4-Star Chaz Ah You Is the Man of 1 Million Positions

Chaz Ah You's natural position at the college level could be safety. 247Sports has him listed as the No. 5 safety in the country in the class of 2017.

Then again, wide receiver could be the projected spot.

Or maybe running back. Perhaps cornerback? Quarterback? Outside linebacker?

Punter?

Ah You is the proverbial problem many coaches would love to have. Truly defining the word "athlete," he has played nearly every skill position at the high school level and has been a topic of discussion at every position—punter included.

"I don't have to be just a free safety in college," he said. "I don't feel I'm a one-position athlete."

There are times when athleticism just overflows in an athlete to where he excels at everything he does. The 4-star prospect has played nearly a dozen positions since first putting on a helmet at six years old.

In high school, he's played safety, wide receiver, quarterback, punt returner, kickoff returner and punter, and there's a chance he also will line up at cornerback and running back for his junior season.

"I've pretty much played almost every [position] all my life," Ah You said. "I've still got two years left, so I'm sure I'll play some other positions—that's if my coaches want me to."

What makes Ah You even more of an attractive prospect, particularly in college football recruiting, is that he's humble about his achievements, which include eight college football offers, five letters in three different sports and various all-region and all-valley honors playing for Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs, Utah.

"I don't feel like one of those guys who is good at everything," he said. "I think I'm good at certain things, mediocre at others, but I just want to be the best at everything I do."

Emphasis on everything.

Working hard, having fun

Ah You began playing safety full-time as a freshman in high school after playing quarterback since the fifth grade.

And then there were the times in elementary school where he saw time on the line.

"I first played organized football at six," he said. "I was a defensive end. I thought I could make some money at defensive end. It turned out to be a little different."

He is the nephew of C.J. Ah You, who played defensive end at Oklahoma and went on to spend time in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills and the St. Louis Rams, and Matt Ah You, who played outside linebacker at BYU. There was a time when, position-wise, he thought he'd follow one of his uncles' footsteps.

"It really didn't matter where I played," he said. "There were times when we were missing a center. I remember playing wide receiver once, and then my coach put me in at center."

One thing about Ah You: He doesn't shy away from hard work. Learning every position is a part of his plan to be the best athlete possible. Using the football tips in other sports allows him to never get complacent mentally. Ah You's mind is always on, and it's always sharp.

"My uncle C.J. always told me to have fun with everything and not cave in to any pressure," Ah You said. "He always said to just take everything as it comes. I want to make sure that coaches aren't recruiting me just for one position."

For now, his main priorities are to contribute for Westlake as best as he can and, ultimately, become the nation's top-ranked athlete. Currently, he's listed by 247Sports as the No. 2 player from the state of Utah, behind 4-star defensive tackle Jay Tufele.

"I'm not happy with where I'm at," he said, "but knowing it makes me want to work harder. I'm working to be the best."

Versatility is a plus

Playing so many positions has helped Ah You become a true student of the game, in addition to an ultra-versatile athlete.

"I think playing every position allows you to know the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of the ball," Ah You said. "On offense, I'm able to find where the defense's weak points are. On defense, I'm able to read offenses and make the right plays."

Being strong on both sides of the ball forces college coaches to not put Ah You in a box. He's projected to be a safety, but playing wide receiver isn't far-fetched. Neither is quarterback in the right system. And, if he bulks up, neither is outside linebacker.

Just for style points, neither is punter. Ah You can do it all.

And if it means anything, he's also solid in the classroom. He is an honor student with a 3.75 grade-point average.

"I just want [the programs] to get the best out of me," Ah You said. "I don't want to go to school and plateau out. I want to go somewhere that'll help me not only off the field but in the classroom as well."

Currently, Ah You has offers from Oregon State, Oklahoma State, Washington, Washington State, Hawaii and in-state schools BYU, Utah and Utah State. Washington State is his latest offer. He also is getting a lot of interest from UCLA, USC, Oklahoma and Oregon.

No summer visits have been set up, but Ah You said he's looking into making the trek to a few campuses for one-day summer camps, Among the schools potentially to get a visit are UCLA, USC and Oregon.

Life as a decathlete?

If Ah You has his way, he'll further show his versatility in college by balancing football with a track and field career. He's competed as a decathlete and wants to do the same in college.

The decathlon consists of the 100-meter dash, the 110-meter hurdles, 400 meters, 1,500 meters, long jump, high jump, shot put, discus, pole vault and javelin throw. That's 10 events; Ah You wouldn't mind adding more.

He recently participated in a track meet and agreed to throw the shot put for Westlake. It was an event he hadn't competed in since the eighth grade and hadn't practiced since March.

Ah You ended up throwing the shot 45'3" and setting a personal and Westlake school record.

"My coach asked me if I wanted to do it," Ah You said. "I said, 'Sure, why not?' It'd been a while for me, but I was pretty happy with what I did."

Ah You has shown an uncanny ability to adapt, regardless of where he is or which sport he's participating in. In addition to football and track, he's a good basketball player who said he's considering playing AAU summer ball if his schedule permits.

His combination of strength, speed, explosiveness, elusiveness and agility is incomparable to many athletes his age. At the Elite 11 Los Angeles regional, he threw the power ball 38 feet and recorded a vertical jump of 36.3 inches.

In the weight room, he has bench-pressed 230 pounds and squatted 405. He's run the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, the 100 meters in 11.49 and the 20-yard shuttle in 4.19. He's also long-jumped 21'3".

And, at 16, he's still growing.

"I've still got some time," he said. "I just want to get better, and keep getting better."

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles