DELRAY BEACH – The offseason has been a time to remember for Dylan Rizk.
The sophomore quarterback from American Heritage (Delray Beach) has an offer from Kentucky. He also has a Rivals Camp MVP trophy notched under his belt.
In addition to that, Rizk has grown a lot in stature, as he is now listed at 6-foot-2, 185 pounds. This helps as far as his vision and command of the field.
“Well my size has helped because it helps me throw the ball,” said Rizk, who was able to gain some game experience as a freshman in 2019. “And what I mean by this is I have a longer release, which makes it harder for the defensive line to knock down my ball because my release point is so high. I have grown a lot mentally over the past few months and it has helped me tremendously. I am very comfortable with my playbook because I know it inside out. I’m on Hudl at least 30 minutes a day or watching YouTube videos of people I idolize like Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garapolo.”
Since the coronavirus pandemic began in March, Rizk has had to find creative ways to get his workout reps. He has been able to get some field work in with a few people he is close with, including his teammates at American Heritage.
“I go to practice everyday from 7 to 10 a.m.,” he said. “Then I come back home to throw the football with a few receivers. After that, I go work out on my own. And some days, I run two miles in the morning.”
One player Rizk has been working out with often is senior wide receiver and FAU verbal commit Brandon Schabert, who is currently our No. 1-ranked wide receiver and No. 5 overall player in Palm Beach County.
“Brandon Schabert is a very gifted receiver in my opinion,” said Rizk, who is currently on our Class of 2023 Watch List. “His ability to get open is beyond imaginable. He gives 100 percent effort in every route he runs. Him giving 100 percent in every route has really gave me the assurance that I can count on him in any situation.”
This is a great thing for Rizk, who will be the Stallions starting quarterback for the foreseeable future. He is in his groove now, and he is ready to show everyone what he can do on the field this upcoming fall season.
“Dylan is the hardest working quarterback I’ve been around in 12 years, and that list includes former Elite 11 winner Sean White,” said American Heritage assistant coach Henry Colombi, who is also Rizk’s quarterback trainer.
“His improvement this offseason is indescribable,” Colombi continued. “Between his time spent with Quincy Avery, Chip Bennet and myself, I have never seen a quarterback progress as fast as Dylan. There’s not a throw Dylan cannot make. His throws and his footwork are on the collegiate level. After beating out a four-star quarterback from Georgia for the Rivals MVP, Dylan took his practice habits to a whole new level. Dylan is only one of five freshmen ever to win the MVP quarterback honors at Rivals.”
For his sophomore year, Rizk wants to get at least 3,000 passing yards and lead his team to a state title. His journey to the top will begin on Monday (Aug. 24), the first day that the FHSAA has allowed teams to practice.
“I honestly can’t wait for practice to start,” he said. “We can finally be able to get pads on and be able to throw a football around.”
PHOTO CREDITS: Jeffrey Wimbrow
