EDWARD JAMES
Though he prefers you call him “EJ”, Muskogee senior Edward James is one of those returning players the Muskogee Roughers are counting on to lead them to repeat as Class 6A-II state champions.
James, a VYPE TOP 100 player this year, is a two-way starter for the Roughers, playing wide receiver and cornerback which is where he makes the biggest contribution to the team according to head coach Travis Hill.
“It’s been fun to watch him grow over the years I’ve been here,” said Hill. “Though he plays both ways, his biggest strength is at cornerback because of his length. We expect that by the end of this year he’ll be as good a cornerback as we’ve had in my time here at Muskogee.”
Even though he’s pretty soft spoken, don’t let that fool you about how he handles playing defense.
“I started playing in kindergarten and had to play up with the first graders which was kind of scary, but it helped me come out of my shell some and I learned early on how to play physically. I like playing defense best because I can go hit someone without getting in trouble,” laughed James who also plays basketball and runs track for the Roughers.
Winning that state championship last year has made the job of being a team leader a lot easier this year for EJ who is admittedly somewhat of an introvert.
“The younger kids all really look up to us now that we won the state title and when we go out to the elementary schools, they’re always giving us high fives and asking for pictures. The freshmen and sophomores on the team also look up to us and always ask about getting extra work and for pointers. On the other hand, winning that title has really put extra pressure on us this year because everyone is after our heads,” said James.
E.J has set specific goals in mind for this season including making 86 tackles on defense along with scoring five or six touchdowns and having 300-400 yards in receiving. Another goal is getting an offer to play at the next level, and he has had discussions with several schools including UCO, Vanderbilt and Delaware.
