NFL legacy Gaige Weddle is writing his own story

San Diego (Calif.) Rancho Bernardo two-way star Gaige Weddle is starting to come around on the notion that he can’t play both quarterback and safety in college.

“I keep telling him it’s not going to be possible,” Weddle’s father and head coach Eric Weddle said. “He says, ‘Why not?’ I said, ‘Because the coach won’t let you.’”

As unconventional as it may be, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Weddle has the talent to do it. 

Bursting on the scene as a freshman

Last fall, Weddle completed over 63 percent of his passes for 1,115 yards and 12 touchdowns to just two interceptions, with another 635 yards and nine more scores on the ground. He had 90 tackles, an interception and forced fumble from his post in the secondary. The film, the pedigree (the elder Weddle is a Super Bowl Champ, a five-time NFL All-Pro and part of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team) and the potential led to Rivals ranking Weddle as the No. 1 athlete and No. 3 prospect overall in the 2028 Rivals Top 100 on Monday.

“My dad brought it up to me,” the younger Weddle said. “‘Gaige, you’re going to have to decide in college. Nobody’s ever done that before.’ “I’m at the age I kind of understand that and it’s probably not possible but right now it’s so hard to choose. When I play safety, I miss quarterback. And when I play quarterback, I miss safety.”

His father doesn’t see it getting any easier on his son.

“This will be a big year,” Eric said. “I expect him to really put himself in the mix as one of the best quarterbacks in this class, and I really believe if not the best safety in the class. He really loves both. The responsibility of both. He loves what they bring. He’s kind of naive in the sense he’s always played both. I see both in him. He’s done things at safety I’ve done in the NFL, and he’s done things I could never do on the football field. He’s worked really hard.”

Growing up around the game

Weddle heads into his sophomore season with scholarship offers from Utah, BYU, USC, Washington, Arizona State and most recently Vanderbilt.

“Some schools want him for defense,” his father said. “Some schools love him for both. Honestly, I think he can be both. Not play both, but whatever avenue he decides he can excel at both.”

Per his dad, Gaige is a bigger, faster version of himself. The love for the game is the same. Gaige got a chance to grow up in NFL locker rooms and see everything that entails. He’s already putting in the work to get to that level himself.

“I love the physical nature of the sport,” Gaige said. “I love the way the game is setup, how it’s a team sport. How you have to count on your brother next to you. I just love how complete the game is. I love to learn more and more about the game. To be challenged and really allow myself to grow.”

Perseverance early on helped shape Weddle

When Eric played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2016-18, that’s when Gaige started playing football. 

“I love sharing this story,” Eric began. “A lot of people think it’s easy for kids like him. His first team in Pop Warner had 25 kids on the team the previous year coming back and he was an outsider. On top of that he was the only white kid on the field. It took him six games to see the field in the regular season. Every practice he came home crying and mad. I told him I’m not here to save the day. You either have to practice better, you have to compete, you need to go show you deserve playing time. I’m not here to make the coaches play you. Slowly, by the end of the year, he got on the field and started playing a lot. He did that. 

“From that point on with me it’s been explaining how this game needs to be played and when you cross that white lines you don’t have friends. You’re out there to compete and play the game you love.”

Weddle has all the traits coveted

In addition to the athleticism, the physicality, arm talent and instincts, Gaige has also shown he has a high football IQ.

“We were playing Point Loma (in week three),” Eric said. “It’s the middle of the second quarter of a close game. I think we’re down seven. They come out in an offensive formation and getting ready to snap the ball, going through their cadence and I call timeout because we only have 10 guys on the field. He’s so mad. I could see it in his face as he’s coming to the sideline. I could see it in his mannerisms. He’s like, ‘What are you doing?!’ I’m like, ‘Easy killer. I had to call a timeout; we had 10 guys on the field.’ He said, ‘It doesn’t matter. It was 100 percent run and I was going to make a TFL.’ I thought back in my mind and he was right.

“That’s who he is. He does things like that as a freshman and, holy smokes, I wasn’t recognizing that till maybe my senior year in college. He’s able to process and be able to execute high-level stuff. Offensively he does things I could of never done at quarterback or running back. When he’s at safety he does things I’ve done and it really is a weird moment. I’ve seen that play and done that and he’s doing that. At quarterback he’s running around and it’s like how did you see that or have the instincts to throw that window?”

The family impact is strong

Gaige said he had to figure out the difference in talking to his dad as a coach and talking to him as a father.

“Obviously a great mentor to me on and off the field,” Gaige said. “He’s the best coach anyone can ask for. His intelligence in the game of football is crazy. He knows the offensive side of the ball, the defensive side of the ball and it’s awesome for me to learn from him and see the safety position.”

Weddle’s mother Chanel played soccer at Utah State and her personality can be seen in Gaige as well.

“Off the field how I carry myself for sure,” Gaige said. “She shaped me into a humble, kind person that helps people. She’s an amazing person.”

While his parents have certainly impacted him, Gaige is currently writing his own story.

“I think what separates himself from others is he’s internally motivated to make his own journey and his own name,” Eric said. “He obviously loves and respects me and what I did but it’s him. Being around the game his whole life and seeing it from that point of view, I think he loves and respects the game. He’s a great teammate. What makes him unique, he doesn’t get wrapped up in what kids are doing nowadays. He knows what you do on the field is how you gain your respect and admiration. Not what you say or put on social media and this and that. He’s got an old-school vibe with the work ethic and the talent to be something special.

“When I talk to coaches I tell them he’s a guy that will turn your program around because he has that it-factor of galvanizing and bringing guys with him.”

Recruiting process is taking off

Gaige said schools catching his eye early in the process are BYU and his father’s alma-mater Utah. They’re always going to show love to local San Diego State. The scholarship from USC is exciting. The plan for early in the fall is to visit UCLA for its opener against the Utes and then hit Oklahoma for the Michigan game.

“It’s cool to see the recruitment come,” Gaige said. “I try to focus on football because I love football. The recruiting is cool and people talk about it and recognize it but I play football because I love the game and not for anything else.”

Down the road, Weddle would like to compete for a starting job as a true freshman at the school of his choosing.

“So I can get four years of legit football,” he said. “Find the spot that fits me perfectly so I can develop and be the best player I can be my fourth year of (college) football going into the draft confident and ready to play NFL football.”

And as far as what position, that will ultimately work itself out.