North Oldham lineman Gradey Anthony's journey to Louisville football worth the weight
With all the success he has achieved on the football field, you likely wouldn't guess that North Oldham offensive lineman Gradey Anthony only started playing the sport in eighth grade.
"Looking at football teams, they always seem more close together than every other team that I've ever seen. So, I definitely was looking for the family aspect out of that and how much they can work together. You know, always kind of lean on each other," said Anthony, who recently committed to Louisville football.
Anthony started as a fullback, but his middle school team needed more size up front. Anthony was already over 6 feet, so he made the transition and stuck with it.
As a freshman, Anthony spent his downtime with his coaches, asking for advice, getting in extra practice reps and watching film.
The Mustangs junior played lacrosse until this year. After his commitment to the Cardinals, Anthony wanted to spend more time in the weight room and prioritize football.
Going into his junior season, Anthony weighed about 226 pounds partly because he would lose a lot of weight during lacrosse season.
"I still performed well. But whenever I talked to coaches after the camps, they would always say, you know, great, you did an amazing job today. You know, we love your footwork, we love your athleticism, we just need you to put on more weight, which is totally understandable at a collegiate level. You don't see linemen who are 230," Anthony said.
"This year, since then, I have been putting on weight. I'm now weighing around 271. My goal going into Louisville is going to be around the 275 to 280 mark."
Anthony is the first U of L commit from the region in the Class of 2025.
"If I had gone to any other college that wasn't close by, it would have been difficult for (family) to attend games, and I also want them to be along on this journey with me," Anthony said.
"I still want to have an influence within the North Oldham community prior to me going to Louisville. If that's coming by for practice and just talking to some of my old teammates and friends. That's something I want to do, and I want to make sure that I leave a big impact within my community."
Anthony values being close to his family, and he discussed his special bond with his grandfather.
Anthony said his grandfather was the one who got him to play football, and he always checked in with him after each game.
Anthony even took his grandfather on a game-day visit earlier this year. "I wanted to show him what modern-day college football is like from an athlete standpoint," Anthony said.
"He always mentions during games that he can see himself out on the field playing right alongside me. And it just warms my heart hearing that from my grandfather because that's the impression I want to give."
With his senior year approaching, Anthony is confident North Oldham will build on last season, defeat South Oldham and make a deep playoff run.
With Brock Roberts as its new head coach, North Oldham had its first winning season (7-5) since 2014.
"He does everything you ask him. He's the type of player that every coach would love to have the opportunity to coach just because he gives you zero attitude. His work ethic is top-notch," Roberts said of Anthony.
"Earning a full scholarship to the University of Louisville. I think that is a dream come true for kids that grow up in this area, so I'm very excited that he gets to experience it and that all his hard work is paying off."
Reach sports reporter Prince James Story at pstory@gannett.com and follow him on X at @PrinceJStory.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: North Oldham OL Gradey Anthony earns Louisville football scholarship
