New Mexico DE gets 11 top D-I offers after adding football to list of sports in 2014

Written by Ryan Wright

Back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s former Kansas City Royals centerfielder and former Los Angeles Raiders running back Bo Jackson let the world know just how athletic and talented he was successfully picking up one sporting hobby after another telling us “Another Day, Another Hobby.”

For Valley High School defensive end Teton Saltes, a rendition of that sentiment could be echoed after the New Mexico State Championship winning basketball player successfully added football to his resume in 2014. The junior tore it up on the way to 11 Division-I scholarship offers.

Saltes maybe a natural but he is still raw. The 6’6”, 240 pound, athlete is powerful, instinctive, and disruptive enough catching the imagination of the type of player he could be after a little time in the weight room and repetition of drills to refine his technique.

The schools that see the budding talent in the Albuquerque area native include Washington, Oregon, Cal, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, New Mexico, New Mexico State, San Diego State, Texas Tech, and Washington State. The list of admirers willing to extend a scholarship offer could grow beyond 11 with Arizona State, Michigan, North Carolina, Duke, Texas A&M, Stanford, and Oklahoma showing interest.

In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview I sat down with the rising Class of 2016 star to get insight on Saltes first year on the gridiron, how he is preparing for his senior year, and how the recruiting process has gone for him so far.

Teton, the Vikings had an average season during your first year playing football. So much had to be going on for you as you were learning the ropes of the game in a baptism by fire. Looking back, what did you learn during the 2014 season?

“It was pretty fun. It was actually a lot harder than I thought it’d be. I figured you’d go out there and hit a couple of guys and that’s about it. There are a lot of techniques and fundamentals that I did not really understand but now I am starting to get.

“Of course hitting people is fun. You can’t really do that in basketball or you’ll get ejected. There’s something about football that is a fun sport to play and I love it.”

What have you been doing in the offseason to better prepare yourself for your senior season?

“I’ve been traveling a lot. So far I have been hitting the weight room pretty hard. I’ve been working with coaches on technique, pad level, shooting my hands, using my hands, my swim moves, and little stuff like that. That’s what I’ve been working on mostly.”

Has Valley High already started summer practices preparing for the 2015 season?

“We started summer practices about a month ago. We’ve been going pretty strong for about a month. That will carry on to our fall practices, into the season, and pretty much all the way through until the end of the season.”

So far, in your estimation, how do the Vikings look heading into next year?

“As a team we work hard. We’ll be a team that outworks everybody, that’s for sure.”

It’s early in your football career but what are some of the things that you do well as a defensive lineman?

“Well, I know one coach put it as I am relentless off the line. I’m explosive and quick. I’m really quick actually for my size. My agility helps a lot. I’m trying to work my pad level but other than that I’m pretty good at a lot of stuff. I have to work on my hands and stuff too. My speed and athleticism has attracted coaches and my natural strength.”

What was your stat line last year in football?

“I have no clue. I think I had 9 or 10 sacks in seven games. I had a lot of tackles but I’m not sure how many. I know I was second in the state in tackles but I am not sure of the exact number.”

Have you set any goals for yourself for the 2015 football season?

“Right now I want to lead the state in sacks and tackles. I think it’s a fairly realistic goal for me. Basically I just want to get better, that’s the bottom line. I want to dominate the game easier and have fun with it. That’s about it.”

Will we see you on offense at all this year?

“I’d love to be on offense. Last year they wanted me to play tight end. I started the season late. I didn’t know the plays or anything so they just threw me on defense. As of right now I’m not sure if they will put me on offense or not but if they do that’ll be great.”

Basketball obviously is a first love. Where are you at with your basketball career right now? Are you still pursuing the option of playing basketball at the next level?

“Yeah, I’m still playing basketball. I consider myself an athlete and I compete at whatever I do. I also compete at track and field. I just work hard at everything I do and I want to become the best at whatever I am playing.”

Do you have any offers in basketball?

“I have a lot of looks but no official offers yet.”

What was your stat line in basketball?

“I averaged about 11 rebounds and 18 points.”

How did Valley end up in basketball for the 2014-2015 season?

“The year before we actually won state but then we lost a lot of people. We had a really young team this year. We started off, not very good, but at the end things started clicking. I think we were 18-9 at the end. We were one game short of making the state championship.”

That’s a nice season winning a state championship and then following that up with a run to the semifinals. Did you start for the state championship team during your sophomore season?

“Yes.”

Let’s say February rolls around and you have great offers on the table from schools for both football and basketball, which sport do you play in college?

“If I had football and basketball offers I’d have to consider my options. I’d have to determine what is better for me and what decision would allow me to be more successful. I’d have to look at things like the schools and academics. There’s not a simple solution to that. I don’t know. I’d have to go where my heart tells me to go. Where that takes me I don’t know, I’m just along for the ride. I know I’ll be successful in whatever I pursue.”

It’s my understanding that you’ve already laid out a Top 4 of Oregon, Arizona State, Oklahoma, and Duke. Is that correct?

“Uhm, yeah. Pretty much.”

You said you’ve been traveling a lot over the summer. Have you been traveling to look at some of these colleges?

“No, I was visiting family. I was in Utah and Nevada the other day taking my older brother (Adonis Saltes) to college. He’s playing basketball (PG – 6’2”, 175 lbs) at Southern Utah University (D-I, Big Sky Conference). We’ve been traveling from South Dakota all the way down to New Mexico. I’d love to visits some schools but I haven’t hit any schools yet.”

Do you know which schools will get your official visits during your senior year?

“Right now I want to visit Oregon, Oklahoma, and probably Iowa State and a few more but that is my Top 3 right there.”

Do you have a time frame on making a decision?

“I know Oregon wants me to commit around December to them. I don’t plan on committing until after the end of the school year. I’m just weighing all of my options right now. I’m not really leaning towards anyone right now. I’m just watching it all unfold.”

When you make your final decision will influence your final decision on where you will play your college ball be it basketball or football?

“Right now, I’m just looking at whether I feel comfortable with the coaches. As far as the coaching staff, I’m looking at if I have a connection with them, a personal connection. I realize at Division-I it’s a business but I like feeling personal with the coaches and having a connection with them. Of course the academics and the campus are important too.”

Did you attend any one-day college camps this summer?

“No.”

Do you have any plans to attend a camp upcoming?

“I would like to, that’d be awesome but I don’t know if I will.”

As your learning the nuances of the game are there any players that you enjoy watching or study to learn more about how to play the game?

“I’ve been looking at J.J. Watt (Houston Texans). He plays defensive end. I’ve been looking at what makes him so successful at what he does and how he plays. Basically I’m trying to understand his mindset in the game. I’m not necessarily trying to be like him because I’m not like him but he’s good to watch to pick up on stuff.

“One guy I really enjoy watching is Ray Lewis. (I like) just how relentless and aggressive he is. Just the mindset that he has. Basically he has the mindset that you will be successful whatever you pursue in life. He does a lot of motivational talks and stuff. I don’t watch too many guys like that but those are probably the two that I look up to in the football world.”

What is your favorite part of playing football?

“There are a lot of things I enjoy about it. I enjoy being out on the field with the bright lights of the stadium and the fans cheering loud. A different persona you get. It’s a lot different from basketball. I love how – you get to hit people it’s fun. Naturally I’m a pretty aggressive guy. I can’t be that aggressive in basketball but in football the more aggressive I am the better. That’s one thing I enjoy a lot about it.”

Photo credit: krqe.com; Teton Saltes at practice with Valley High School.
Photo credit: Teton Saltes; Teton swats a shot for Valley High School.