KANSAS CITY, Mo. — North Kansas City senior Kobe Rhymes is making his presence felt on both sides of the football, leading the Hornets as a powerful running back and hard-hitting linebacker.
At 6-foot-1 and 250 pounds, Kobe Rhymes is a force to be reckoned with on the football field. The North Kansas City senior brings a rare combination of size, strength and explosiveness, making him a difference-maker on offense and defense.
Watch KSHB 41 Sports' Matt Foster's report on Kobe Rhymes in the video player below.
And according to Hornets head coach Dan Joiner, Rhymes is a player unlike any the program has seen before.
“Hands down, he’s the best player we’ve ever had here,” Joiner said. “Which, as coaches, makes your life a lot easier.”
Rhymes does more than deliver big plays. He also embraces the responsibility of keeping his teammates focused and motivated, especially when adversity strikes.
“Sometimes I’m not perfect, and when I’m down, my guys pick me up,” Rhymes said. “Then when they’re down, I’m there to lead them in the right direction, making sure we’re doing what we need to do.”
That leadership, coupled with his physical ability, has helped Rhymes put together an impressive senior season.
“When he decides to take it over, when he decides to, he does some really amazing things out there,” Joiner said.
Rhymes showed exactly what he could do on Oct. 9, recording four touchdowns and 131 total yards to help lead the Hornets to a win over Lee's Summit North.
For the senior, playing with that kind of physicality has become second nature.
“It feels like sometimes I’m playing against boys. I’m like a grown man,” Rhymes said.
Whether he is carrying the football or tracking down an opponent, Rhymes brings an intimidating combination of power and aggression to the field.
He takes pride in delivering hard hits and setting the tone defensively.
“Catching someone lacking and hitting them as hard as you can and not seeing them get up, I mean, that feels great,” Rhymes said.
His ability to impact the game at both running back and linebacker makes him an especially valuable piece of North Kansas City's lineup.
“For us, it’s very rare for us to have somebody that’s as big as he is, as explosive as he is, as physical as he is, that can change the aspect of offense and defense,” Joiner said. “Very, very rare.”
Despite the attention surrounding his performances, Rhymes remains focused on what matters most: putting himself and his teammates in the best position to succeed.
For him, making big plays and bringing physicality to the field are simply part of the job.
“It’s nothing new,” Rhymes said. “I’m doing whatever I can to put me and my team in the best situation possible, so it’s just another day for me.”
With his combination of production, leadership and two-way impact, Rhymes continues to establish himself as a player opposing teams must prepare for.
If they haven't learned his name yet, it's time they did: Kobe Rhymes is making his mark at North Kansas City, and soon, in the SEC, as he's committed to play in college at Missouri.
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