The city of Delray Beach (Fla.) has produced a number of outstanding athletes over the years.
College football standouts such as Brandon Flowers (Virginia Tech alum), Orlando Franklin (Ohio State alum), and Preston Parker (Florida State alum) have gone on to play in the NFL and represent their hometown well in the process. But this year, Delray Beach has two current collegiate players in particular that are poised to stand out above the rest.
Wide receivers Tre’Quan Smith (UCF redshirt junior; Village Academy 2014 alum) and Thomas Owens (FIU senior; Delray Beach Atlantic Community 2014 alum) have recently been named to the 2017 Biletnikoff Award Watch List. The award recipient, earned by the nation’s top receiver each year, is selected by the Biletnikoff Award National Selection Committee, a host of former receivers, and a group of college football media members.
With or without the special honor, their talents have been going to another level in more ways than one. It was clearly evident in one particular instance, when they shared the spotlight in the Aug. 31 season-opener between UCF and FIU in Orlando.
UCF would go on to win that one, 61-17. But the final score didn’t matter as much as their individual performances that night, as Smith would finish the game with 3 catches for 72 yards and 2 touchdowns, while Owens would have 4 catches for 99 yards and 1 touchdown.
With that said, it was not the first time that Smith and Owens shared the spotlight. They both played baseball together in their youth at Pompey Park and travel basketball in middle school.
They may be less than a year away from sharing the spotlight again in the NFL.
Owens, who attended Atlantic High School, is following in the footsteps of many of the greats before him while making his own. Atlantic, which is the largest and oldest high school in Delray Beach, has produced the vast majority of football athletes over the years.
Ranked in the top 50 of many NCAA receiving categories this year, he is sitting at No. 12 in the nation with 614 receiving yards, No. 13 in receiving yards per game with 102, and No. 44 with 5.5 receptions per game.
With six more games left in his senior year, Owens has a chance to double his numbers and take his team back to a bowl game.
On the other hand Smith comes from a high school with little history of football standouts. Also located in the city of Delray Beach, Village Academy opened in 2000. It was the first new Palm Beach County public school in a predominantly African-American neighborhood in over 25 years.
Smith could make history for the small Delray school next spring by becoming the first one to get selected in the NFL Draft. He’s certainly on the path to do so.
This year Smith is also ranked in the NCAA in a few NCAA statistical areas. He is tied for fourth in the nation with seven receiving touchdowns and tied at No. 32 with 86 receiving yards per game.
For more information on the Biletnikoff Award, you can visit http://biletnikoffaward.com/2017-biletnikoff-award-watch-list.
PHOTO CREDITS: Reginald St. Juste
