Judah Price has hit the jackpot betting on himself.
Why not roll the dice one more time?
Surrounded by friends, family, coaches and teammates at Independence High School, the senior star signed his National Letter of Intent Thursday to play college football at West Virginia University as preferred walk on.
The decision caps what the 2022 Kennedy, Warner and Gatorade Player of the Year Award winner described as a stressful process.
“It kind of took a toll on me but it’s never something I was worried about,” Price said. “I knew what I wanted to do, I just didn’t know where I wanted to be a for the rest of the time. Jacksonville State was in consideration. I felt like I could be away from home but I just felt like WVU was the better choice.
“Every person in our community and everywhere I’d go people would ask me, ‘What are you going to do after high school'” Price added. “I would be wrestling and doing something I’d enjoy and it would just stress me out saying that.”
For most outside of Price’s immediate circle there was a question as to what he would do at the next level, or which sport he’d participate in. After leading Independence to a championship, racking up during awards season and shattering the state record for points scored in a season along with numerous school and Super Six records, Price turned his attention to his senior wrestling season.
On the mat he reached the top of the mountain, winning a state championship as well as Most Outstanding Wrestler honors in Huntington.
Despite those successes in the winter, he already knew what he wanted to do.
“I’d say towards the end of the season, probably the Bluefield game I decided I wanted to play football,” Price said. “I was breaking through. I had just started to mature in the football aspect. The second or third game in I started to realize the conditioning you needed to run the ball that many times. After I got used to it I felt like I could do it at the next level.
“I feel like there’s more opportunities. There’s not much more after wrestling in college. The popularity and money that goes into football over wrestling, I just feel like for me I felt like I was going to be better in football especially in continuation.”
A smaller player – officially listed 5-foot-8 and 188 pounds – Price wasn’t highly recruited despite being the state’s best player this past year. While frustrating, it’s nothing new for the standout who backed uptake 2021 Kennedy Award winner and finished as the wrestling state runner-up in his weight class his junior season.
Earning his keep isn’t a new concept for the senior.
“That’s been kind of my whole high school career in football at least,” Price said. “I’ve always been the second guy every time. Knowing that people doubt you everywhere no matter how successful you are, you’re going to have people that just doubt you every way. That’s what kind of fuels me. I want to prove those people wrong.”
Price, who returned kicks and punts and lined up in the slot and in the backfield, provides versatility for the Mountaineers. It also opens up more possibilities for him in Morgantown as he isn’t locked into one position.
“I’ll be in the return game I think,” Price said. “I have a good read of the field and I’ll possibly be a running back but I’m open to play anywhere. Slot would probably be the main one but I’m listed as a running back. I’ll be where they want me.”
The signing ceremony, which was open to the public, yielded a large crowd for the hometown star. That wasn’t lost on Price who noted his predecessor and last year’s Kennedy Award winner in Atticus Goodson was in attendance to support his former teammate.
“They’re kind of what I base myself on,” Price said. “There are kids everywhere that look up to (Goodson and Michael McKinney). I look up to them for doing what they did. Michael went to N.C. State (for baseball) which is far from home and Atticus went far from home. I just think that if kids look up to me, I want them to continue to look up to me. I want to be a good role model for them.”
Price has dreams of his football career carrying past college but first and foremost he wants his degree.
“I’m thinking physical therapy or a chiropractor type deal,” Price said. “The strength and conditioning coach at West Virginia has a physical therapy degree. I could probably get my training through him so it’s more beneficial for me.”
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on Twitter @tjack94