The Taft School wide receiver Skyler Bell may just be a junior, but has already landed scholarship offers from Iowa, Virginia, Rutgers, and UMASS. We caught up with his head coach, Tyler Whitley, to get the latest on the Class of 2021 prospect, who plans to visit Iowa City later this month with teammate Diante Vines.

Q: What type of player has he been for you?

WHITLEY: He is extremely impressive athletically. He is 6-1, almost 190-pounds with a 40-inch vertical and he ran a 4.51 at Penn State. Physically, he looks like what you would make on Madden if you were making a receiver. He has good ball skills, he is tough, and he is a worker. He really works hard on his craft and is a very good ball player. He is also a track runner who is a multi-sport athlete. His father is a personal trainer, so he has been working with him since he was able to walk. He is a kid that is very focused on what it takes to be an athlete at the highest level, and he is doing everything he can to get to that point.

Q: What parts of his game is he working on going forward?

WHITLEY: He is starting both ways, so he is also playing safety. It is nice to have those two (Bell and Vines). They start at receiver, safety, and they return together. Sky is working on his hands. He has very good hands, but it is something he is working on. Obviously, he is still continuing to work on route running and being smooth in his cuts as well.

Q: How is his season going overall?

WHITLEY: It is a really great season. We are using him in a lot of different roles. Last year as a sophomore, he was very good but statistically didn’t have a huge year. It was his first year playing varsity football. This year, his impact has been awesome.

Q: How is the relationship between the two of them?

WHITLEY: They have a great relationship and get along really well. The nice thing is that they know each of them can get the job done and they are looking to each other. If one is double covered, the other will be open. They have a good bond and they know that each will do the best that they can do.

Q: Does he project out at wide receiver?

WHITLEY: Yes. It is the same thing with him. He is so athletically impressive and such a good athlete that can play on either side of the ball. He sees himself as a receiver and that is where his future lies, even though some see him as a defensive back as well.

Q: How is he as a leader?

WHITLEY: Very good. He is still young, so he still is learning the whole process. At this point, he leads a lot with his play and by example. He will continue to take on that leadership as he continues to mature.

Q: When did Iowa end up offering him?

WHITLEY: It was the same time as Diante. It was the same day when Coach Copeland got a chance to evaluate. They were both offered on the same day.

Q: What other colleges are in the picture for him at this point?

WHITLEY: Right now, he has offers from Virginia, Rutgers, UMASS, and Iowa. Then he has a lot of interest from a lot of schools you can name. It’ll be teams like Duke, Syracuse, and Penn State. I’ll be surprised if when they see his junior film that he just doesn’t take off and have most of the FBS schools interested.