Nashua South's Pacheco focused on being at best for football season

Unlike some soon-to-be high school seniors, Jaylen Pacheco doesn't mind when asked about what his plans for the future might be.

The way he looks at, if someone is asking the Nashua High School South running back if he thinks he'll play at the next level, it must mean he's doing something right.

And now that's he at a hundred percent, Pacheco has been focusing his offseason efforts not just on getting ready for his final season in a Panthers uniform, but also for what is going to be best for when he gets to the collegiate level.

[This story also appears in the 2018 Football Prospectus. Pre-order your copy by clicking here.]

"It’s a great question to ask," Pacheco said. "If they’re asking you if you want to play at the next level, that means they can see something in you and you can get there. That’s why I changed the way I train. The first couple of years, I just tried to get big and strong, and that’s not going to make a good football player. I have to get fast and athletic."

That has led to a summer of not just lifting, but also losing weight, as Pacheco, who also plays inside linebacker for South, has tried to put himself in the best position he can.

"With the weight loss, he’s improved his agility and that will allow him to play faster," South coach Scott Knight said. "At the next level, it’s all about the speed of the game, and he has that. He’s learned he can still maintain his strength and be fit. He’s heading in the right direction."

It's a big step from his junior season, when Pacheco was a little bit bigger, but also played through a significant injury.

"He went into the season last year damaged," Knight said. "He already had a torn labrum, but we didn’t know that. It got to a point midseason where he couldn’t pick up his arm. He made it through the year and did some good things for us, but we were playing with a half of Jaylen. I’m anxious to see a senior version, more fit and healthy."

Despite slimming down, Pacheco doesn't envision his game changing all that much, as he's always had a nose for contact no matter which side of the ball he's playing.

"Everyone wants to score a touchdown, but I want to hit people," he said. "If I’m running the ball, I’m not the type of guy who is going to juke around you, I’m going to run through you. Defense though, I don’t have to worry about having the ball. I can just run through you."

It's that kind of attitude that football coaches wish they could get more of, according to Knight.

"If you ask any coach, everybody wants to be able to play some kind of physical football," he said. "When you have physical kids, it allows you to do that. Some years, you have more of those guys. He’s a kid who has that element. It’s good to have on your side, for sure."

Pacheco has had that physical edge to his game for as long as he can remember, going back to when he started playing football at the age of six. For South's spread offense, it gives the Panthers an element that they haven't always had.

"Our offense is based on passing and the skill positions are very important," Pacheco said. "But at the same time, it’s nice to know, for me, that they can rely on me if we need those short-yardage situations. They trust me enough to go to me every time."

Last year, he split time at running back with Jarrett Bieren when both players were healthy, which left both fresh enough to play defense at the same time. This season, until someone else emerges who can adequately fill in for Pacheco, he's the one who will be carrying the load for the Panthers.

"Right now, he is the guy, especially as fit as he his," Knight said. "We’ll see who emerges. There’s a few guys, but we’re just not sure right now.

"A kid like that is going to hit the ground running. He can call out formations and stuff, he knows his reads. It’s a matter of refining the stuff. His increased mobility is really going to help."

Pacheco, who also plays lacrosse and plans to run indoor track, hopes that's the case, not just for the 2018 season, but beyond.

"I’m strong, but I have to be better in ways that are good for football," he said. "At the next level, you have to be fast at everything. You have to be strong, and if you can move quick and change direction, that’s what I’m trying to do."