Helix HS receiver Mekhi Stevenson looking for respect all the way to San Jose State

In La Mesa, California rests a really good high school football team, the Helix High School Highlanders. After completing a 10-3 season in 2014 congratulations were in order after a three-game run into the playoffs before a heartbreaking 20-13 loss to Oceanside.

One of the key players for the Highlanders was Mekhi Stevenson. The 6’0”, 180 pound, playmaker was a gamer on both sides of the ball coming up with three picks on defense from the safety position but he really made his mark on offense hauling in 21 passes for 410 yards with four scores. He even picked up another score on the ground with Coach Troy Star looking for multiple options to get the ball into Stevenson’s hands.

Despite the playoff run, solid stats on both sides of the ball, and great measurables for his position very little love came Stevenson’s way from the media, opposing coaches, and from college recruiters. Stevenson was not placed on any postseason lists and was only honored with one scholarship offer, one from area Division-I program San Jose State.

Stevenson has not rested on his laurels of high school gridiron action to prove his worth. Over the last two seasons he has traveled the nation with 7×7 squad Team B2G lining up with Crazy Quick and 5-Star to further showcase his abilities for perspective recruiters.

Whether various college coaches were slow playing Stevenson or just had not honestly stumbled upon him yet a decision to no longer wait for colleges was made. On April 19 Stevenson verbally committed to San Jose State, and wouldn’t you know it other Division-I programs finally took notice. Right after the commitment to SJSU both UNLV and Colorado State quickly extended offers.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview I sat down with Stevenson covering his 2014 junior season, his goals for his senior campaign including offseason workouts, and sought out to gain a better understanding of how he is an under the radar recruit as part of the 2016 recruiting class looking for respect in the state of California.

 

Mekhi, how do the Highlanders look heading into the 2015 season?

“We have a lot of young guys coming in on the team, guys that were actually playing last year coming up. I’m really not sure how good they’ll be yet but were excited to see what all we need to work on.”

What are your strengths on the field at wide receiver?

“My speed, I get down field fast. I can make a short play big. If the quarterback throws me an out route I can make a play on the outside and get down field and score. I can take a slant 60-yards to the house and I can take a little short play and turn it into a big gain.”

What are your goals for the 2015 football season?

“Our goal, we have big goals. Our main goal is to win a state championship and if we don’t get that at least a CIF. We want to be back where we left off last year.”

What about personal goals, do you have any goals you have set for your own play on the field?

“I want to prove that I am one of the top receivers in the state. I feel I’ve been underrated my entire life. I think this is the perfect time to show that I have skills and what it takes to play next level football. I also want to show that I have the skills to be known as one of the top guys in the state of California.”

What do you think you’ll have to do this year to prove that you are one of the top guys in the state of California?

“I just gotta ball out. I’ve gotta go hard at practice and make sure I pay attention to the details. Once I get in the game the rest can take care of itself.”

Did you earn any individual honors at the end of your junior season?

“No, that’s why I’m ready to prove to everyone that I am one of the top guys in the state of California. That’s my goal. At the end of the season it was like I wasn’t there.”

Will your role change at all in 2015? Will you take on more responsibilities with the team?

“Coming into last year I was supposed to play more at corner but I had to switch to safety. I might play more at corner this year but I’ll still probably play some at safety. That’s probably the only difference from last year.”

You committed on April 19 to San Jose State, what influenced you to commit when you did?

“I had the offer since last summer, so I’ve had it for almost a year. I felt like the school really believes in me and needs me. I felt like it was a good time for me to commit. I felt like if I never got an offer from my dream school I would be happy at San Jose State. It’s like a family atmosphere there. They care about the team and that made me want to commit there.”

Mekhi, I have to ask this follow up question based off your response. Which school is your dream school?

“I really don’t have a dream school. What I meant, if I go on a visit and get an offer and I felt like that school was the school for me then that would be my dream school. But really San Jose State is the school for me.”

Have you been on an unofficial to San Jose State yet?

“Yeah, I have. I went up there for their game against Hawaii.”

How did that visit go?

“It was cool. I got to see the school for the first time and everything. The coaches are cool and so are the players.”

Have you been on any other unofficial visits?

“No I haven’t.”

Are you going to any one-day college camps this summer?

“Yeah, I’ll probably go to Washington State and Fresno State’s camps. I think those are the only two that I will go to right now.”

Have any schools continued to show interest in you or start showing interest in you after you committed to SJSU?

“Right after I committed I got an offer from UNLV and Colorado State. Other schools that are showing interest in me are Colorado and San Diego State.”

When you committed who did you commit to and how did you do it? Did you do it over the phone or in person?

“I did it over the phone. I was in a 7×7 tournament with B2G in Miami. I talked to my parents and we made a decision. So I called up Coach (Ron) Caragher (head coach) and then committed right then.”

What was his reaction when you committed?

“He was excited. I talked to Coach (Jimmie) Dougherty (wide receivers coach) over Twitter. I had it in my head what I wanted to do. It was out of the blue, I never told him that I had a commitment decision. I told him I was ready to make that commitment and he was excited to hear that.”

Are you recruiting other players to join you at San Jose State?

“Not really. I have a few guys on my team that would like to play at the next level with me but I think a lot people are waiting their options out. If the guys ask about the school I’ll tell them all about it and what I like about it. A lot of times they like the same things, so we’ll see.”

What are you doing in the offseason to prepare for your senior season?

“Right now I’m just doing track. After that we have summer practice every day from 1-6, every weekday from 1-6. Earlier in the day I go work with my dad. I’m working on my strength and everything and then after football practice I’m working on footwork and agility, stuff like that.”

You said you’re running track. What events do you compete in with track?

“The 100, 4×1, 4×4, and 300 hurdles and I’ve run the 200.”

Wow, that’s a lot of endurance running. What is your best time in the 100?

“10.91.”

 

Mekhi has one more season left battling California high school offenses and defenses to make his mark on the state and with the media both locally and nationally. Knowing he has a Division-I program like San Jose State behind him, all he has to do is ball in 2015 to get the respect that he long desires.

There is no doubt Stevenson will make it happen, after all is there a better motivating tool than feeling disrespected in sports, especially when one has Stevenson’s physical abilities?

 

Written by Ryan Wright

Photo credit: evenbrite.com; San Jose State players take the field.

Photo credit: Mekhi Stevenson camp picture.