Faith and football, two words with more meaning than most of us could ever imagine. Just ask Kamathi Holsey, a 6-4 215-pound wide receiver from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Holsey has spent the last several years living off of faith and football. Take a look at the tweet below, which briefly highlights some of the adversity he’s faced.
No offers out of high school, Grades forced me to go JUCO. I Didn’t any food to eat and went to sleep hungry on several nights. Overcame being homeless As I kept faith in GOD he has given me power to beat the odds. #JucoProduct Final Highlight Tape 👇🏾https://t.co/6ZuVYwoW5O pic.twitter.com/7B6qWA6dCk
— Kamathi Holsey (@woo215_) February 16, 2018
The Beginning
Holsey attended Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. In high school, Hosley played multiple positions on offense. Despite being a successful wide receiver and tight end in high school, grades forced him to Independence Community College. He spent two years at ICC racking up 102 receptions, 1203 yards, and 13 touchdowns. Holsey’s tremendous JuCo numbers garnered interest from other schools, including Division One Schools. Minnesota, Troy, North Carolina Central, Deleware State and Buffalo were all interested in Holsey. On January 17th Holsey committed to play football at Troy. On February 3rd, National Signing Day, Holsey committed to Buffalo instead of Troy and signed his letter of intent immediately.
Things didn’t always go the way Holsey wanted them too. As you saw in his tweet, there were times that he went to bed without food. There were times when he was living in a shelter in Philadelphia because he didn’t have a place to stay. Holsey never considered giving up. That’s not in his DNA, you have to fight for your dreams, they won’t fight for you.
I found myself in the fortunate situation to be able to talk to Holsey about his story. Trust me when I tell you that he’s a very humble human being. After our conversation, he even thanked me for taking the time to talk to him.
The Discussion
TW: I think it would be nice to get to know you a little before we get right into it. What kind of person are you off the football field? What is your motivation?
KH: Off the field, I do everything I can to be a role model. As far as my motivation goes, my family and my friends are my motivation. They have helped me get to where I am today and have stood by me through everything.
TW: On your Twitter, you talk about overcoming being homeless, and going to sleep hungry on several occasions. How were you able to overcome this while still keeping your dreams intact?
KH: God is how I was able to make it through. I prayed, and I never gave up. There were times when I was discouraged, but I never gave up.
TW: You had outstanding numbers in JuCo; 102 receptions for 1203 yards and 13 touchdowns. What was your biggest takeaway from JuCo, and how did it help you grow?
KH: When I went to JuCo, I just needed some more experience. In high school, I went to a powerhouse school, and I dealt with injuries, so my senior year was the first time I was really able to play to my fullest ability. I knew my potential, but I needed more experience to be able to prove myself to other coaches out there.
TW: What would you consider your greatest strengths as a wide receiver to be?
KH: As a wide receiver I have great hands and I am also a great route runner.
TW: The 7 overtime game against Western Michigan really seemed to highlight the great season you had. Was there anything specific that you changed before this big performance?
KH: To be honest, nothing really changed for that game. It was just the gameplan, we knew they were going to double-team AJ ( Wide Receiver, Anthony Johnson) so I knew I needed to take advantage of the opportunities given to me. When the ball came my way, I was able to make the most out of it.
TW: What was the most significant difference between your Junior and your Senior year at Buffalo?
KH: Experience for sure, the game is definitely faster in Division 1 than it is in JuCo. After a year of experience, I was able to perform better.
TW: From homeless to JuCo, to Division 1 football. You have an inspiring story Kamathi. The Titans GM Jon Robinson loves stories like yours. What would it mean to you to be able to play for the Tennessee Titans?
KH: It would be an honor to play for the Titans. They have a great history there, and I really like what they are doing right now. They have Corey Davis and Tajae Sharpe, along with a great Quarterback in Marcus Mariota.
TW: What advice would you give someone who was considering giving up on their dreams?
KH: I’m a religious guy, so if they were religious too I would tell them to pray. You have to take things one day at a time. Every day won’t be the same, it won’t always be bad, and it won’t always be good. Just take it one day at a time, don’t give up.
TW: I’ve read that you might have a workout coming up with the Buffalo Bills, is that true?
KH: I do, it’s actually this Friday.
TW: If a GM asked you what you would bring, that another prospect wouldn’t, what would you tell him?
KH: My work ethic is a big one. Every day when I train, I’m training to get better both on and off the field. I have a willingness to do everything I can every day. I would also tell him how I’d love to be able to give back to the community that drafted me.
TW: Is there anything you want teams to know about you, that they might not already know?
KH: I will be all in with any team that picks me. I will have pride, and I will be a role model for their organization.
Thanks for reading everyone, whoever takes Kamathi is going to get a very bright young man. Feel free to follow Kamathi on twitter @woo215_ to continue following his incredible journey. Titans fans, be on the lookout for his name because we could use another playmaker. If you enjoyed this story and are interested in more Titans and NFL stories, follow me on twitter @twoodworth7. The NFL Draft is right around the corner, get ready. #TitanUp
