ALL-CHEROKEE COUNTY FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Gresham a ball hawk for Warriors

Cherokee County senior defensive back CJ Gresham. Photo by Billy Garrett.

COMING THURSDAY: All-Cherokee County Offensive Player of the Year

CENTRE – Before the 2021 high school football season started, Cherokee County High School football coach Jacob Kelley really didn’t know what he had in Saks senior transfer CJ Gresham.

That began to change when the Warriors went to a 7-on-7 camp at Pepperell High School in Georgia over the summer.

In those scrimmages, the Warriors played against the host Dragons, Cedartown and Cartersville. Against Cartersville, Gresham raised more than a few eyebrows.

“He one-handed a catch on a kid from Cartersville,” Kelley recalls. “The whole 7-on-7 camp stopped.”

Kelley knew then he had a special talent on his hands, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The 6-foot-2, 175-pound Gresham finished the season with eight interceptions, with many of those in clutch games. He was also utilized offensively in certain packages in helping the Warriors (7-4) reach the second round of the Class 4A state playoffs, where they lost to eventual state champion Vigor.

Gresham is WEIS Radio’s choice for the All-Cherokee County Defensive Player of the Year.

“He’s just got playmaking ability, and we just tried to utilize what he could do for us,” Kelley said. “He was a tremendously unselfish player. We just tried to find different ways to get him involved. Defensively it was easy. You just find their best guy, and it’s like ‘CJ, that’s who you’ve got.’”

The humble Gresham makes his playmaking ability sound so easy. Maybe that’s because he comes by it honestly.

Gresham said several of his family members are former Warriors, including current Liberty linebacker Tyren Dupree, as well as Justin Clifton, Julian Bynum, Caleb Malone, Jalen McCain and Dontavious Stubbs.

“You’ve got to have the length and the mental part of it,” Gresham said. “If the ball’s in the air, you’ve just got to be the first one to it. It’s anybody’s ball. You’ve just got to run and go get it.”

Two games that come to mind this past season for Kelley are Anniston and Munford.

“The Anniston game (a 21-20 Warrior win), he completely took that game over,” Kelley said. “The kid who’s going to Alabama, (Antonio) Kite, caught a touchdown pass early on Malachi (Horton). When CJ came off the field, he said ‘I’ve got him.’ Wherever he went for the rest of the night, it was their two versus our two (jersey numbers). He had a look in his eye that night I’ve only seen a few times from players I’ve coached. He was hungry. He wanted the ball. I think that’s why he’s a defensive player of the year as far as this county. He wanted the ball and winners usually do.”

Against Munford, Gresham had two interceptions in the Warriors’ 34-21 win.

“He might not have beat Munford by himself, but he just kept them from scoring,” Kelley said. “They went after him five times head-to-head, and he won three of them. He had eight interceptions and could’ve had 10 if he’d have played a little bit better on his man (coverage). He’s just got so much potential.

“We only had one year with him, but I love him to death and I’m proud of him. He had a tremendous work ethic from day one. He was just so hungry to just come in here. He got a fresh start right here off the bat. He saw what we did in the weight room and what we strive to be every single day.”

Kelley said Gresham hasn’t received many offers from colleges yet. He said Gresham reminds him of one of his former players at Cedartown, Zahquan Frazier.

“He (Frazier) was under recruited,” Kelley said. “He wasn’t really a varsity player until his junior and senior years. His ball skills were not as good as CJ’s. He got a late offer from Southern Illinois. He went there for one year and then decided to go JUCO. His dream was to play big-time Division I football, and he felt like at Southern Illinois, that isn’t what he wanted at the end of the day. He bet on himself, went JUCO, played two years at Coffeyville, and he’s the No. 1 defensive back JUCO player in the country. He just signed with Kentucky during the early signing period.

“I’m telling you CJ is him. CJ is faster than Zah. He’s not as tall, but he’s long. His wingspan and speed make him a problem in the secondary. He will come up and strike. He’s just got to work on wrapping up. He could be one of the best tackling defensive backs you could find. I’m proud of him. It’s so sad he only got a short amount of time with us, but I’m happy for him.”

Joining Gresham on the All-Cherokee County Football Team from the Warriors is Damien Ramsey, Jay Watts, Daniel Mejia, Tae Diamond, Dalton Chesnut, Lamycal Mitchell, Walker Pruett, Jack Amos, Blake Butts, Alex Loyd and Connor Wilson.

Warrior honorable mention players are Cade Hopper, Caleb Harbour, Landon Ransum, Call Young, Hayden Wheeler, Zach Gaylor, Malachi Horton and Alex Johnson.

Selected from Spring Garden (12-1) on the all-county team is Cooper Austin, Landon Gowens, Andrew Floyd, Chaz Pope, Chapel Pope, Jackson Rogers, Cade Williams, Mathias Williams, Hunter Lewis, Cam Welsh, Zach Kerr and Denver Jarrett.

Panther honorable mention players are Larry Rogers and Jacob Welsh.

Representing Sand Rock (7-4) is Trace Haygood, Jacob Cornejo, Olin Pruitt, Tru Graham, Ace Ashley, Bradley Jackson, Bryan East, Carl Goodwin and Logan Crider.

Wildcat honorable mention players are Heath Driver, Matthew Grimes, Edwin Kinsey and Brian Giles.

Cedar Bluff (6-5) has 10 all-county selections in Jacob Burleson, Preston Burt, Nick Clifton, Kade Browning, Dylan Kinard, Bucky Leek, Austin Richardson, Eli McFry, Dawson Wheeler and Hagen Stallings.

Chosen from Gaylesville (6-5) is Michael Reynolds, Briley Mitchell, Jacob Gordon, Keylon Higgins, Hunter Penney, Xander Watts, Seth Lee, Kyler Bradley and Hunter Allmond.

Trojan honorable mention players are Bailey Glassco, Brayden Sharp, Eli Bryson, David Glenn, Tanner Eads and Laiton Keith.

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