Football Star

When Darius Jennings was playing pick-up basketball in East Baltimore, he never thought that college recruiters would one day be lining up at his door—especially for a football scholarship. "Football was something to do when it was too cold for basketball," Jennings says. But he learned to love the sport, played in rec leagues, and attended Gilman School starting in the second grade. As his career at Gilman progressed, Jennings's coaches realized he was "a good fit for a wildcat quarterback—to run the ball a lot." Jennings ended up with a career total of 4,338 yards on 493 carries and scored 53 touchdowns. He was named an Under Armour All-American and the Gatorade Maryland Player of the Year. Virginia, Wake Forest, and Maryland were among 30 teams interested in him. "It was hectic at times but in a good way," he says. "I just kept my head on straight and remembered that I was a regular teenager." In the end, UVA won out, signing him as a wide receiver. "They have a great academic program," he says. "So if I don't make it to the pros, I'll still be set for life."