It was the first day of helmet football practice at San Tan Charter and Uriah Neloms was nowhere to be found in the receivers line.
That’s because he was throwing the ball to his receivers.
After catching 13 touchdown passes for the 2A school last season, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound athlete is moving to quarterback.
“It’s what helps the team,” Neloms said during a break in practice Monday morning. “It’s great. I can see the game from a different perspective. It’s cool.”
This change is for the senior season only. He is committed to Arizona State, where he will play wide receiver.
He received a scholarship from ASU after performing well as a receiver during a 7-on-7 passing tournament in June. It didn’t take long for Neloms to accept the offer.
It’s rare that a player from a small school, especially at the 2A level — the smallest 11-player competition in Arizona — gets a chance to play at a major college after high school.
But Neloms is no ordinary athlete.
Last season, he caught 53 passes for 1,118 yards and 13 TDs for the 10-3 Roadrunners, who reached the 2A semifinals before losing to Pima 52-49, a game in which Neloms caught six passes for 122 yards and two TDs. .
Once at ASU, he will learn the outside receiver position from former Pittsburgh Steelers great Hines Ward, who was hired by coach Kenny Dillingham in the offseason.
Arizona was the only other major college to offer Neloms.
“Coach Dillingham, he showed me true love,” Neloms said. “He went out of his way to show me what the campus was like, how he would help me. UofA was also a big school. I talked to the staff last year.”
Neloms said most college coaches are surprised to learn he played at the 2A level in high school.
“When they see me and I say I’m playing 2A, they’re like, ‘Why aren’t you playing?’ “Neloms said. “But at the same time, 2A is football, right? These little schools try hard.”
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This is the selfless, team attitude that San Tan Charter coach Chase Cartwright loves about Neloms, who he has known since his youth football days. And that’s why Cartwright, a former Corona del Sol High School and Northern Arizona quarterback, didn’t hesitate to move his elite wide receiver to quarterback.
He replaces Zayden Neill, who passed for 9,900 yards and 106 TDs in his four-year career at San Tan Charter.
“Uriah has been our backup (quarterback) since he got here,” Cartwright said. “He was waiting for his opportunity. Last year he had some snaps as a junior.
“Uriah has done an exceptional job since he stepped into the role, leading by example, showing up first, leaving last, making those around him better.
In addition to having great hands, running exceptional routes and having big-play skills after catches, Neloms has an exceptional arm and can throw while running. It also gives San Tan Charter a huge threat.
“It depends on what the team needs,” Neloms said. “If I have to use my legs, I’ll use my legs. But my guys can catch it and I can throw the ball.”
He threw a total of three passes last season, completing two, including one for a touchdown.
Aside from Neloms at receiver, the Roadrunners return receivers who totaled four TD catches last season.
But Cartwright feels good about Nelom’s release of juniors Brody Prassas, Timi Akinyoyenu and Bairyk Schulte, along with incoming freshman Nehemiah Armstrong.
“We lost a quarterback,” Cartwright said. “Uriah was our best receiver. He’s now playing quarterback. So we lost that tandem. Daniel Dippre (11 TD receptions last season) graduates. Maison Coffman (six TD receptions) graduates. We really had to start from We have some young guys that we’re excited about. We have some veterans that need to step into a starting position.
“But we’re getting there. It’s a work in progress.”
Richard Obert has covered high school sports since 1980 for The Arizona Republic. He also covers Grand Canyon University and Arizona Rattlers athletics. To suggest ideas for human interest stories and other news, contact Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter:@azc_obert
This article originally appeared in the Arizona Republic: ASU commits Uriah Neloms to quarterback for 2A San Tan Charter
