Jalen Osbourne is the star running back of the Ardsley Panthers. But, you may have also seen him playing the kick returner or cornerback. No matter what position, Jalen shines on the field and has been recognized for his exceptional performance before the start of the football season when he was named one of Lohud’s Super 11 Players. Jalen shared that he not only felt honored but that “it felt amazing and I think it was one of the best experiences of my life.”
Although the Ardsley Panthers have had a great season, there have been some tough teams. Currently, Jalen thinks that the hardest opponent he has faced was Byram Hills. He said, “They’re really good. They gave us a rough time, but we came out with a win in the end.” Previously, Jalen played football at White Plains where he felt the hardest team he played was New Rochelle, “a top-notch football team. They have a few Super 11s.”
Jalen credits Ardsley’s great season so far to his “whole offensive line. They’ve been blocking, everything they’ve been doing, it’s crazy, it’s out of this world.” And most importantly, Jalen notes, “If they’re ready, I’m ready.” In terms of heading into the playoffs, Jalen thinks the team has a chance to go as far as they did last year, and maybe even do better.
Even though Jalen can be seen playing many different positions, he claims his favorite is “running back one hundred percent.” He loves “getting the ball and making defenders miss, getting to the end zone.”
As a star athlete, Jalen has idolized some of the great athletes of our generation. Jalen says, “One of the athletes I look up to is Saquon Barkley. I really picture myself being a running back like him, being explosive, and having good character.” Jalen is also a huge NFL fan. He thinks that the 49ers may win the Super Bowl. His favorite team is the New York Giants. After Barkley, his second favorite player is Le’Veon Bell. And, “the best all-around player is Odell Beckham Jr.”
Since it is Jalen’s senior year, this will be the last year he plays for the Ardsley Panthers. Jalen’s brother, Glenmour Osbourne was also an Ardsley football player and is currently an athlete at Marist College. Jalen looks forward to following in his footsteps and playing sports at college. He would like to “take it to the next level and show [his] talents at the college level. [He] believes [he] can be successful.” And he says he talks to his brother about playing at college all of the time. Since Jalen is also a state-ranked sprinter, track is a huge part of his life. He says that he struggles when thinking about which he would choose if he could only play one in college: track or football. When the time comes, he says that he will have to decide.
But, if he had to choose to be on the Super Bowl-winning NFL team or on the U.S. Olympic track team, he would pick the “Super Bowl team one hundred percent.” Jalen has received interest from a few colleges and is in the process of exploring his options. Ardsley is rooting for Jalen for the remainder of the football season and as he goes onto college!
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