Four-Year Starter Did It All for Coastal Georgia School
Every head football coach in Georgia would love to have a player like JaReese Campbell. At McIntosh County Academy, Bradley Warren knows just how fortunate he has been over these past four years.
“When I came back to Darien in 2019, JaReese was a rising ninth-grader, and despite being a freshman, he stood out,” Warren recalls. “He regularly attended all of our workouts and practices, and I began to notice that he had an above-average IQ for the game of football, and he had a great skill set for a safety and running back.”
Campbell’s stellar defensive play would continue to improve during his freshman season, and every season thereafter during his Bucs career.
“JaReese really excelled on the defensive side of the ball that first season as a member of the varsity, and he became a mainstay on our defense for his entire career,” Warren says.
Of course, like many smaller schools, McIntosh County Academy calls on most players to start on both sides of the ball, and that was the case with the Campbell. Warren says when he began to use the talented safety on offense as well, it was primarily at wing back and receiver, and that’s where he stayed through his sophomore and junior seasons. Then, following his junior season, Campbell’s hard work in the offseason began to shape him into more of a dynamic player.
“JaReese was lighter and quicker earlier in his career when he played on offense, but once he really got after it in the weight room, and his senior season came around, he had developed into a powerful runner with a good burst of speed and better-than-average vision,” Warren says.
That enabled the McIntosh County Academy head coach to put Campbell in a position to help his team even more, playing him as a mobile quarterback and at tailback.
The move not only helped Campbell become a more well-rounded and complete player, it also led to more wins for the Buccaneers, who finished with a 10-2 record and the team’s first region championship since 2008.
Warren says Campbell’s impact was felt throughout his entire high school career, on and off the field:
“His impact on our program has been felt in several areas: Number one, he has been a leader by example, and has been a mainstay in the defensive and offensive gameplans for the past four years. He has also been solid in the classroom and has defined to our younger players the commitment it takes to be successful.”
JaReese has had a close confidant right there with him every step of the way during his four years at McIntosh County Academy: His twin brother, TyReese, who plays running back and outside linebacker for the Buccaneers. They are the sons of Jamaal and LaShonda Campbell.
“Tyreese and JaReese have been there since our summer program before the start of the 2019 season,” Warren says.
JaReese finished with 2,676 all-purpose yards as a receiver, rushing quarterback and running back, and punt and kick returner. Defensively, he had 59 tackles, 3 INT, and a fumble recovery. He finished his career with 27 TDs.
Warren says JaReese has received interest from several colleges, including Alcorn State and Georgia Military, but he thinks Reinhardt College may be the leader right now for his services.
