Nathan Tilford, 15, was offered a USC scholarship before he played a single down of high school football. Mario Solis reports on NBC4 News at 11 p.m. on Monday, June 10, 2013.
Nathan Tilford isn't your average 15 year old.
The 6-foot-2 inch, 190-pound freshman was used to playing football against bigger kids, and he was ready start his high school career on Upland High School's varsity team.
What surprised him, and the rest of the sports world, was an astoundingly early scholarship offer from the University of Southern California - before he has even played a single down in a high school football game - for when Nathan graduates high school in 2017.
Nathan told NBC4 he has always been a fan of USC football.
The university recently summoned Nathan to a skills camp and put him through drills.
"I just did my best I could do and just showed them what I was able to do," Nathan said. He recalled being called up to the office, where the coach offered him a scholarship.
"I was speechless," Nathan said. "I said yes right away. That has been my dream school. This is where I wanted to go, and I made it here."
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For the next four years, Nathan said he wants to stay humble, focus on getting better and stay on top of school.
