Gino Simone, the 6-foot, 175-pound three-star wide receiver from Skyline High School in Issaquah, Wash., helped lead his team to a perfect 14-0 record and the state 3A championship. Simone finished the year with 70 receptions for 1,420 yards and 20 touchdowns.
"I pride myself on my ability after the catch," Simone said. "I'm not the fastest guy, but I can see the field really well and I use that to my advantage. When the ball is in the air, I want to catch it. I'm very competitive.
He benches 225-pounds and squats 345, and admits wanting to be stronger. "I think being stronger really enhances every part of your game," he said. "Being strong is key to everything. So is speed and I want to get faster too."
Simone, ranked as the No. 96 wide receiver in the country by Scout.com, has scholarship offers from UNLV, Washington State, Boise State and Washington. The Rebels were the first school to offer him back in March.
"An offer is a really big investment, so it really means a lot to me that these four schools have already offered," he said.
He said he now favors Washington slightly over Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, UCLA and Boise State. "Washington is only 15 minutes away," he said. "It's nice being so close to home and I think my parents would really like it if I stayed close.
"Plus, Washington is a great school," he said. "It's got a really cool atmosphere and the games are great. The fans really get into it. I like coach Ty Willingham too. I think he's got the championship formula in place. He doesn't sacrifice his beliefs to win. He's got a moral code."
Simone has attended the Huskies' Junior Day and spring game already. He also appeared at the Washington State Junior Day and says, "Washington State is recruiting me the hardest."
"Every time I check the mail I have like one or two handwritten letters from them," he said. "That's really nice and I appreciate the extra attention they are showing.
"I also really like that it's a small town and love the environment there," he said. "They really go crazy for their team and it's a nice environment. The college football team is all they have."
This summer Simone plans on attending camps at Oregon, Oregon State and UCLA.
"I've heard that Oregon has one of the nicest campuses in the country," he said. "It's Nike U over there. They also have great fans and always seem to be a top team.
"Oregon State has a nice program," he said. "I really like coach Mike Riley and he's the kind of coach that I'd like to play for. He's got a good relationship with his players.
"I really want to have a good relationship with the coaches," he said. "I don't just see it as a business relationship. I want to like the coaches I’m playing for because that way I'll be more motivated and work even harder."
Another coach that Simone likes is UCLA offensive coordinator Norm Chow. "With his record in the past and the success he's had, he must be doing something right," he said. "It seems like a good place and a good opportunity to help them get back on top."
Simone isn't sure if the Ducks, Beavers or Bruins are thinking seriously of offering him. "I'm getting letters from all the schools," he said. "They really seem to like me and are showing me a lot of attention, but we haven't talked about scholarships or anything like that yet."
Growing up Simone says he followed Arizona State because his dad, Ronnie Simone, played wide receiver for the Sun Devils.
"Football is temporary," he said. "So you've got to get your degree. I want to go where I can fit in and do well both in football and get a good education. I'll be living there for four to five years, so I've got to really love it."
Simone says he'd like to major in either business or communications.
He reports a 3.0 core GPA and is taking the SAT on June 7.