School: Olathe North
Graduated: 2002
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 220lbs.
Position: Linebacker
Royal Whitaker may easily be the most overlooked player of the Olathe North dynasty of the late 90s and early 2000s. Most people seem to forget that it was Whitaker who opened holes from the fullback position for Simone Award winners Darren Sproles and Maurice Mack. Or the fact that Whitaker was a two way starter who helped his team win two state titles.
Following a somewhat under appreciated junior season, Whitaker rose to become one of the best players in Kansas as a senior. Offensively as a fullback, he cleared the way for Mack’s 2,089 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns. Whitaker himself added 422 rushing yards along with five rushing touchdowns. He also caught eight passes, four of which resulted in touchdowns.
Defensively Whitaker also dominated as a senior. He made 125 tackles during the 2001 season, 63 of which were solo tackles, including a team leading 6 solo tackles for loss. For his efforts, Whitaker was named First Team All-State Class 6A in 2001, in addition to earning a spot on the Kansas Top 11 team. He was also named a First-Team linebacker by KC Metro Sports. Whitaker went on to play at D-1AA Southern Illinois, where he was an All-Conference performer at the linebacker position.
4 comments:
Having had the honor of playing next to Royal for three years at ONHS, I can tell you that no single player meant as much to the linebacking corps, defense, and 2001 team as Royal did. I have the utmost respect for men like Jon Lamb, Josh Carrol, Jon Pickens, Maurice Mack, and others that played their hearts out on the 2001 Eagles, but Royal Whitaker was the heart and soul of that team. Once an Eagle, always an Eagle
I will take bryce Morris from olathe south as the next wide out on the board.
Great pick on Royal
That is a joke right Bryce Morris doesn't make the all decade 3rd team.
jay gore was better than bryce playing at the same time... i'd even take that kid from 2003 who played for smn the fast white kid
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