Recruiting: Seminole's Mann ready for step up to West Texas A&M

Hadley Mann may be from a small town, but he sure doesn’t act like it.

The Seminole High School senior isn’t intimidated by anyone.

Part of it is his size — he’s listed as 6-foot-2, 270 pounds.

Part of it is his work ethic.

But mainly it is a mindset that he is just as good as anyone else out there.

Mann signed a letter of intent Wednesday to play football at West Texas A&M, which has been among the best teams in NCAA Division II in recent seasons. He will compete for playing time with players from Class 4A and Class 5A schools.

“It really doesn’t make me nervous,” Mann said. “They better be ready. I’m just going to say that. Class 3A football is just as hard as 4A or 5A. I’ve never been nervous to play with those guys. They are just at bigger schools.

“I’m pretty pumped up and ready to go against them.”

Mann wasn’t the only Seminole athlete to sign this week, as girls basketball player Courtney Layton signed with Lubbock Christian University to play women’s basketball.

For Mann the decision to go to West Texas A&M was an easy one.

“I went there and felt like I was at home,” he said. “I like the coaching staff and the football program. The people around Amarillo and Canyon treat you like family.”

Mann will play nose guard for the Buffaloes after playing on the offensive and defensive line at Seminole.

For Seminole head coach Chris Burtch, Mann’s signing was a special day.

“I hope it is a testimony to the rest of the kids in the program,” he said. “It’s not a one-day event, it is a culmination of six years of hard work. It doesn’t happen often, it is only the second kid I’ve ever had sign.

“I’m proud for him and am thankful I got to be a part of it.”

Halfway through his senior season it didn’t look like Mann would be going anywhere after he tore his MCL and his meniscus and sprained his ACL.

He missed the rest of the regular season, but returned for Seminole’s Class 3A Division II regional game.

“I just did a lot of rehabbing,” Mann said. “My team kept winning and they did awesome and I was able to play one more game. They put it in a brace and I didn’t have a problem.

“This is a great honor. I owe it to the rest of my teammates for encouraging me to go that extra mile. I owe it to them, too.”