"Relentless Motor, Violent Rush and a Defensive Swiss Army Knife"

Roy Price

@royprice41

6'3, 210lbs, Class of 2027

Newark HS, OH

Roy Price brings a fierce motor, explosive quickness, and the versatility to attack an offense from several different directions. He describes himself as someone who can rush the passer, set the edge, drop into coverage, or slide inside when his team needs him there, but his willingness to handle the dirty work says just as much about his game. Special teams, extra reps, or another assignment are never beneath him because winning comes first. Roy believes God blessed him with quickness and a motor, and his goal is to use those gifts the right way every time he puts on the helmet.

The production has been hard to miss. Roy finished last season with 73 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and 7 sacks, establishing himself as a disruptive force who could wreck plays before they had a chance to develop. Three games into this season, he has already piled up 33 tackles, 3 sacks, 4 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. Preparation has helped drive that fast start, but being able to move between Edge and inside linebacker has opened even more ways for him to attack. He's reading his keys, coming downhill with purpose and finishing plays while trusting the work he put in long before the season arrived.

Roy doesn't want his game limited to chasing quarterbacks. He takes pride in being able to cover, stop the run, attack off the edge, and handle responsibilities in space because becoming dangerous in more than one area has always mattered to him. Minnesota recruited him as a rush end capable of doing all of those things, and that challenge fits exactly what he wants from football. His football IQ comes from growing up around the game, while his nonstop motor and team-first approach give him qualities that can't be measured by one defensive category.

The biggest improvement since last season has come from becoming a more complete defender. Roy was already creating havoc as a pass rusher and run stopper, but increased comfort at inside linebacker has helped him diagnose action quicker and affect games in new ways. A forced fumble, blocked punt, and safety have shown another side of that growth, while even getting carries on offense speaks to how many jobs his coaches trust him to handle. He continues building strength and sharpening his pass-rush plan, but the ability to process what's happening and respond from different spots has changed what he can bring to a defense.

His football journey has already shown achievements that go far beyond personal numbers. Helping Newark put together back-to-back winning seasons after the program went 20 years without one carries special meaning because Roy understands what that accomplishment represents for everyone around the team. Earning Defensive Line MVP at the Under Armour camp this spring helped his recruiting rise, eventually leading to 22 D I offers and a commitment to Minnesota following his official visit. Week 1 of this season provided another memorable chapter when he had a blocked punt, a safety, and a sack while also getting opportunities to carry the football, showing exactly how wide his impact can go.

Getting to this point didn't happen without doubt coming from outside voices. Recruiting developed slower for Roy than it did for others, with Group of Five interest arriving before things began taking off through camp performances and film. Being lighter than what people expected at his position created another question he had to answer, along with proving that his game offered much more than rushing the passer. Instead of worrying about rankings or somebody else’s timeline, Roy learned patience, stayed faithful, and allowed his work to do all the talking.

His offseason became another chance to attack every area that could make him more dangerous. Roy focused on getting stronger without sacrificing the explosive movement that makes him difficult to contain, while improving his hands, adding counters, and becoming more comfortable dropping into coverage. Those hours were about developing a broader arsenal instead of standing still after a productive season. His personal goal is to make a difference every Friday while continuing to grow into what Minnesota believes he can become, while Newark is chasing something even bigger as the program continues building the culture Coach Franks has established and pushes toward a championship.

Roy lives by the belief that how you do anything is how you do everything, and his routine away from game day reflects it. Early mornings, lifting, film study, extra pass-rush work, and coverage drills are all part of his grind, but his development goes beyond football. Staying in the Word matters deeply to him because faith is first in his life, while family has helped shape the standards he carries with him. His father coached at Newark, and Coach Franks coached his dad 30 years ago, giving Roy a connection to the program that reaches across generations. Education and doing things the right way have always been stressed at home, and he wants his growth to happen physically, mentally, and spiritually rather than just being known as talented.

His work before the snap gives the athletic ability another weapon. Roy checks the formation, studies the tackle’s stance, and identifies the backfield alignment before locking into his role. Whether the call sends him after the quarterback, asks him to hold the edge, or sends him into coverage, he wants to understand his job and then attack it fast. That preparation allows his natural quickness to take over without wasted movement, putting him in position to arrive at the football with bad intentions.

Coaches don't have to wonder what Roy plans to bring with him. They can expect intensity on every snap, attention to detail, and a willingness to line up wherever the team needs him. He doesn't need to be the loudest voice on the field to make his presence felt because his actions carry the message. Faith keeps him grounded, preparation keeps him ready, and a relentless desire to finish keeps him hunting until the whistle ends the play.

Roy is a dynamic defensive weapon whose explosive first step, active hands, and relentless pursuit can create problems from multiple alignments. He has the speed to close quickly, the toughness to battle against the run, and enough athletic ability to handle coverage responsibilities when called upon. His ability to shift from outside linebacker to the interior gives a defense freedom to move him around without taking away what makes him dangerous. The numbers show a proven playmaker, but his knack for producing momentum-changing moments on defense and special teams adds another layer to an already fierce skill set.

What makes Roy especially valuable is the growing understanding behind his natural gifts. He's recognizing formations quicker, studying small clues before the snap, and developing more answers instead of depending on one way to win. Continued strength gains and an expanding rush arsenal should only make his attack harder to handle as he develops toward his future at Minnesota. There is substance behind the 22 DI offers because he combines awareness, adaptability, discipline, and an unselfish mentality with the ability to disrupt an offense from different locations. Newark has a defender capable of changing the direction of a game, while Minnesota is getting a competitor determined to keep adding to everything that brought him this far.