Jones’ May provides versatility that attracted Tulsa
JONES — For all of the positions Jones’ Dalton May plays on a Friday night in the fall — tight end, defensive end and punter — his father has found a favorite to watch. Defense. Shane May simply loves his son’s relentlessness on every play.
“I’ve always told him that I’ve never seen anyone play with that much heart,” said Shane May, a Putnam City West graduate and All-American punter at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College. “It’s just his heart that keeps him going. He never gets tired. He can be hurt, and he still goes. I enjoy watching him just
because of his heart.”
Dalton May, at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, dominates whatever position he plays.
He can boom a punt. He can sack a quarterback. He can catch passes and block as a tight end.
That’s what drew Tulsa to May, who committed to the Golden Hurricane in March as a tight end.
He is ranked No. 28 on Super 30 rankings for the state’s top college football recruits in the 2018 class.
And he liked the appeal of playing tight end in the up-tempo offense.
“You’ve got to find the right (school) because I think it’s the most important player on the field other than the quarterback,” Dalton said.
“You can do everything: block, run, run routes and you’ve got to be able to catch the ball.
“I like the way they use tight ends, too. It’s a lot different than OSU-type stuff.
“I like getting on the line more than being in the backfield.”
May will get that chance, at least initially. He said Tulsa has already talked about moving him to defensive end later in his career.
At Jones this season, he’ll be a focal point of its high-powered offense.
He’ll line up some as a receiver or even in the backfield.
He’ll become a blocker or a traditional tight end.
“With his body size now, he really is going to be difficult to handle as we have him as an attached tight end, a flex tight end,” Jones coach Dave Martin said. “We’ll use him in all different areas.”
May is open to playing wherever he’s needed. He feels he can produce either way.
That will be big for a Jones team looking to defend its Class 3A state championship.
“If I’d get the ball more I’d score, but it doesn’t really matter to me as long as we’re winning,” May said.