An athlete. A scholar. A winner. A superstar.

These are just a few of the words one could use to describe senior Samuel Same. 

Same plays defensive end and was also a basketball player and track athlete.

Defensive end is a tough position to make a career out of, but Same breaks the stereotype with his impressive talent for the sport. 

He committed to play at Iowa State.

“I feel the values of the Iowa State community are similar to Derby’s community,” Same said. “Which makes the transition to college a little more comfortable and easy for me.” 

Same is planning to graduate in December and go up to Iowa State in January.

“I really enjoy the coaching staff there, the academic staff and just the program as a whole,” he said. 

Since committing, Same has visited the university three times. 

Derby prepared him for a college football career.

“Doing Derby football camps when I was younger, and being able to meet those types of people. It made me feel like Derby was the place I wanted to be, because I was really comfortable with the people I was around,” he said.