The 2015 season hasn’t started out the way Valdosta High senior linebacker Todd Bradley wanted it to. When I spoke with him, the Wildcats were a little over 24 hours removed from their opening-week loss to Norcross. Bradley didn’t get to play; he was nursing a shoulder injury that had been bothering him for a couple of months. He had to stand on the sidelines of the Georgia Dome while his teammates battled the Blue Devils. The ‘Cats came up short by just three points, and Bradley had to wonder if he would have made a game-changing difference.
Despite the question marks after Week 1, Bradley chose to stay positive and focus on making the most out of what was left of his senior year. “I want to keep everyone together; be the one who will lead and show the rest of the team the way. I want to be positive. I don’t like to be negative about things,” he says.
Though he was still a little banged up early in the year, Bradley has a lot or reasons to be positive. He’s the anchor of the Wildcat defense, one of just five returning starters on that side of the ball. He’s a three-star recruit who had his choice of schools from which to pick. An All-Region player last year, Bradley finished the year with142 tackles, 22 tackles for a loss, and three interceptions. Against archrival Lowndes, Bradley posted 19 tackles in Valdosta’s 13-10 win. “Beating Lowndes means bragging rights for a year. We all know each other personally, and we see each other around town a lot. It makes for a great year,” he says.
This year was the year that Bradley was supposed to add another facet to his game. Solely a defensive player for his first three years, Bradley was penciled in to play a little running back in 2015. He’s a powerful kid who loves contact – although he readily admits he’d rather be the one hitting than getting hit – and has great football instincts. He can play just about any position and play it well. First, though, he has to get healthy. “I’m supposed to get some reps at running back in practice, but I haven’t been able to because of my shoulder,” he says.
A number of colleges have had Bradley on their radars for a long time. He had about 15 offers on the table and eventually chose Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.
What made him want to play for the Eagles? “I liked the tradition. They’re winners, like Valdosta. Plus, I think I’ll be able to play early up there,” he says.
With his college decision out of the way, Bradley is free to focus on his final year of football at Valdosta High School. The ‘Cats have had a rough go of it lately; during his time at Valdosta, the team has yet to make it out of the first round of the playoffs. Bradley would like to see that change this year. “I want us to have a good team and to have good team chemistry. Then we need to go out and win the region; then state,” he says.
Special Feature/South Georgia/October 2015
Todd Bradley
Valdosta High School
Valdosta, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
VHS linebacker: ‘Lead, work hard, stay positive’
Photography by Micki K Photography
