Edgewater High dual-sport athlete Canaan Mobley’s first name comes from the Bible and it means “promised land.”
That’s usually where Mobley’s path has taken him during his young life.
During an interview Tuesday — one day before National Signing Day — the quarterback and standout baseball player talked about how he hopes his most recent decision will also lead him to the promised land.
Mobley won’t be signing Wednesday. He doesn’t want to be a star college quarterback or baseball player. He wants to become an architect.
“It wasn’t that difficult, because I’ve always put academics over sports,” Mobley said. “I’ve always focused on getting a degree. I’ve always known there was a chance that I wouldn’t play collegiate sports and [COVID] aided the decision, but I don’t think it was a big factor.”
No one who knows him is surprised by his decision to wrap up his athletic career with college scholarship offers on the table.
“The first person I told was Chris Leary,” Mobley said of the Edgewater slot receiver who is headed to Alabama. “He was super supportive, and he said I’m a triple-threat — academics, football and baseball — so it’s really my choice.”
He will watch his teammates sign. Zatrell Garrett and Devin Hevener are headed to Saint Thomas University in Miami and Diante Shephard will sign with Bethel University in Tennessee. Leary, Tommy Hill (Arizona State), Deshawn Troutman (Miami) and Kevin Butler (Eastern Kentucky) all signed during the early period in December.
“I’m going to be happy for all of my teammates who are signing,” said Mobley, who also said he’ll harbor no regrets. “I’ll feel proud for them. I’m gonna be a big fan of theirs.”
Mobley will likely be headed off to FAU, but his cleats and shoulder pads will stay behind. He could have gone to Charleston Southern on a dual-sport scholarship, and had other lower-level offers, but Mobley knows what he wants.
“When I played quarterback, it was like all eyes were on me all the time. I don’t really strive for attention, so this doesn’t really bother me,” Mobley said.
He brushes off or shies away from anything that could potentially make him stand out.
“You may not know it, but today is his 18th birthday,” said Sareeta Brown, Canaan’s mother.
She laughed when told Mobley never brought up his birthday during the interview, and she was not surprised.
“Trust me, anything that brings attention, Canaan is not going to mention it,” Brown said. “He is the most humble young person I know, and he has always been that way.”
The keys, Mobley said, to the way he has led his life, have been his parents, Brown and father Cortney Mobley, and his grandparents.
“My family, I get it from them. They don’t really go for attention. They just give all their effort in everything they do,” Canaan Mobley said.
Edgewater coach Cameron Duke said Mobley is one of the best, most well-rounded people he has ever coached.
“He’s a special young man. He’s somebody who had offers and I think he’s a Division I quarterback,” Duke said. “But we had a conversation after the season and he let me know that he’s good with not playing in college and, instead, focusing on his degree.
“He’s so much more than just a football player. That’s something that he does, but it’s not who he is.”
Mobley is ranked as the second-best quarterback in Central Florida in the Sentinel’s 2021 Super60, and the No. 36 player overall. Yet he does not have a star rating on the 247Sports.com or Rivals.com recruiting websites.
That’s no concern to Mobley.
“That’s never mattered to him. I think it mattered more to people around him than it did him,” Duke said. “He cared about being the best young man he could be and being a great teammate. He has been a joy to coach. He’s wise beyond his years.”
His mother wasn’t surprised at her son’s maturity and the decision he made. While she’s sad she won’t be watching him on the football field, she’ll always cherish the times she did.
“I think it was a very mature move that took a lot of thought on Canaan’s part,” Brown said. “Growing up, you hear that quitting is not an option. However, I told him to believe that if you choose to quit something, it’s a big move, it’s a great move, when you desire to take a different route than others expect you to take.
“… For him to decide to go the academics-only route is a very big move considering that he is such a great athlete.”
Mobley résumé speaks for itself. After transferring from Dr. Phillips following his sophomore football season, he led Edgewater to two consecutive appearances in the Class 7A state championship game. The Eagles lost both times to powerhouse Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas.
He accounted for 51 touchdowns, 39 through the air, throwing for 4,566 yards at a 63% clip (286 of 456). Mobley also ran for 500 yards and 12 touchdowns on 60 carries (8.3 yards per carry).
“Canaan took his team to the state championships twice,” Brown said. “That is great to have under your belt as a student/athlete. Those are memories … and all that while rocking it out in the classroom.”
The numbers he’s put up in the classroom are just as impressive as what his has done on the field. Mobley carries a 3.9 GPA and he’s been accepted to FAU, where he plans to pursue his dream of being an architect. He aspires to one day design houses.
“He’s well-grounded, determined, humble, brilliant and he’s just an all-around great kid,” Brown said. “I’m so proud to be his mother.”
Transferring to Edgewater certainly took him to his own personal promised land.
“It’s been super fun,” Mobley said. “Especially playing under Coach Duke and the staff. They taught me a lot. It was the best part of my high school experience.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Chris Hays at chays@orlandosentinel.com.
