While most high school students in Calhoun County were enjoying vacation, Weaver’s rising senior inside linebacker and running back Brandell Massey was working on football. He ran up hills, spent hours in the weight room, studied film with Weaver head coach Darrell Hamby and practiced plays from the team playbook. That work ethic has made Massey a standout on the field and in the classroom.

When asked if his parents would like to see him go to an Ivy League school, Massey said, “Oh yes, especially my dad.”

His father, Massey explains, is “in prison now. He was in prison since I was 1. He’ll call me now and then. When he gets the time to call me, he’ll tell me to keep my head in the books and don’t be out here on the streets doing anything wrong. He’ll tell me academics are more important than sports, just like my momma would.”

Massey may end up gracing the halls of Harvard Law School one day if things go his way. One of his top career choices is to be a lawyer and the school has expressed interest.

Aside from Harvard, Massey said he received a letter from Cornell’s head coach Kent Austin. Other Ivy League schools, including Yale, Columbia and Princeton, have shown interest. Massey has already scored well on the ACT and has a high GPA. He’s not getting by with easy classes either; Massey is slated to take pre-calculus and has already taken several honors classes.

Having interest from five different Ivy League schools is a rarity at Weaver, according to his coach.

“He’s extremely intelligent,” Hamby said. “We’ve never had a Yale or a Harvard.”

Massey likes the idea of going to an Ivy League school.

“It’d be real cool,” Massey said. “I know my mom would be very happy.”

Massey recently returned home after working out at a University of Alabama football summer camp. Massey said the trip was beneficial because he was able to make improvements in various football performance measurements, such as his 40-yard dash time.

Southern University has offered him a scholarship, he said. Both Auburn and Mississippi have expressed interest, in addition to other regional schools like UAB, Memphis and Middle Tennessee.

Along with his talents in the classroom and in football, Massey volunteers with his school’s Big Brothers, Big Sisters program. Massey said he enjoys helping kids and doing so is as simple as discussing daily events and providing encouragement. Like his dad, Massey stresses the importance of academics to his younger brother in the program.

Massey is also a positive influence for his younger teammates on the football field.

“Brandell is one of the best inside linebackers I’ve coached in 20 years,” Hamby said. “A lot of things go through Brandell. Of course, he’s a leader on defense.”

Hamby added that Massey is essential on the offensive side of the ball, too. However, inside linebacker requires more leadership because of the play-calling element involved with the position.

Hamby thinks the transition to college football shouldn’t be overwhelming for Massey because of his high football IQ.

“He’s a joy to coach. He just has to keep his intensity up,” Hamby said. “He’s such an intelligent player. I wouldn’t want to coach against him.”

Massey’s hard work in the classroom has translated into the football film room, as Massey has been studying to get better.

“I want to know every play. I want to look over the highlights and know everything,” Massey said. “I want to know the other teams’ highlights and I want to know everything about them.”

Brandell Massey

5-foot-11, 210 pounds
Running back/Linebacker
40-time: 4.6 seconds
Bench: 325 pounds
Squat: 285
Power Clean: 250
’11 Stats: 823 yards, 13 touchdowns, 101 carries.

The Skinny: Whether he’s running between the tackles or making big stops as a defender, he’s Weaver’s enforcer. His profile jumped after Alabama’s camp.