Eisenhower’s Drew Reyes Will Be An EOU Receiver
2019 Yakima (Wash.) Eisenhower wide receiver Drew Reyes will be taking his shifty routes to Eastern Oregon University.
The three time All Big Nine talent had plenty of offers on the table; Including Pacific Lutheran University, Linfield College, and Central Washington University.
The decision ultimately came down to the chemistry that Reyes felt he had with the EOU Football program.
“The coaching staff was really cool,” Reyes said. “When I met them, they made me feel like I was apart of them.”
Reyes also cites the small campus size as something that gave him good vibes. The ability to have everything within close walking distance was definitely a nice perk.
When you look at the best Big Nine receivers over the past four years, Reyes is as good as any of them.
Over the course of his four year career, Reyes caught 117 receptions for 2,109 yards and 20 touchdowns.
He was a two way-star at Eisenhower, acting as QB Drew Kornegay's go to target for three straight years, while also playing lockdown defense as a cornerback.
Perhaps the trait that stands out the most about his game is his speed and agility. He's able to burn defensive backs over the top, and also cut on a dime with underneath routes.
It’s incredibly rare to win three All League awards, as typically high school athletes don’t attain star status til their junior year. That wasn’t the case at all for Reyes, who knew from a young age that he was going to be great.
“I did really good my freshman year,” Reyes said. “My coaches saw a lot of potential in me, so they kept putting me out there.”
Eisenhower has seen a record of 13-15 over the past three seasons. It’s a program that on paper is following an upward trajectory.
With the graduation of seniors like Drew Kornegay, Javier Castro, Chance Ward, and of course Reyes, the belief is new leaders will need to emerge going forward.
“Everything takes time,” Reyes said. “We just need to keep getting in the weight room, and make sure everyone’s on the same page."
Reflecting on his Ike career, there are two games that stand out the most to Reyes. Those were beating their rival West Valley 28-21 in overtime sophomore year (something they hadn’t done since West Valley joined the Big Nine), and beating Davis 48-7 in his senior year.
It’s still undecided what receiver position that Reyes will be playing at Eastern Oregon, although Reyes believe’s he’ll be leaning towards slot receiver.
Elevating his skillset is going to be huge in order for him to compete at the college level. He’ll have to iron out some fundamental errors this off-season before he arrives on campus in the Fall.
The plan right now is to study kinesiology in college, which is connected to the exercise science profession.
"My coach and uncle played a big part in who I am today," Reyes said. " They studied that, and that's why I am really interested in it."
Eisenhower isn’t a school that’s known for churning out football talent, so anytime a guy like Reyes can make it to the next level, that’s something the entire Yakima community can be apart of.
This is definitely a player worth monitoring going forward, as Reyes strives to carve out a role for himself at Eastern Oregon University.