Sports Illustrated HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

Presented byTHE U.S. MARINE CORPS

MCTELVIN AGIM, a senior defensive end at Hope (Ark.) High, is known simply as Sosa to his friends, coaches and anyone in the stands at Bobcats games on Friday nights, as the announcer repeats the moniker on play after play. The No. 1 recruit in the state and ninth in the country is the top defensive recruit ever to commit to Arkansas. At 6'3", 278 pounds, he benches 405 and runs the 40 in 4.58 seconds. His stats off the field, though, are just as impressive: In a few weeks Sosa is set to graduate with a 3.80 GPA and 13 college credits already under his belt. Raised by a single mom and a village of female relatives, he credits his late grandmother, Charlie B. McGraw, with instilling in him a relentless work ethic. "You can't get complacent," he says. "That's when a downfall happens, and I refuse to be one of those people."

For more of Sosa's story, visit SI.com/HSathlete

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ALEXANDRA FENWICK FOR SPORTS ILLUSTRATED (AGIM)