Carson Su'esu'e, a 6-4, 180-pound product of Concord, certainly made his presence known at the National Preps Collegiate Showcase November 21 at Vacaville Christian High. The De La Salle quarterback earned the 2024 offensive MVP honors through stellar drills and great throws throughout the day.
When asked what he wanted to prove in coming to this Showcase, Su'esu'e said, “I just wanted to see where I’m at. I wanted to come out here and just prove to myself that I’ve been working hard.”
Su'esu'e has certainly capitalized on this unexpected extended off season and has been able to keep himself busy.
“I’ve just been working out at home working with my brothers and lifting a lot. De La Salle has also been holding weightlifting and conditioning training as well so I’m able to get work in there."
Being a 14-year-old freshman on varsity at one of the strongest high school football programs in the nation, one could presume the pressure may be having an impact on Carson. But, he seems to be relatively unfazed.
“I don’t pay attention to any of the talk," he said. "Honestly I like all the pressure and I just go out, play my game and have fun. I love the game so it never really gets to me.”
Just like all athletes, Su'esu'e will certainly face challenges despite multiple D1 offers from the likes of Arizona State, Hawaii, Tennessee, Utah, and most recently Utah State. The first of those challenges may be how he is used in De La Salle’s offense which is traditionally run heavy.
247Sports National Recruiting Director Brandon Huffman reinforced that belief.
“De La Salle has never featured their quarterback in their offense," Huffman said. "Maybe Carson will be the one who changes that, but I’m not so sure.”
When Su'esu'e was questioned about his potential role within the De La Salle offense, he answered with quite a bit of optimism and plenty of confidence.
“I believe I fit in perfectly fine with the offense," said Su'esu'e. "I know that the bread and butter is running the ball, and I am capable of making plays running the rock from the quarterback position. Though I hope that by displaying my talents and showing them what I am capable of, they start to open up the playbook and pass a little more.”
Su'esu'e’s awareness of his situation and willingness to adapt if needed is certainly a great sign. De La Salle is no question a Northern California Football powerhouse, but many feel that if they want to compete with SoCal teams, they need to open up their playbook.
What Su'esu'e does have on his side though are two things that he stressed were much more important than football -- God and family.
“We are LDS so Carson will be going on his mission before he plays college ball and he knows that,” said his father Mori Su'esu'e.
Carson seemed to have no issue with this and his priority is squarely fixed on his religion.
“I was taught to always put God first," Carson said. "At the end of the day He's the one that has given me my athletic abilities and all of my talents.”
When asked if balancing sports and religion has ever been a challenge, Su'esu'e was very honest.
“At times it does get challenging. I’ve missed championship games and big camps that were on a Sunday and it's hard to know I could have made a difference if I was there," Su'esu'e said. "But I know by doing this, God will bless me in many different ways.”
It is abundantly clear that Su'esu'e has a great structure around him which is something that not all in his position are provided.
“My family means everything to me. They are my biggest supporters and my number one fans," Su'esu'e remarked. "I can always count on them to be there for me and help me throughout all of my challenges.”
The Su'esu'e family are very well respected in their community for all that they do to give back. Headed by Mori, the family runs an organization by the name of MLUFYI (Making Lives Unique Youth Foundation Inc.) in which they aid student athletes and provide them with the tools they need to graduate high school.
In working with his brothers, Carson is constantly being challenged and refining his skills on the field. More importantly though, his family holds high expectations for him as a student and a member of the community which creates strong character excelling far beyond sports. Which is likely why both Carson and his father expressed sentiments about how they appreciate the “accountability” and “brotherhood” that De La Salle provides on and off the field.
Carson wants people to know that at the end of the day he’s “just a kid trying to better my future and my family’s future.” He always wants to be known as “the hardest worker in the room” and hopes to “set a good example for the young ones and show them that you can accomplish anything if you put your best foot forward.”
