He’s just really determined, and just made himself into the one of the best receivers in the country if not the best. “We coached him in high school but he went above and beyond anything we could have done with or for him. Mayfield coach Ross Bandiera hopes Isabella’s message makes an impact on his players. On Sundays, the facility is off limits for members of the football team.įormer coach Mark Whipple and his wife saw Isabella that Sunday, and gave him a hard time, but Isabella chalked that incident to “being dedicated to what you do, to what you love.” Isabella talked about the one time he got in trouble at UMass, and that was when he went to the football facility on a Sunday for extra treatment. And I think all that has carried me to where I’m at today … To take your game to the next level, you have to do the little things right.”

I’m (5-foot-8, 190 pounds),” Isabella told about 35 players in Mayfield’s locker room. His first year he admitted to struggling with the playbook, but by the time he was a senior he had 102 receptions for 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns, and made seven All-America teams. Isabella’s rise from a relative unknown upon arriving at UMass as a high school running back to an All-American and finalist for the Biletnikoff Award (given to the nation’s top receiver) is the stuff of storybooks. Other messages include there being no shortcuts, and what you do off the field is just as important as on the field. Isabella’s message to the team was a reminder his situation is rare, but with hard work dreams can come true. On April 24, Isabella surprised the Wildcats football team with Coach Ross Bandiera in their locker room moments before an early morning voluntary offseason workout.

Whichever team selects him, the Mayfield community will likely be watching. It could be the Browns in Round 2 or 3, or maybe even the Super Bowl champion Patriots. If there's one thing Andy Isabella's proven since his days as a 5-foot-6 wide receiver at nearby Mayfield High, it's that he rises to the occasion, no matter the competition. The draft starts April 25, but it’s not until the next day on April 26 – when Rounds 2 and 3 are played out – that Isabella is expected to be selected. Hard work and sacrifices have been needed to get from Mayfield High School – where he had one FBS scholarship offer to UMass – to where he is this week, and that’s as one of the NFL Draft’s top prospects. Andy Isabella is just days away from seeing his dream become reality, but getting to this point hasn’t been easy.

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