Jamil Muhammad Of James Clemens Commits To Vanderbilt
MADISON- After others turned their backs and ran away, Vanderbilt University stayed the course with James Clemens quarterback Jamil Muhammad as the up and coming senior Jet verbally committed to accept a scholarship to the Southeastern Conference School in Nashville, Tenn.
“I feel it is a great fit for me as a person and student-athlete as the school has a great athletic and academic atmosphere,” said Muhammad just hours after announcing his commitment on Twitter. “All of the coaches at Vandy opened their arms to me and treated me like family. I think I made a good choice.”
The 6-foot-2, 217-pound Muhammad missed all of last season after suffering an ACL tear during summer workouts on July 11, 2017. He was expected to be the starting quarterback his junior season after taking over as starting quarterback in the third game of his sophomore outing. His strong arm, quick feet and heads up play were drawing the attention of numerous college scouts as he’s listed as a three-star recruit.
Once he suffered the injury many of those schools stopped approaching the multi-talented athlete. As his senior year approached Muhammad narrowed his choices to Vanderbilt, Miss State and Memphis. The choice was easy according to Muhammad. “When you go to Vandy you will be set for something special the remainder of your life with a great education,” he said.
While at the highly decorated academic school Muhammad expects to earn a degree in business and finance and work on a master’s degree in the same area of education. Like many high school athletes, he, too, has dreams of playing in the National Football League, but being an intelligent student-athlete with a 3.75 grade point average, he understands how important an education can be when dreams are not fulfilled.
“I want to own my own business or work as a manager of a big corporation should my thoughts on the NFL don’t pan out,” said Muhammad.
Answering to the nicknames of “J-Rock” and “Money Mil”, Muhammad has been busily attending football summer camps and working out with teammates five days a week at James Clemens. He said he is focusing on his craft to prepare for what he hopes will be a banner senior season for the Jets.
“I’ve vastly improved my throwing accuracy and I feel I can light up any defense that comes my way,” he said. “I’m also working on my cerebral game as I know I’ll need both the mental and physical aspects of the position to play well.”
Muhammad feels he’s more than 100-percent ready for the 2018 season and doesn’t often think of his knee injury as he feels his tolerance to those type of dilemmas is as high as humanly possible as he spoke of an injury he suffered six years ago.
“My friends and I were playing basketball at a neighbor’s outside goal and I went up for a slam dunk and on the way down my right leg hit a nail that was protruding from the goalpost,” said Muhammad. “The nail ripped open my shin and areas around my leg. Doctors had to sew me up and that injury left a perfect ‘V’ scar that you can see.”
Muhammad is a well-spoken young man who has his eyes set on an outstanding senior season of football, advancing to college for an education, possibly playing professional football and opening his own business. While all of those are certainly within his reach, Muhammad said he has one more goal to meet. “I want to learn how to play the piano.”
