Stephen Bryant’s versatility made him into one of the top two-way football players on the South Plains for the past two years, and it could be a big reason why the New Deal senior will fit so well with his college choice.

Known for taking small-town players with ability and converting them into big-time talents, TCU plucked a prime athlete from the South Plains on Wednesday when Bryant, New Deal’s talented quarterback and defensive back, signed his national letter of intent — but as a tight end.

“I kind of wanted to play defense, you know, safety and that hitting mentality come to mind,” Bryant said shortly before his signing ceremony at the New Deal Gym. “But TCU is the kind of school that can take a quarterback and make him into a tight end, or take a receiver and make them into a defensive end, all that good stuff. They’re going to put you where they feel like you’ll be the best you can be, so I don’t have any problem going and playing tight end.”

New Deal senior Stephen Bryant, center, talks with his mother Audra Bryant on Wednesday before signing a national letter of intent to play football for Texas Christian University. (Zach Long/Avalanche-Journal)

In his two years at New Deal — he moved from Snyder before his junior year — Bryant did a little bit of everything, and in doing so became one of the top players in this part of the state. In addition to being named The Avalanche-Journal Class 1A Defensive Player of the Year, he was also named first-team all-state by the Associated Press, and this week earned second-team all-state honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association.

Bryant chose TCU over Baylor, Tulsa, North Texas and Iowa State.

He played quarterback for two years for the Lions, and this past season rushed for 606 yards and 13 touchdowns on 71 carries and completed 19 of 36 passes for 364 yards and four touchdowns, all while splitting time with Isaac Chavez-Ward and playing a majority of the season with an injured shoulder.

Bryant had an even bigger impact on the Lions’ defense as a safety, finishing with 78 tackles, six interceptions, four pass breakups, three caused fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

“He is special, and I think TCU has got a fantastic athlete who is going to make a difference in their program one day, and it might be next year,” New Deal coach Ron Mayo said. “He will be a difference-maker, and I think he has the potential to be an NFL player some day. He can play any position, any place on the field.”

Bryant was one of two area players to sign with Division I colleges.

Monterey offensive lineman Richard Abbe, a member of The A-J’s All-City and All-South Plains 5A-4A team, signed a letter of intent to play for Todd Dodge and North Texas, choosing the Mean Green over New Mexico State, New Mexico and West Texas A&M.

UNT is in the midst of building a new 30,000-plus seat stadium to replace the aging Fouts Field, and it has already constructed new athletic department and training facilities within the last five years with an enhanced commitment to football.

“It was just really the beautiful environment it has around it,” Abbe said of the Denton campus. “There’s so much activity building and they’re about to build a new stadium. It was exciting to get to go down there and be a part of that. Coach Dodge is doing some good up there and has had a few years to build and I think they’re going to make a breakthrough next season.”

Monterey installed the spread option offense under first-year head coach Todd Pearson in 2009, struggling at times but improving toward the latter half of the season. Abbe was a big part of that improvement as the Plainsmen finished the season averaging more than 200 rushing yards per game.

Abbe said coaches have informed him he could have the chance to play in the fall as long as he continues to get bigger and can improve on his speed.

Both players, who will be competing at schools roughly 40 miles apart, are taking influences learned from competition and applying them to their future. Bryant and Abbe both hope to become coaches some day, with Bryant focusing on exercise and sports science and Abbe on agriculture and kinesiology with hopes of becoming an agriculture teacher as well.

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SIGNEES ON THE SOUTH PLAINS
A list of area high school football players who signed national letters of intent on Wednesday to play collegiately (those who accepted preferred walk-on offers also are included and designated with an asterisk):
DIVISION I
Monterey: Richard Abbe, 6-4, 297, OL, North Texas
New Deal: Stephen Bryant, 6-4, 215, TE, TCU
NON-DIVISION I
Lubbock High: Nathan Slaughter, 5-10, 168, WR, West Texas A&M; Kellen Hearn*, 6-3, 200, WR, West Texas A&M; Ty Brantley, 5-11, 155, DB, New Mexico Military Institute
Coronado: Gerald Barker, 6-3, 278, OL, West Texas A&M; William Chiodo*, 6-2, 292, DL, West Texas A&M
Frenship: Jordan Nichols, 6-3, 250, OL, West Texas A&M
Plainview: Jacob Hinojos, 6-1, 215, OLB/DE, West Texas A&M
Shallowater: Logan Powell*, 6-0, 180, QB, West Texas A&M; Desmond Wright*, 6-2, 200, WR, West Texas A&M
Sudan: B.J. Davis, 6-7, 215, TE/LB, Angelo State; Rhett Sain, 6-5, 265, OL, Eastern New Mexico
Seminole: Daniel Allen, 6-1, 240, DL, Eastern New Mexico