Knox Central sophomore Gavin Chadwell enjoys playing tight end but would prefer to play defense in college. (Scott Warren Photo)
During a Kentucky football camp in early June, Kentucky coaches treated Knox Central sophomore Gavin Chadwell “very well” and made a big impression on him.
“Coach (Vince) Marrow walked me through a lot of footwork drills and stuff,” said Chadwell. “In one-on-one drills, I held my own very well against some really god players.”
Kentucky was already impressed with the 6-5, 235-pound Chadwell because he was offered a scholarship in May based on his 2020 season when he had 38 tackles, four quarterback sacks and five tackles for loss. He also started at tight end where he caught three passes for 53 yards.
Chadwell is also a talented basketball player who averaged about 9 points per game as a freshman when he was named MVP at the 13th Region Tournament won by Knox Central. He had 17 points and six rebounds in the regional title game win over North Laurel.
Chadwell grew up a Kentucky fan in southeastern Kentucky and says he has been “surrounded by Kentucky fans and stuff” his whole life.
“Dad is a big UK fan. He won’t have much of a preference about where I go, but don’t doubt about him being a big UK fan,” Chadwell said.
He says his scholarship offer showed that it was just not big school players who could get SEC scholarship offers.
“It is kind of wild to think about getting an offer as a freshman,” he said. “I think they just saw my capability and kind of jumped on it.”
Chadwell spent time this summer working on his hip flexibility that would help him both at tight end and on the basketball court. He went to several football camps but did not play any AAU basketball.
The Knox Central sophomore says fans still mention the UK offer to him constantly.
“It’s a very big UK area. People tell me all the time it would be better for me to go to UK,” Chadwell, age 16, said. “My brother even got season tickets to UK this year.”
Through five games Chadwell had six catches for 144 yards and three scores. He also had 32 tackles, including 28 solo stops.
Knox will face a district showdown Oct. 8 against Corbin which is led by UK commit Treyveon Longmire (11 catches for 150 yards and two scores, seven tackles in five games) and UK target Dakota Patterson (18 catches for 254 yards and two scores, five tackles in five games).
“It’s not fun by no means being in the same district with Corbin but anything is possible,” Chadwell said. “If we come and play like we can play, we have a very good chance.”
Not many were expecting Knox Central to win the 13th Region basketball title, either. The favorite was North Laurel and Reed Sheppard, a major UK basketball target in the 2023 recruiting class, even though Knox Central had won the two previous regional crowns.
Chadwell said he never imagined he would be tournament MVP.
“I don’t know the last time a center or power forward won it, much less a freshman,” he said. “I stepped up in places we needed on defense and rebounding. I put up solid numbers.
“I feel like people forget about us a lot and then we play teams and show out in basketball. We have got the same team back, so I think we can do it again.”
Chadwell admits he spends a lot of time each summer playing 3-on-3 basketball with friends but doesn’t see himself playing college basketball.
“Football is a much bigger love and I would 100 percent prefer to play defense in college because of my ability to read the play,” Chadwell said. “But you never know about basketball. I won’t close any doors. I think I am even going to run track this offseason because coaches think it might help a lot with my speed. I am not positive but think it could be good for me.”
Chadwell is more old school than most his age. He prefers board games over video games.
Chadwell, who also has a football scholarship offer from Eastern Kentucky, is not going to rush the recruiting process.
“Me and my parents all agree that you never know what might happen and who could offer me,” Chadwell said. “I am going to hold out to my senior year 100 percent (to make a decision).”
What if he did pick Kentucky?
“I think my family would probably be more excited than me probably,” Chadwell laughed and said. “Dad kind of freaked out just when I got the UK offer. My mother cried. I know just about everybody in the county would be behind me so there’s no doubt that could all play a big role with my decision.”
