A high school version of Julio Jones? This Savannah-area football star has velcro hands

Follow Effingham high school football all season long at SavannahNow.com. Support our coverage of the Rebels, Mustangs and more by becoming a digital subscriber at SavannahNow.com/subscribe.

SPRINGFIELD – Keion Wallace won’t blindly follow the narrative. His addition to a football team that won six games last season doesn’t automatically turn Effingham County into one of the elite squads in the area.

Of course, it never hurts for a Rivals’ three-star talent to join a team already on the rise.

“I hear that but I don’t look at it like that,” Wallace said. “I’m here with my family, my teammates and we’re practicing hard and working hard and we’re just looking forward to going out on the field to do what we do.”

Back from injury, Wallace is learning new position

Nearly a full year off because of a shoulder injury hasn’t faded the senior wide receiver/defensive back’s skills. Wallace is the high-school version of NFL star wideout Julio Jones – velcro hands attached to a 6-foot-2, 210-pound frame that can shield off defenders.

And Wallace is getting the hang of playing a new position on defense – safety.

“Keion is a great player,” ECHS coach John Ford said. “And great players are better than great plays.”

Effingham Co. football preview: Here are five reasons why the Rebels can win region title

Football season opener: Richmond Hill blanks old region rival Effingham County

Great players with high character are even better, and Ford points in the distance to Wallace, who is running extra sprints after a recent practice when temperatures topped 90 degrees.

Wallace wins each sprint.

“I think the first day I met Keion was the day I interviewed here,” said Ford about their encounter less than two years ago. “It was in the weight room. Keion shook my hand, looked me in the eye and I liked the way he went right back to work on the platform (in the deadlift and power clean). I got a good first impression and good vibe from the guy.”

Impressing his coach instantly

One can only imagine the vibe Ford got when he turned on the 2020 Statesboro football tape. In a second half to remember, Wallace, then a sophomore, had eight catches for 166 yards (10 for 193 overall) and three touchdowns despite a 35-33 loss.

About four months later, Wallace’s versatility was rewarded when he was named the Region 2-6A’s Co-Offensive Player of the Year in basketball after averaging 15.8 points and eight rebounds a game.

Wallace was expected to be a big contributor on the Rebels’ 2021 football team. But during a summer pickup basketball game, an injury worsened a recurring shoulder problem and Wallace opted to have surgery and miss the season.

But he found ways to stay engaged with his football brethren. When he wasn’t in rehab, he attended practice, charting plays and encouraging teammates.

“It was tough. I haven’t played a (full) game in awhile so it’s getting exciting,” Wallace said. “I’ve been taking it as a long offseason from 10th grade. No pressure, no individual goals, just 1-0 every week.”

The girl with the golden gloves?: This Effingham grad led Tormenta to women's soccer title

Small package, big results: This Savannah-area senior is a 140-pound football dynamo

His future looks bright. He’ll be teamed with all-region performers Ashley Thompson and Timmy Brown and honorable mention rising star Messiah Bacon in Ford’s pass-friendly spread offense.

And college recruiters haven’t backed away despite the shoulder surgery. Wallace has 11 Division I-A offers, including Texas A&M, Mississippi, Georgia Tech, Louisville and West Virginia, according to Rivals.

Wallace said he wanted to show what he could do this season before making a decision. He’s betting that recruiters will be even more impressed.

“If Keion cruised at half speed, he’d still be better than a lot of people,” Ford said. “But he pushes himself to an extreme limit and that’s why he’s going to reach a ceiling of greatness that’s extremely high.”

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Effingham County football star Keion Wallace recruited by SEC, ACC