Upper Merion’s Isaiah Graham-Mobley is Times Herald Defensive Player of the Year

UPPER MERION >> Isaiah Graham-Mobley has been playing sports since he was three years old, no surprise when you consider his family connections.

Father Kevin Mobley was a standout football player at Harriton High School and Kutztown University, while Uncle Kyle Helton was a standout defensive back at both Harriton and Villanova.

Another family member, Teddy Pendergrass, the son of the late R&B singer, was a standout running back at Harriton and a defensive back at West Chester University.

Surprisingly, Graham-Mobley, who was born in Bryn Mawr, then lived in the city of Philadelphia until moving into the Upper Merion School District in eighth grade, was not steered toward football by his father.

“At an early age he let me decide what sport I wanted to play, what I wanted to do, really,” Graham-Mobley said. “He let me choose.”

But when Graham-Mobley chose, he chose football and hasn’t looked back.

He has improved over the years to the point that this year the Upper Merion safety, part-time wideout and part-time quarterback made a verbal commitment to play his college football next year at Temple University.

“Basketball and football were my passions and I ran some track,” Graham-Mobley said of his early sports options. “But my heart has always been in football.

“I like the team aspect of the game, being a band of brothers going up against other teams. And I like being the underdog.”

It was fortunate the young man enjoyed that role because in his first season of varsity football, Upper Merion was in the midst of what would eventually become a 25-game losing streak.

But even in defeat, Graham-Mobley was determined to make himself, and his Upper Merion team better.

“Losing is something you can learn from,” he said. “All losing did was make me want to work harder. I was determined to make me and my team better.”

The result of that work was not only making his team better, but helping the Vikings defensive back become the 2015 Times Herald Defensive Player of the Year.

“I had a feeling this might be possible because I was having a great season,” the latest THPOY said moments after his Upper Merion basketball team upset Norristown. “But it’s an honor and it’s awesome.

“It’s even better than beating Norristown.”

Unlike other successful players, Graham-Mobley has not had the fortune of playing for successful teams.

His last winning team came while playing for an eighth-grade CYO team in Ardmore that also featured current city standouts Dee Barlee of Episcopal Academy and Shaun Harris of St. Joseph’s Prep.

But Graham-Mobley didn’t let his lack of team success get him down.

“You have to stay strong and stay confident,” he said. “Even at Upper Merion, you’d talk to people at school and no one felt we were going to win games. We hear things like, ‘Upper Dublin is going to crush you.’ And you’d have to hear that every day. But it was important for us to stay a band of brothers.

“Their opinions don’t matter. As long as you believe in you, you can do anything.”

“You can tell by his play, he’s a leader,” said Upper Merion head coach Harold Smith, who actually coached the elder Mobley, Helton and Pendergrass at Harriton in his first football coaching job. “Isaiah is a student of the game, and he plays downhill. That’s what you want from a safety.”

And while Upper Merion was having difficulty trying to win in the Suburban One League’s American Conference, Graham-Mobley’s talents were not being overlooked.

He began hearing from a host of colleges, the University of Delaware, Villanova, Colgate and Fordham among them.

But the one voice that seemed to resonate above the others was that of Temple head football coach Matt Rhule, who reached out to Graham-Mobley relatively early in the recruiting process.

“Temple contacted me a lot,” the future Owl said. “They always made me feel at home when I was there and Matt Rhule was the deciding factor for me.”

Graham-Mobley gave an early verbal commitment and said he’s definite he’ll sign on the dotted line come Feb. 3, the national signing date.

“They want me to play defense,” he said. “Their coaches said I still might be a little raw for safety, so I might eventually be moved to outside linebacker.

“But defense is my preference. I like offense, but it’s not as much fun as defense.

“In high school I played wherever the team needed me, but I’ll be 100 percent defense at Temple. It’s the best fit for me. And if I work as hard as I plan to, I feel I can challenge for a starting job.”

Throughout the process, Graham-Mobley said his father has been behind his choices.

“He’s always been there for me,” the Vikings senior said. “He’s given me a lot of confidence and has allowed me to make my own choices.”

As for his remembrances at Upper Merion, the senior said he’ll never forget his first touchdown, a long run against Wissahickon that came after the then-sophomore was inserted under center after the Vikings fell behind, 21-0.

“It was my first touchdown and it helped us get back in the game and that’s why I remember it,” he said. “We lost, 28-21, but it was a big moment in my high school career.”

Graham-Mobley added that he doesn’t plan on being a stranger to his adopted hometown.

“I’ll always be great friends with my teammates and the players I’ve played with,” he said. “Upper Merion is a good school with great teachers who are always willing to help out.

“And Upper Merion is a great community. It’s a community that cares.”

Graham-Mobley will begin serious training for college football this Spring, and he’ll be on a Temple practice field by July.

“My family always thought I would be a successful athlete,” Graham-Mobley said. “In athletics you sometimes go through tough times, but I think they help you out eventually.”