RECRUITING: Strong arm, mind leads The Meadows’ Gosse to Princeton

A strong arm and 6-foot-3-inch frame made Garrett Gosse an intriguing quarterback prospect to several college football programs.

A weighted 4.87 GPA didn’t hurt his chances, either.

It added up to Gosse having a final trio in the recruiting process of Princeton, Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

An opportunity to play quarterback emerged at Princeton, and Gosse made an oral commitment to the Tigers on Monday.

“It was an exciting yet stressful process,” Gosse said. “It got to the point where there wasn’t a bad decision out there.”

Ivy League schools do not grant athletic scholarships, and national letters of intent are not involved in the process. But The Meadows coach Frank DeSantis said he expects Gosse to play eventually.

“I think it relaxes him now; he’s focused more,” DeSantis said. “This is a great honor, not only for Garrett, but his teachers, his coaches and most importantly, his family. They’re the ones who set him in the right direction. But when it comes down to it, it’s Garrett who had the drive.”

Gosse passed for 2,700 yards and 32 touchdowns with six interceptions as a senior, leading The Meadows (8-3) to the Class 2A state semifinals.

“I think my biggest strengths are being able to see the field and the mental aspect of the game,” Gosse said.

Gosse led the Mustangs to the 2A state football title in 2009. He’s also a versatile forward in basketball and an ace right-hander in baseball, ranking among the school’s most prolific all-time athletes.

Gosse was a 2A first-team all-state pick in all three sports as a junior, but he added an even more significant honor as a senior.

The standout student-athlete was awarded the national male Wendy’s High School Heisman in December at a ceremony in New York.

Gosse, who plans to study engineering in college, said the combination of getting to compete for playing time at quarterback and pursue a Princeton education was too much to pass up.

Gosse said Princeton’s basketball program also has a two-week workout period in the fall in which he will explore the possibility of playing multiple sports.

He added he’ll be representing more than himself at Princeton.

“I’m looking forward to going out there and competing,” he said. “It’s a strong program. I’m looking forward to representing Nevada and The Meadows.”