HIGHLAND — If asked to identify the fastest player on any given football team, the inclination for just about everyone would be to consider those playing receiver, defensive back or even running back.
But for Lone Peak, a premier 6A program, the fastest player on the team this year just happens to play at defensive end.
“He’s a special player. The one thing that makes him special, maybe more so than anything else, is he never stops. He really doesn’t know how to quit with anything he does, and we see it on film every week and we’ve seen it with every practice he’s been a part of.” — Lone Peak coach Bart Brockbank, on John Henry Daley
His name is John Henry Daley, and although he has been surprisingly underhyped by national recruiting services, he presents an extraordinary skill set to his position that has paid off big on the field.
“He’s a special player, and yeah, he really is the fastest player on our entire team,” said Lone Peak coach Bart Brockbank. “We raced in the spring — the entire team — and he beat everyone. He’s on the 4x100 relay team and yeah, he’s absolutely a freak athlete.”
Ask Daley, and he proudly confirms his coach’s report.
“Yes, sir,” Daley answers with a grin when asked if he is, indeed the fastest player on an athletic Lone Peak varsity squad. “I can beat all of them. I got them. I just figure the best way to get to the quarterback is by getting there as fast as possible, so I’ve been blessed to be able to run like I can and I’ve really worked to focus on that part of my game.”
So just how fast is the 6-foot-4, 225-pound defensive end who has already accounted for 10.5 sacks through seven games this season?
Daley claims a 10.9 100 meters time and a sub 4.6 40-yard dash time, which is impressive for most football players, but particularly for someone playing defensive end.
Of course, a lot more goes into excelling at football than speed, and Daley has tested above the curve with most physical and mental aspects, as well.
“He’s a special player,” Brockbank said. “The one thing that makes him special, maybe more so than anything else, is he never stops. He really doesn’t know how to quit with anything he does, and we see it on film every week and we’ve seen it with every practice he’s been a part of.”
In this way, Daley is much like his older brother, Michael Daley, who signed to play at BYU back in 2019. While playing for Lone Peak, Michael Daley led the state in sacks, recording 24 during the 2018 season, which is sixth all-time in state history.
John Henry readily credits his older brother for playing a big role in his own development.
“He was always great in teaching me all the proper techniques and working with me on how to improve,” John Henry said. “So having that extra mentor at my house all the time was certainly a big benefit for me and I’m truly grateful to have him as my older brother.”
Although John Henry hasn’t been promoted much by national recruiting services, more than a few prominent programs have shown interest, such as Stanford, UCLA and BYU, among several others.
So will John Henry follow his older brother Michael in signing with BYU?
“I’m still considering all my options,” he said. “Right now I’m focused on the season with this being my senior season. After the season I’ll focus a lot more on it and then make the best decision I can.”
Of course, doing as much is complicated this year due to the COVID-19 contacting restrictions brought about the NCAA extending the recruiting dead period until January, which has thrown a wrench into almost every recruit’s plans. Even so, John Henry plans to sign during the December signing period and has plans to serve a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, although when that will be is yet to be decided.
As for what he’ll bring to the program he signs with, Brockbank believes he’ll prove a tremendous contributor.
“With his work ethic and overall mentality he brings to his freakish athletic skill set — there’s just no doubt he’ll be an amazing player in college,” Brockbank said. “We’ve been really fortunate to have him in the program, along with his brother. They’re both just exceptional in every way.”