Saginaw receiver Arnett goes after ball on offense, defense

Speedster Arnett is everywhere on field

INDIANAPOLIS — DeAnthony Arnett doesn’t switch teams during games, it just sometimes seems that way.

The Saginaw High (Mich.) receiver uses his ball-hawking skills so well on defense that he often appears to be the intended receiver when the other team passes.

“There were times when it looked like they were throwing the ball to him,” Saginaw coach Gary Lee said.

Lee says Arnett runs a 4.45-second 40-yard dash. But Arnett, who is considering Michigan State, USC, Tennessee, Iowa and Oklahoma, has other attributes.

“He has great balance when he runs his routes,” Lee said. “He’s never stumbling or tripping, which is unusual for a high school player. He has phenomenal football sense. When I say this kid gets open, I mean he’s wide open. He’s spinning kids around.”

Lee said Arnett played defense last season for the first time as a high school player. He calls his player a “sponge” when it comes to gathering football knowledge.

“I’m not going to take credit for teaching this kid,” he said. “Sometimes, he does things and I wonder, ‘Where did he learn that?’”

A big-time performance against Flint Northwestern was his highlight last season. Lee said Arnett leaped between two defenders to make a catch on his way to a long touchdown play that gave Saginaw the lead. He then intercepted a pass on the next possession to preserve the win.

Lee said Arnett studies opponents so well that he often predicts how they will defend him.

“This kid has learned it and he has perfected it,” Lee said. “It’s fun to watch him play.”