His relentless pursuit to the football has no peers in Hudson County. His tackle total last year raised eyebrows from many in complete disbelief, only to be later told and shown that the number was indeed reality. He has a chance to become the first NCAA Division I football product from his school in over a decade.
But the driving force behind the seemingly endless motor that fuels Bryant Worts comes from something that took place when he was just an infant. It’s the motivation that sparks the desire in the Ferris High School football standout every time he puts on the helmet and shoulder pads.
“Whenever I play, I think about my mother,” Worts said. “I have her picture in my head. She abandoned me when I was just a baby and I always keep that with me, because I know that someday, I’m going to be something special.”
Worts was eventually raised – and raised well, mind you – by his grandmother, Dorothy Worts.
“She’s a great lady,” Worts said of his loving grandmother. “She really helped me and saved me. I want to become better because of my grandmother. I want to succeed in life to show my mother what I could do.”
Worts is already succeeding. The 2008 Hudson Reporter Defensive Player of the Year as a junior, Worts collected an ungodly 170 tackles for the Bulldogs at linebacker. He had 21 tackles in a loss to perennial state power St. Peter’s Prep, including one stretch where he made 17 tackles in a row. He had 14 tackles in the first half against Marist in a game that was cut short in the third quarter due to a severe thunderstorm.
“Either he was the first guy to get to the play or he was there to finish,” said Ferris head coach Wilber Valdez. “But Bryant was there every play, sideline to sideline. I’d go to coaches’ meetings and tell sportswriters that he made 14, 16 tackles and I could tell that they were questioning me, because they thought it sounded like bull. But Bryant did it every game, against the good teams like Prep, Hoboken and Hudson Catholic. He recorded the big numbers against the big teams. He literally got in on every play. He runs right to the ball. It’s amazing.”
Worts, who is listed at 6-0 and 215 pounds, isn’t the biggest kid in the world, but he certainly has all the tools to be a great one. He’s certainly the top Hudson County player to watch as the season begins in two weeks.
“He’s getting some looks from different schools right now, but I’m surprised he doesn’t have more,” said Valdez, who was a big-time college recruit himself coming out of Hoboken High School, eventually signing with the University of Miami in 1995. “His size is ideal for high school football. Once he gets to the next level, they’ll bring him up to 235 [pounds]. But his motor is unbelievable. He doesn’t stop. He’s going to make some coach look very good.”
And Worts has the schoolwork (grade point average and SAT scores) to become eligible right away as a college football player. Usually, that is a deterrent to college recruiters when approaching Jersey City public school students.
However, Valdez points out that he has sent six of his players to college football in the last two years. Only Prep and Hudson Catholic can lay claim to sending more from Jersey City.
“The college football people know that we have our kids ready,” Valdez said. “The fact that we haven’t had a big-time kid until now is because we didn’t have a big-time kid.”
But the Bulldogs do now. Not only will Worts return to his linebacker slot, but this year, he will be among the featured offensive performers, playing fullback as well.
“I can’t wait to play offense,” Worts said. “I know I can do well there.”
“We’re going to use his athleticism all over the field,” Valdez said. “He’s going to see the ball. He can catch the ball as well as run. I’m excited to see him as a two-way player. He’s not coming off the field this year. We absolutely are counting on Bryant to have a big year and we’re going to continue to raise the bar with him this year. But it’s not just him. We have others to compliment him, but we need him to excel.”
Valdez sat Worts down last year and showed him a highlight reel. It wasn’t of any current player. It was one of Valdez, when he was earning All-State honors as a Hoboken High linebacker.
“I was maybe 20 pounds heavier, but you can see the similarities in us,” Valdez said. “He does remind me a lot of myself, so I let him watch me and Coach [Steve] Berson [another Hoboken High standout linebacker who went to Rutgers] play. The instinct Bryant Worts has is very similar.”
Worts was inspired by watching Valdez.
“I noticed that I could get the same opportunity as Coach Valdez got in Miami,” Worts said. “I didn’t know how good of a player he was until I saw the tape. He was very good. I think I can be like him if I can play like I did last year or even do better.”
Valdez believes that Worts needs to change one aspect of his game.
“He has all the tools you need, but the one thing he needs to do is become more vicious,” Valdez said. “He needs an angry streak. He’s too nice of a kid. He needs to get a little nasty. But this is a kid who deserves to be an All-State player. He’s that good.”
Sure is.
“I’ve dealt with recruits in the past and I know what it was like to be one,” Valdez said. “Bryant Worts is a low-risk recruit. He’s definitely going to give you something every day. Whoever the coach is that gets him is not going to look foolish for going after him. He’s going to be a star at the next level or at the very least, contribute something every single day.”
Worts said that he thinks every day about playing college football in the future.
“It’s also motivation for me to play college football,” Worts said. “Every day I wake up, I have that picture in my head, me playing in college.”
And that’s an idea that would make Dorothy Worts very proud.
Bryant Worts has since reconciled with his mother, who has struggled to overcome several problems.
“I’ll always forgive her, but I still have that pain inside that she didn’t want me,” Worts said. “It never goes away. I give thanks to my grandmother for all she did for me.”
And Ferris can thank Dorothy Worts for giving the football program its best all-around performer in quite some time. – Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.