WR Zeek Freeman’s recruiting process was swift as his skills
As someone who was clocked at 10.4 seconds in the 100-meter dash, former Killgore (Tex.) College wide receiver knows all too well about the importance of speed on the gridiron. Off the field, ASU’s 2022 class addition was also quick to change his football career plans once he was contacted by the Sun Devils, who were in pursuit of bolstering their wide receiver unit.
“It was last minute,” Freeman said of the recruiting process with Arizona State. “I was actually thinking about going back to JUCO, but they hit me up and basically told me that that they wanted me from the jump. They gave me a chance, and that's all I can really ask for, so that’s why I accepted it.
“I’ve been talking the most to the wide receivers coach (Bobby Wade). He told me that he loved my speed. You can see it on my film, speed don’t lie, and that’s what I bring to the table. Speed kills in football. He also told me that he likes my football IQ, knowing what to do in certain situations and making big plays when needed to…making something out of nothing. It’s all on film; you see me make a catch, and it looks like a small play, and then it goes 80 yards. You don't find too many players that can do that type of stuff.”
The 6-1 186-pound wide receiver who prepped at Arlington (Tex.) Bowie High School averaged 24.3 yards per catch as a senior and posted 21 catches for 510 yards and six touchdowns. Fredman spent three years at Kilgore, redshirted his first year, and was injured the following season, where he saw limited action (tallied 12 catches for 244 yards and 22.3 ypr, scoring two touchdowns that year). Yet, in his third and final year, he averaged 29.0 yards per catch and recorded 697 yards on 24 catches for on the season, scoring seven touchdown receptions, with two of them traveling 78 yards touchdowns against Blinn College that eventually helped Kilgore to the SWJCFB semifinals.
Due to the rapid recruiting process, Freeman didn’t have a chance to visit Tempe prior to making his decision. Nonetheless, the images he saw on FaceTime calls and online research and the expectation level they created eventually matched the in-person experience he has had at ASU for the last four weeks.
“It was really an easy decision because they were the biggest school recruiting me,” Freeman noted. “I mainly had a bunch of FCS schools and smaller schools looking at me because I was kind of an under-the-radar type of guy. We had a lot of good players at Kilgore, and I could have produced better numbers, in my opinion, but I'm a team player. So, I don't really care about the numbers as long as I'm doing my part to help my team win. That's all I cared about.
“I just love the environment here, and they treated me like family from the jump. Everybody is cool and trying to help me get used to the system as fast as possible. I didn't really see that coming from a JUCO. NoI felt like I was on my own there. At ASU, you got guys like Gio (WR Gio Sanders) and BT (WR Bryan Thompson) help me out with any situation, getting used to what we do in the weight room and conditioning, learning our plays, getting around town, and I appreciate it.”
Freeman said that first-year offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas’ scheme is one he’s very excited about due to the opportunities he will have to showcase himself as a downfield threat (“it fits me perfectly”). The wide receiver is also bullish on presumed starting quarterback and Florida transfer Emory Jones who he has been informally working with for several weeks now.
“That dude has an arm,” Freeman said of Jones. “He’s got some power behind that ball; I can tell you that. And he really cares about the newcomers. I suppose that's typical, but it's like I said, coming from a JUCO, you have a lot of selfish players on a team, and it is all family oriented over here. It's a little different, and I like that.”
Freeman certainly comes across as an individual with a humble demeanor who is beyond grateful for the opportunity with the Sun Devils. At the same time, he knows that as a late addition to his new team, he will naturally be expected to not only start but become an impact player for ASU. It’s a responsibility he welcomes with open arms.
“I just want to go out there and do what I can for my team to help them win,” Freeman remarked. “That's all I care but at the end of the day. As long as I'm doing my part and my job the right way, that’s all I care about.”
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