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Player Spotlight: Willie Rodriguez

Teams often find out what they are truly made of when they are faced with adversity. They can either fold, or step into the face of it. Plagued with the injury bug, Covington Catholic did the latter in 2022. The Colonels salvaged their season by going 9-4 when most teams may not have been able to. Helping to spearhead that movement was tight end Willie Rodriguez.

Standing 6-4 and 240 pounds, the senior to be is an imposing figure. What’s even scarier is that his prowess on the football field is even more impressive than his frame. He draws the obvious comparisons to former Colonels star Michael Mayer, now of the Las Vegas Raiders. “A lot of people and coaches compare me to him. They even say we look alike.” As was Mayer, Rodriguez has become a threat that opponents have to gameplan for. This is a task that won’t be easy considering the tight end’s work ethic. “My mentality is to attack everyday and to dominate. I want to be dominant, and as a team we want to be dominant.”

Rodriguez was named 1st team All-NKY last season as a junior. He caught 14 balls for 295 yards and 5 touchdowns. He was also a force in the run game, helping to aid the offensive line in the trenches. “I model my game after George Kittle. Not only does he get out on routes but he has that nastiness to him in the run game. I try to bring that same mentality”. Rodriguez is no stranger to being physical as he is one of the state’s best wrestlers come winter time. Still football is at the top of his list and although wrestling is near and dear to his heart, he will focus on the gridiron at the next level.

He’s garnering interest from programs such as Virginia Tech, University of Kentucky, Purdue, and Ole Miss among others. “I have been on some visits and they are all nice places. I think you can expect a decision to come real soon”. True to his word, Rodriguez chose the University of Kentucky Friday morning as his next destination. The Wildcats will get a player that is going to give it his all every time that he steps onto the field. He’s shown that throughout his time at CovCath and wants to finish strong. “We’re a close bunch and coach tells us all the time to take pride in putting on that Colonels jersey. It’s very historic. I do my best to not only represent our program but our school as well”. No matter the upcoming season’s outcome, it is a safe bet that Rodriguez will lead his men like the Colonel that he is.

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