With the start of summer comes many offers and verbal commitments.

So far this summer, at least four local athletes have received their first offers.

Lanett senior wideout Quae Houston received his first offer from Alabama A&M that he announced on May 16.

“We’ve had a lot of traffic to come through in the past several weeks,” Lanett head football coach Clifford Story, Jr. said after the Panthers’ athletic banquet on May 20. “The [college] coaches have been able to get out. I wasn’t worried about Quae because he’s a student-athlete and he’s going to make a lot of plays for us.”

Houston returns to Panthers this season as a projected top receiving option for Lanett with departing Class of 2019 members Bridges and Tifton “Dee” Dobbs. Houston finished last season with 16 receptions for 274 yards and five touchdowns. He has also received an offer from Faulkner University.

Lanett sophomore Caden Story announced his first offer from the University of Maryland on May 18.

“He’s projected to grow between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-8 so I guess the college recruiters see that he’s going to be a big boy,” Coach Story said on May 20. “Right now, he’s almost 6-foot-4, almost 230 pounds. He just turned 15 last month. With his growing, he’s going to be something. I don’t know what, but he’s going to be something. I’m elated. I’m happy for [Story and Houston] to get recognition. I’m expecting a lot more [with] B.J. Smith, Eric McCants, those guys are going to get more offers as the year progresses.”

A few weeks later, Smith and McCants received their first offers as well.

Smith announced his first offer from Rockford University on Tuesday. In 2018, he rushed for 312 yards and seven touchdowns on 39 carries.

McCants announced his first offer from Rockford University on May 31 before announcing his second offer from Faulkner University later on the same day.  

LaFayette senior Dai’Quan Giddens announced his first offer from Faulkner University on May 31 as well. Last fall, Giddens was invited to play in the 13th annual Offense-Defense Bowl in Daytona Beach, Florida.

In 2018, the biggest national commitment news to come out of the Greater Valley Area was Lanett senior safety Trikweze Bridges, who announced his move to the University of Oregon last July. This summer, the biggest announcement is expected to be made by Lanett senior athlete Kristian Story.

Kristian Story recently announced that he will announce his decision between the University of Tennessee, the University of Maryland, the University of Alabama, Texas A&M and Georgia Tech on July 18. Last summer, Coach Story said he encouraged Bridges to make a decision before the season started so he could focus on playing his senior year, but the head coach has also previously said that he fully supports Kristian Story, his son, at whatever pace he decides to make his final decision.

Kristian Story is a four-star athlete recruit who is on the ESPN300 and is also ranked as the No. 1 athlete in the state, according to 247.com. Last season, he threw for 1828 yards, 36 touchdowns, rushed for 839 yards, 15  touchdowns in addition to his 55 tackles, six interceptions, two pick-sixes and two fumble recoveries on the defensive side of the ball.