Brookhaven High School offensive lineman Trace Clopton received his first Division 1 offer from South Alabama Friday night.

It was a very successful season for the 6-foot-2, 292-pound Clopton, who anchored the offensive line for the Panthers, helping lead his team to the 5A state playoffs.

This seems to be the first of many more offers to come for Clopton as the junior looks to build off his successful 2016 campaign going into his senior year.

The list of schools looking at Clopton includes Ole Miss, Southern Miss, Navy, Memphis, Cincinnati and Louisiana Tech.

His successful 2016 season helped put Clopton on the Class 5A all-state first team and provided Brookhaven with stability on a strong offensive line unit.

“Trace has worked extremely hard just to put himself in position to get a scholarship offer,” Brookhaven head coach and father of Trace, Tommy Clopton said. “Over the next few months, I think you will see a few more of our players get scholarship offers.”

It’s a difficult challenge to balance the time between father and coach when coaching your own son, but watching his son become a better football player and person every day is really what matters.

“As his dad, watching him grow and mature into the young man he is has been a blessing from God,” Clopton said. “I’m proud of the player he has become, but I’m more proud of the young man that he is.”

It’s been a busy couple of weeks for Ole Brook football players. Junior defensive lineman Jeffery Johnson received four Division 1 scholarship offers and junior defensive back Jemaurian Jones committed to play at Mississippi State.

Expect more offers for Clopton to come.