Francis Kallon
Ht: 6-5 Wt: 241
Position: DE
Year: Class of 2012
High School: Central Gwinnett HS
(Lawrenceville, GA)
Francis Kallon is a native of England. He lived there until very recently.
"I lived in Engand with my mother. My mother and father had split up, and my dad moved to America. He has been here for 13 years."
A chance reunion after all of those years brought Kallon's parents back together, and soon Kallon was packing his bags for America, more specifically Lawrenceville, Ga.
He grew up playing soccer, rugby and basketball, but never dreamed he'd be playing American football. That was until a fateful encounter in the cafeteria at Central Gwinnett high school.
"Coach (Todd) Wofford spotted me In the lunch room. From that day he kept hassling me to play football, and try the sport. My parents didn’t want me to play, and I was hesitant because I didn’t want to get hit. Eventually I told him I would play, after discussing it with my parents; they said I had to get straight A’s, and score a 1200 on my SAT."
Kallon remembers what it was like to play in his first game.
"I was really nervous. I was shaking; but as soon as I stepped on the field, I transformed into a different person. As soon as the kicker kicked the ball, in my mind I was like, 'let's go.''
Kallon uses the basic components from soccer, basketball and rugby to make himself a better football player; and although he has only played in four games, he has impressed enough people to rack up 16 D-1 offers.
"I am committed to Georgia Tech, but I really like Vanderbilt as well. I am going to take official visits to Vanderbilt, Alabama and some other schools. I'm not sure yet where I'll go on my other visits."
His coach, Todd Wofford, knows what a school will be getting in Kallon.
“They are going to get a beast. He will do whatever they ask him to do, and he’ll do it as hard as he can. He’s 6’6 right now, but I imagine by the time he gets to school that he will be 285 lbs. He’s just a freak athlete, and only getting better. He has a motor that just doesn’t quit.”
His coach is still shaking his head at Kallon's quick grasp of the game.
"Its intelligence, he is a very, very smart kid in the classroom. He breaks down exactly what you ask him to do, physical wise. He goes the extra mile to get the right step and hand placement, and then he goes out there and does it. He’s a visual learner. What it takes some kids years to get, he’s done in a couple of months."
Even though Kallon has been inundated with attention and offers, he's still the same guy he always was.
"The offers are overwhelming. I am so fortunate to have my parents, my trainers, teammates, and coaches around me. They always remind me who I am, and where I came from. Especially my mom, she will bring out the pictures of when I was a baby, it really keeps me grounded."