Smith-Cotton High School senior Connor Ladd has accepted a scholarship to play football for Avila University in Kansas City.

Ladd is a three-year varsity starter and three-year letter winner for the Tigers football team; he also was a team captain his senior year. He is a two-time winner of the Ralph “Stub” Dow Award, given to the Tigers’ top defensive back; this year, he also was awarded the William “Bill” Noland Scholarship and the Caleb Stathem Scholarship, and was named the Tigers’ Special Forces Player of the Year. Ladd was selected for the KMZU Dream Team and was named to the Central Missouri Activities All-Conference second team as a kick returner and the All-District first team as a defensive back.

Martin Mathis, assistant football coach at Avila University, said he’s watched Ladd’s film and sees him as a dual threat, with the ability to play either wide receiver or defensive back.

“He’s savvy, he’s a ball hawk,” Mathis said. “When he plays defensive back, he knows where the ball is going. He has pre-play reads that are magnificent and that is what you want on defense, you want a guy back there who knows where the ball is going and he gets after it. Offensively, he has great hands.”

Josh Gray, Smith-Cotton football head coach, said: “I’m excited for Connor and his new opportunity. His hard work over the years has paid off. I’m excited to see what the new chapter brings for him; I know he will do great things.”

Photos courtesy of Smith-Cotton High School