The following is one of MANY recruiting articles i wrote while working as a staff writer for Scout.com (later 24/7 Sports).
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When d-tackle Keaton Bills isn’t terrorizing opposing offenses, he’s serving up burgers at the Draper, Utah In-N-Out.
“It’s bomb,” Bills says. “We get like a free meal every time we work. I get hooked up pretty good. Making some money, that’s good.”
All that time behind the counter has given Bills ample opportunity to weigh his college options.
“Obviously being in Utah, Utah and BYU are pretty high up there on my list,” he says. “Out of state, I’m looking at Wisconsin and Oregon State as of right now. So those are my top 4, so I’m just kind of narrowing things down a little bit. Football’s a big deal. Football’s a big priority, but I’m really looking for the education and then location, you know, where it is and and how close my family is.”
One school that’s close by – and extremely interested – is the University of Utah.
“The coach that started recruiting me is Morgan Scalley,” Bills said. “He’s a great guy, he’s contacted me, and I understand that I’m the priority. Kind of making me feel like I’m important and that’s a good decision for me to make. That’s a big factor in it as well.
“(Scalley) talks about the education part of it, that they have one of the better medical programs in the country and that’s what I want to do when I grow up. I don’t know if I want to be a doctor or a P.A., even an athletic trainer, something to do with people and medical stuff. I’m not really too sure yet but that’s something that definitely interests me.”
Bills is also aware of Utah’s long track record of putting d-linemen in the NFL.
“You always hear about the d-linemen at Utah,” he says. “The d-linemen at Utah go to the NFL, you know. That obviously stands out in my mind big-time, thinking about the future, thinking about what could happen next. They just talk about the success they always have with their d-linemen, which obviously (draws) you closer to that school.”
The 6-foot-5 inch, 260-pound Bills is a do-everything player for Corner Canyon High School, a brand-new football program that is only in its fourth season. He plays left tackle on offense, d-tackle on defense and helps out on a variety of special teams units. “I very rarely get breaks,” he says.
Since he plays such a big part in his team’s success, Bills hopes to commit before the season.
“I’m probably going to make my decision right before the season starts for football, just so I’m not worried about anything else,” he says. “So probably right before the season starts I’ll make my decision.”
In the meantime, Bills plans to keep working: in the gym and at his favorite fast-food restaurant.
“I got to get some more beef and french fries in my stomach,” he says. “Put some more weight on.”