Kentucky freshman defensive tackle Jeremy Caudill is one of only four student-athleteswho have been chosen for the National High School Scholar-Athlete Award as given by TheNational Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.
The award recognizes four student-athletes from around the country who exemplify theterm scholar-athlete, successfully combining the right mix of academics, athletics, and citizenshipduring their high school careers. Representing thousands of high schools across the nation, morethan 3,000 scholar-athletes are honored each year by chapters of The National FootballFoundation. From these, the NFF selects one scholar-athlete from each of its four regions toreceive this prestigious recognition.
Caudill represents the Midwest Region. He was nominated by the Jerry ClaiborneChapter of The National Football Foundation, which covers Central and Eastern Kentucky.
“To be selected as one of only four scholar-athletes in the entire nation is quite a tribute tothese young men,” said NFF Chairman, Jon F. Hanson. “Each year, we are amazed by theachievements of the honorees, and this year’s group is particularly extraordinary, with eachrecording a remarkable 4.0 grade-point average.”‘ Ceremonies to honor the scholar-athletes will take place at The National FootballFoundation’s Annual Awards Luncheon, Dec. 12, at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
Caudill, whose home is in Martin, Ky., graduated with a 4.0 grade-point average andranked first inhis class at Prestonsburg High School. Among his numerous awards, he received the State ofKentuckyScholastic Achievement Honor, the prestigious Reatherford Salyers Award as the outstandingsenior student-athlete, the Presidential Award for Educational Excellence, and was invited toparticipate in the prestigiousMerit Scholar Program at the University of Kentucky. He was a member of the National HonorSociety, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, and Who’s Who AmongAmerican High School Athletes.
On the field, Caudill utilized a remarkable combination of size, speed and strength to playboth as a defensive lineman and fullback. In addition to earning all-conference honors four yearsand all-state recognition twice, he gained national attention being named Parade All-America,Street and Smith’s All-America, Prep Senior and SuperPrep All-America and to theAll-Southeast Region Dream Team. He also starred in weightlifting and track and still holds threestate records in bench press, dead lift, and total combined weights.
Adding to a full slate of activities, Jeremy presided over the Science and Spanish Clubs astheir president and was recognized as a Kentucky Scholar. He also tutored physically andmentally challenged students in high school, participated in the Walk for Life Cancer Drive, waschairman of the Feed the Animals Drive at the local shelter, raised funds for the UNICEF andorganized the school’s Annual Blood Drive.
Currently a freshman at the University of Kentucky, Caudill plans to major in biology as apre-medical school curriculum. He has started all four games at defensive tackle. He has madeseven tackles this season, including one quarterback sack.
In addition to Caudill, the other three national winners include Timothy Kirby of SanMateo, Calif.; Wesley McConnell of Ruston, La.; and Joe Weiss of Linwood, N. J.
