By RayJaun Stelly, The Seattle Medium
Before committing to the University of Oregon and receiving endless Division 1 offers from schools such as Alabama, Georgia, USC, Michigan State, Washington, UCLA, and SMU, Rainier Beach defensive back Caleb Presley went from being relatively unknown to nationally ranked by ESPN, 247 sports, and rivals literally overnight.
Many people who follow Metro League football may not be aware that Presley’s high school career didn’t start at Rainier Beach. Before ultimately cementing himself on Viking soil, Presley spent his first two years were at football powerhouse Eastside Catholic, where he played in a state championship game before finding his way to Rainier Beach as a junior.
“It’s been a journey since freshman year grinding with little to no recognition to now being recognized nationally,” said Presley, who says that he left Eastside Catholic based on the needs of his family. “There’s been ups and downs in this process, I’m just thankful I’m in this position to leave my legacy.”
In addition to his regular season regiment, Presley also played for Ford Sports Performance (FSP) during the off season. The equivalent to AAU basketball, this club football team manages to get student athletes recognized on a global scale by playing against teams from different states.
After being named to the All-Metro defensive team as a sophomore, Presley, who was now on the radar of coaches across the country, made the decision to transfer to Rainier Beach.
According to Rainier Beach Head Football Coach Corey Sampson, Presley brought a winning mentality to the program that was based on leading by example, supporting your brothers, and the thought process that hard work and talent go hand-in-hand when it comes to success.
“Caleb came in and stepped up, bringing a championship culture he inherited from Eastside Catholic to our program, and his leadership helped the direction our program is headed toward,” said Sampson.
According to football insiders, Presley’s IQ, assertiveness, and instincts on the field are what separate him from not only defensive backs in the Metro League, but all across the state. His ability to shut down his one-on-one matchups and being an overall leader on defense is what makes him a special player that opposing teams need to account for. And for Coach Sampson, he’s not only glad to have him on his team, but he is also a joy to watch and someone you instinctively root for and want to do well.
“He’s the cornerstone of this team, an extension of the coaching staff,” Sampson stated. “Caleb is looked up to as a leader and he has taken the role really well.”
“He’s a great kid and player, he’s fundamentally sound and knows what other players want to do to him,” continued Sampson. “A lot of teams like to stay away from him because he’s the number one corner.”
With such good character traits and high praise from his head coach, Presley expressed that “it’s been a blessing to be supported by my community.”
During his first year with the Vikings, Rainier Beach made a deep run in the state 3A playoffs, ultimately losing to the eventual state champions, Bellevue, in the quarterfinals. Presley again earned All-Metro League honors playing receiver, defensive back, returning kicks and punts.
With an impressive junior year behind him, Presley was now the player colleges wanted on their roster come 2023. At the conclusion of the season, Presley received 21 scholarship offers on top of the nine he already had coming off his sophomore season at Eastside Catholic. Over the course of the summer, Presley narrowed his list of teams down to six — Alabama, UCLA, Michigan State, Oregon, Texas A&M, and Washington – and ultimately decided to commit to the University of Oregon.
With the decision on where to play next year in hand, Presley could now concentrate on his senior year at Rainier Beach. Opening up the 2022 season matched up against Lynwood, Presley looked to continue his leadership and show why he’s the number one defensive back in the state. Lynwood didn’t throw the ball to receivers he matched up against nor did they kick the ball his direction on kickoffs or punts. While Lynwood chose to stay away from him, he influenced the game with his presence as the Vikings put forth a dominant effort in their 53-7 season opening victory.
Despite the lack of action thrown his way by opponents, Presley remains focused on improving his skill sets and achieving the goals that he has laid out for himself and his team.
“My mindset is going to be the same mindset,” says Presley. “It’s always been destroying anything that’s in my way. Nobody will stand in the way of my future.”
