose not to play football.

He had broken his leg at the end of his freshman year.

"I didn't feel like playing football because I was just coming off the leg injury and the IHSA said I had to sit out a year because of transferring from out of state," Prate said.

"I didn't feel like I wanted to play, but then all my friends and coaches wanted me to try football because of how good my potential was as a football player. My main sport was basketball."

In what he considered his first year of football, Prate earned all-conference honors for the Bulldogs. And he did so despite not participating in a weightlifting program during the off-season.

"He is full of potential and one of the most athletic players you'll see on the field," Wauconda coach Dave Mills said. "His football knowledge is still catching up because he didn't play a lot until later in his life."

"I'm pretty new to football so I'm trying to get used to everything and learn," Prate said. "I was surprised (at last season's success) because it was my first year. I didn't know if I'd do well or not."

Mills said Prate ran a 4.62 time in the 40-yard dash at ISU's camp and also impressed coaches with his standing vertical jump.

"He's very explosive," Mills said. "His best years in football are still in front of him."

Prate said Illinois and Wyoming have also shown interest in him, which doesn't mean he would renege on his word to Illinois State, which last year went 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

"Right now," Prate said, "I'm standing pretty firm on my commitment to ISU."