He continues to oil the machinery of his quarterback instinct. Though he’ll be upset to learn about the rather RED outcome of the Super Bowl by the time this is in print, right now, he’s prepared to root for the Philadelphia Eagles. He identifies with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, drawing inspiration from his style on the field and dedication to the game. “His throwing is good, he’s the leader of the team,” Leon explains. “his rushing yards…” He leaves the last remark up in the air without further comment as if Hurts’ record speaks for itself. Leon has already experienced what it’s like to have your talent scouted. Due to a coach who noticed his hustle, he played in Texas on an all-star team that received fourth place in the competition. “We didn’t throw that much because Texas had a good team,” he recounts. He considers what he’s said, then adds, “But we had some good running backs, too.”

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Academic-wise, he likes teachers who help him and his classmates and encourage broader classwide learning. Leon prefers that his classmates form a community of learning where faculty can help out students and students can be there for each other. Right now, he’s absorbed in a book about the Titanic he found in the school library. He wonders, what does it take to be genuinely unsinkable? Perhaps he’s searching through it for suggestions to harden his offense.

 

If he were gifted a magic wand, he says he’d go to every super bowl game where the Eagles play. We feel fortunate that we didn’t have a wand to give him, as he was no doubt sorely disappointed to see the Chiefs eke-out a win over his birds on Sunday. The in-person spectacle may have been too much to bear. Kidding aside, Leon has time travel on his mind. All the talk of hypothetical wands and imagined scenarios has left him wondering what he’d tell his younger self. What advice would he give? “Probably football advice,” he decides. “Probably about math and a lot of education probably. I would suggest he try his best and do the things he can do and probably can’t do.”

 

Leon values appearing sharp, so it’s no wonder he’d want to impart that wisdom unto a younger version of himself. He has the obsession, determination, and respect for the game that suggests football won’t be exiting his priorities soon. Maybe one day, facing the NFL draft, he can carry the Eagles to a victory that makes up for Super Bowl LVII.