Menlo-Atherton lands 5-star football recruit Jurrion Dickey

Menlo-Atherton co-athletic director Steven Kryger verified in a text message Dickey was enrolled in the school, but “we still need to file CCS transfer paperwork to determine exact dates of football eligibility,” Kryger said in the text message.

Monday afternoon, Dickey posted on Twitter: “2 pm first practice today.”

Kryger confirmed Dickey was eligible to practice, but he cannot play in any scrimmages or games “until CCS makes a determination.”

M-A head coach Chris Saunders said he was aware of the ongoing story of Dickey’s transfer intentions.

“I’m a head football coach in the Bay Area. I stay connected,” Saunders said. “I certainly like to keep updated on things in our industry.”

But other than that, he was just as surprised as everyone else when Dickey announced he was attending M-A.

“I got a phone call here today that Jurrion is enrolled. Told him practice was at 2 and there he was,” Saunders said. “I don’t really do anything, to be honest. I never met Jurrion until today. He knew a few guys on the team. They grew up together (in East Palo Alto).”

Dickey, who verbally committed to University of Oregon in May, was a three-year varsity player at Valley Christian and is considered one of the top wide receiver recruits and a top-20 college recruit, overall.

He’s played 28 games over three seasons with the Warriors, including just four during the COVID-shortened 2021 spring campaign. In three years, he has amassed 2,084 receiving yards and 3,049 all-purpose yards and scored 32 touchdowns, according to stats loaded to MaxPreps.com.

Dickey exploded last season when, in 11 games, he hauled in 78 balls for 1,304 yards, averaging 118 yards receiving per game. He pulled down 19 touchdowns as the Warriors finished in fourth place in the West Catholic Athletic League with a 4-3 record and lost to Serra in the first round of the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs to finish the season 6-5.

M-A is riding a 20-game Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division winning streak, having won three of the last four Bay titles (there was no 2020 season champion). The Bears were 5-0 in division play in 2021, advancing to the CCS Division I semifinals, losing to top-seeded St. Francis 49-28 to finish 9-3 on the season.

Saunders said he was impressed with Dickey’s demeanor during his first day of practice with his new team Monday. He said that knowing some of the other players helped Dickey feel at ease.

“He knew a few of our of guys. There was a lot of social familiarity. It wasn’t like he was the brand new kid on campus,” Saunders said. “I was really impressed with how he jumped in with a ton of energy and enthusiasm. … He was awesome. Lots to learn, but he’s a fast learner. Football IQ is really high.

“And he can play. Ain’t no doubt about that.”

Dickey will join an M-A squad that already features a handful of other Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I) recruits. Soane Fa’asolo is a 6-9, 300-pound lineman who Saunders said has put on 60 pounds since last season. Fa’asolo is verbally committed to University of Washington.

Two-way lineman David Tangilangu — 6-5, 225 pounds — holds offers from San Jose State, Army and Air Force. Saunders said he expects 6-8, 215-pound junior tight end Alek Marshall to have a breakout season, which should shoot him up the recruiting rankings.

“We just need two games of tape and he’ll be scooped up by colleges,” Saunders said in an interview last week.

Dickey, however, will not enjoy the benefit of playing with quarterback Matt MacLeod, the 2021-22 Daily Journal Boys’ Athlete of the Year and who is now a walk-on at Miami University-Ohio.

Instead, Saunders said he has a quarterback competition at the start of fall practice.

Dickey is just the latest in a string of M-A wide receivers who will play collegiately at the Division I level. Troy Franklin, graduated in the winter of the 2020-21 school year and enrolled early at University of Oregon. Jalen Moss, who wrapped up his senior season in the fall of 2021, is a freshman at Fresno State. Jeremiah Earby, another 2022 graduate who played both receiver and defensive back for the Bears, secured a scholarship to play for the Golden Bears at Cal.

M-A, in general, has become a college recruiting hotbed over the last several years. Mekhi Blackmon, a 2017 M-A graduate who starred at wide receiver and defensive back, spent a season at College of San Mateo before transferring and starring at University of Colorado. He is currently a graduate player at USC this season.

Jordan Mims starred at running back for the Bears and is also a 2017 M-A graduate. He is finishing up a solid career at Fresno State where he will be a second-year senior after being granted an extra year of eligibility because of COVID.

Noa Ngalu and Daniel Heimuli, both 2019 M-A graduates and members of the 2018 state championship team, earned scholarships to University of Washington and both are still on roster for the 2022 season.

All but Moss are from East Palo Alto and the community there rallies around their own.

“East Palo Alto is definitely a proving ground for talent. A lot of the college coaches in the Pac-12 know that. They make multiple stops every year. It’s a huge source of pride for the young men who are out of East Palo Alto,” Saunders said. “It’s pretty neat that we have a platform where high-profile athletes choose a public school.”