When Putnam City North’s Carson Laverty and his dad, Panther head coach Ryan Laverty, ventured to Dallas recently to attend the USA Football National Team Selection Combine, they were just hoping the sophomore quarterback would gain some valuable experience for future camps.
Not only did Carson acquire the experience of competing against many of the top high school players in the country, but he also performed so well that he was named one of the top quarterbacks of the entire event.
“It was just a great experience to just be able to compete with other guys you don’t know,” stated Carson. “Overall, it’s about the friendships you make when you’re there.”
The combine, for prep players in the Class of 2022, 2023 and 2024, had 100 kids participating at each of four positions: quarterback, wide receiver, tight end and defensive back. Each player went through standard camp testing (40 yard dash, shuttle run, cone drills, etc.) and then went through specific competitions and drills for each position.
“I think I did pretty well in all those combine events,” claimed Carson. “The main thing I wanted to focus on was the throwing portion of it. I knew I wouldn’t win the eye test, but I knew with my skills and what I know that it would help me prove myself to them that I can be the top guy there. That’s kind of what helped me through it.”
“He was the shortest one there,” said Ryan. “Right now, he’s right around 5-10, 5-11. He played well and had good technique and delivered the ball. He did everything he needed to do.”
“It was a great experience and a lot of fun,” added Coach Laverty. “It showed him that he can compete at that level. It was really exciting for him. He was going up against some of the best guys from all over the country.”
“His name was the first quarterback that was called,” recalled Ryan. “It was shocking for me because I wasn’t expecting anything of that caliber. We just wanted to go through it have a good experience.”
Claiming such an honor at a large camp like the USA Football National Team Selection Combine should do wonders for Carson’s confidence heading into his final two prep seasons.
“It’s going to boost my confidence a lot,” admitted Carson, who also plans on attending a Rivals camp in St. Louis as well as a couple of Six Star camps this summer. “Coming off a really good season will really help me a bunch too. It will kind of make me focus more and grind harder to where I want to be, which is to play at the next level.“
The Panthers advanced to the state quarterfinals last season, and they’ve got their sights set on bigger goals this fall.
“Carson had a great sophomore campaign,” remarked Ryan. “He managed the offense how we wanted him to. He took care of the football. He only threw two interceptions all year. He threw right at almost 70 percent completions. He’s going to continue to get quicker and better at decision making as he continues to get older. That’s one of the things we’re looking forward to, how quickly he can process things.”
“First, I just want to bring my team a state championship,” added Carson. “That’s my goal. That’s what I’ve always wanted to do. I just want to encourage all the guys and have a positive attitude. That means a lot to me.”
