| Hunter Bates |
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High School: PrepStar All-Southeast Region defensive back ... Ranked 75th-best safety nationally by ESPN/Scouts, Inc. ... First-team all-state Class 4A selection ... First-team All-St. Johns River Conference and first-team All-First Coast honoree ... Also an outstanding punt returner ... Helped lead the Panthers to a three-year record (2005-07) of 40-5, which included a state championship his sophomore season ... Nease went 13-2 in 2005, and then 14-1 in '06 and 13-2 in '07 ... Played two years (2004-05) with quarterback Tim Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Florida ... Team finished as the 4A state runners-up in 2006 and '07 ... Totaled 135 tackles, four interceptions and four punt returns for touchdowns ... Team captain ... Lettered four years as a safety ... Also played and lettered three years of lacrosse (middie) for Nease ... Coached by Craig Howard.
Personal: Born Hunter James Bates on 5/24/1989 ... Son of Bill and Denise Bates ... Father, Bill, played football at Tennessee before going on to an illustrious 15-year career as a safety with the Dallas Cowboys ... Is a triplet, with a brother, Graham, intending to play football at Arkansas State, and a sister, Brianna, who is still undecided on a college to play volleyball.
