Oklahoma Sports Top 30: No. 22 - Norman North RB Emilio Gatewood

Emilio Gatewood made a transfer from Millwood to Norman North, giving the Timberwolves a speedy threat at the running back position.

Thursday, July 28th 2011, 5:40 pm

By: News On 6

Oklahoma Sports Top 30: No. 22 - Norman North RB Emilio Gatewood

Originally Published: Aug 8, 2010 3:3 PM CDT

Oklahoma Sports Top 30 - Emilio Gatewood, Norman North High School
- View the Oklahoma Sports Top 30 List.

Stephany Speck
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

NORMAN, Oklahoma -- Norman North’s Emilio Gatewood will be suiting up for the Timberwolves for the first time, making his debut with their first game at the University of Oklahoma’s Owen Field.

“It’s going to be amazing,” Gatewood said. “That’s going to be great to run on.”

With his mother taking a new job, Gatewood made the transfer from Millwood to Norman North. While he’s made a name for himself as a running back, he’ll likely see playing time as wide receiver as his new team opens its season against rival Norman.

The senior stands only five-foot-eight-inches, but he knows recruiters still find talent in players like the Chargers’ Darren Sproles, the Jaguars’ Maurice Jones-Drew and the Bears’ Garrett Wolfe.

Gatewood runs a 4.4 in the 40, a skill his new quarterback, Brad Valentino, is looking forward to seeing in real time on Friday nights.

“His explosiveness, his ability to find the hole, and he finds it,” Valentino said. “He just explodes right through it. That’s something we are going to need this year.”

He’s already racked up offers from Tulsa and Louisiana Tech, along with stirring interest from Oregon State and Illinois, but Norman North head coach Lance Manning doesn’t see those four schools being his only options.

“The young man is very talented,” Manning said. “I see a Division I talent there and I see him getting a lot more offers here in the weeks to come.”

The coaching staff at Norman North will get its first game-time glimpse of Gatewood September 2 when the Timberwolves face the Norman Tigers.