13-year-old quarterback Hudson Garrity has college football scouts' attention before he starts high school
HINGHAM - Hudson Garrity of Hingham, Massachusetts is catching the attention of college football scouts and he's only 13 years old.
Who is Hudson Garrity?
The eighth grader at the Derby Academy is a quarterback with the mindset of a professional.
"I just zone it out," Garrity told WBZ-TV. "I know what I am here to do and that's all I've got to focus on. So, no matter who else is watching or who is here, I just have to get my job done."
He spends at least 20 hours a week sharpening his skills.
"Putting in those extra hours that other people aren't and that eventually shows when you're actually playing," Garrity said.
This fall, he helped lead his town team in Hingham to an undefeated season. He had 52 touchdowns, just two interceptions, and an 86-percent completion rate. He finished the season with 3,014 passing yards.
UMass scholarship offer
Garrity plays in a few leagues. He's been selected as one of four eighth grade quarterbacks nationwide to play in January's All-American Bowl. He hasn't started high school yet, but he already has a Division 1 scholarship offer from the University of Massachusetts, as first reported in The Patriot Ledger.
"Getting D1 offers and stuff is great, but I want to play in the NFL, so you got to keep working," Garrity told WBZ. "Just because you get an accomplishment like that doesn't mean the job is finished. You know the Kobe Bryant quote about working when no one else is looking and that's shown whenever everyone is looking? Just putting in those extra hours that other people aren't and that eventually shows when you're actually playing."
Garrity's trainers admit his worth ethic is special.
"He knows exactly what he wants, and he is willing to do whatever it is to get there," said Dana Barry of Prime Performance. "He is blocking out all the noise and stays focused."
Alex McLaughlin with the M2 Quarterback Academy has been working with Garrity for four years.
"He's obviously super talented but not everyone who is talented wants to work hard. And he does," McLaughlin told WBZ.
Garrity's father, Michael, said he first realized his son had the composure and talent to go the distance during a game when Hudson was in the fourth grade.
"He throws like a 45-yard seam route right down the middle, on the money, for a touchdown and a lot of the coaches started looking at each other in disbelief like, 'Wow, did he really just do that?' And he came off the field like he expected it," said Michael Garrity.
Hudson Garrity at Notre Dame?
Garrity said he's focused less on the destination and more on the journey. The teenager is trying to keep a level head and enjoy the game that he loves.
"Oh, football is everything, but football is a tool. And also, academics are super important to me," Garrity said. "My dream college is Notre Dame just because of how their academics are awesome but their athletics is also great."