DELRAY BEACH – There’s fast. There’s real fast. And then there’s Atlantic wide receiver Jadarius Patterson.
At least, that’s what Atlantic quarterback Lincoln Graf believes.
“He brings that spark, that firepower,” Graf said about the senior wide receiver. “He’s got a gas that nobody can turn off. He’s got that switch.”
Atlantic head coach Jamelle Murray tended to agree with Graf’s statement, mentioning that Patterson tested well during the offseason.
“We had some good times clocked for him and a few other guys this summer,” Murray explained. “Just to see him on the field, it’s very explosive.”
In Atlantic’s 44-28 victory over Santaluces, Patterson’s speed and impact were on full display.
Patterson opened up the scoring for Atlantic when Graf found Patterson untouched in the back of the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
Following the game, Patterson explained that he and Graf have formed a connection that’s “brotherly love” on the field.
“Since I first transferred here, he used to always have me up early mornings, working out, going out to eat, just having quality time outside of football. “On the football field, it’s really just brotherly love. Me and Lincoln real close.”
For Graf, the connection with his wide receivers is simple: find a way to get his dynamic playmakers the ball.
“Get the ball to the playmakers. That’s what my coaches have been telling me since I’ve been here,” Graf said. “I’ve got athletes around me. I just got to get them the ball.”
Of those “athletes,” Patterson might be the most versatile.
He’s played some wide receiver, some running back – including in the second half against Santaluces – and some quarterback. Patterson even returns kicks for Atlantic.
“It gives us a lot of flexibility,” Murray said about Patterson’s versatility. “So, we’re trying to use him everywhere in practice, just to see where he is. Always incorporating him in different things. It gives us the ability to do a lot more and take the load off of other guys.”
In fact, it was on kick return where Patterson made his most impressive play. In the third quarter, Patterson found a small crease before turning on those heralded jets for a 75-yard kick return for a touchdown. The touchdown gave Atlantic a 29-point lead.
“At first, I didn’t see [anything] open up. I didn’t see nothing. So, I just kept running,” Patterson said. “And then, the lane just opened up slowly. But I ended up hitting it at the right time.”
Patterson began his high school career with Atlantic, spending his freshman season with the Eagles. However, Patterson would transfer to Palm Beach Christian Prep before heading back to Atlantic prior to his senior year.
“We knew what we had when he left us, but it was really great to see him come back home and play ball,” Murray said. “Just knowing the amount of things he can do for this program would be amazing.”
Despite the performances on the field, Patterson hasn’t garnered much college interest. It might be a size thing (Patterson isn’t exactly the tallest of players) or maybe a recognition thing. However, Murray believes an offer is coming eventually.
“He’s doing great in the classroom, and he’s doing great on the field,” Murray said. “All he needs is one opportunity. You don’t need 15, 20, 30 offers. You only need one.”
The good news for Patterson is that Atlantic’s competition only gets larger. Although they handled Palm Beach County, Broward County-based schools await the Eagles in the FHSAA Class 3M Playoffs.
“He’ll be very important,” Murray said. “He did a lot of things in the return game, at running back tonight. Early in the season, he was at receiver. Knowing that we can do so much with him against very tough opponents and playoffs teams will be very beneficial.”
