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Imhotep's Upshur chooses Florida State

Seated at a table on the stage and flanked by his parents, Imhotep Charter tight end Naseir "Pop" Upshur reached for and then put on a baseball cap with "Fear the Spear" embroidered on the front.

Imhotep Charter tight end Naseir Upshur is hugged by his mother Nickeya James after Naseir announced he will attend Florida State.
Imhotep Charter tight end Naseir Upshur is hugged by his mother Nickeya James after Naseir announced he will attend Florida State.Read more(Charles Fox/Staff Photographer)

Seated at a table on the stage and flanked by his parents, Imhotep Charter tight end Naseir "Pop" Upshur reached for and then put on a baseball cap with "Fear the Spear" embroidered on the front.

That move, revealing Upshur's decision to continue his career at Florida State, elicited a big round of applause from the family members, friends, and teammates who gathered Tuesday afternoon at Lonnie Young Recreation Center at Chelten Avenue and Ardleigh Street.

Upshur, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound senior and four-star recruit, chose the Seminoles over runner-up Michigan. The 18-year-old, with 41 reported Division-I scholarship offers, also considered Arizona State, Maryland, South Carolina, Temple, and USC, among others.

"I just felt really comfortable with the coaching staff and the academics at Florida State," said Upshur, who helped lead the Panthers to the PIAA Class AA state championship game as a sophomore.

Upshur visited Florida State, followed by a stop at South Carolina, with his father early last month. An already strong rapport with Seminoles tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator Tim Brewster continued in Tallahassee.

"When I was there, I got an opportunity to sit in a classroom and talk with Coach Brewster," Upshur said. "I learned a lot of things about football. I also learned how I'm supposed to act as a man. It was about more than just football."

Upshur, who honed his skills with the Northwest Raiders in the Pop Warner league, became teary-eyed after Tuesday's announcement. His parents, Nickeya and Harold, also got swept up in the moment.

"I'm ecstatic," his mother said. "This is an amazing opportunity, and Pop worked real hard to make this happen."

Upshur, who lives near Temple, is one of North Philly's success stories. "I made it my business not to lose my son to the streets," Nickeya James said. "I had to put both feet in and keep things moving in the right direction."

Upshur is ranked as the No. 5 tight end in the county in the Class of 2016 by 247Sports.com. "He can do everything," Imhotep fourth-year boss Albie Crosby said. "He dominates at the line of scrimmage, catches the ball well, and is a great blocker."

Josh Kaufman, previously a graduate assistant at Temple, coaches Imhotep's tight ends. "Naseir is a friendly kid, has a great smile," he said. "But when he puts that helmet on, the smile goes away. He's an unbelievable competitor."

Brewster helped Nick O'Leary become a first-team all-American tight end at Florida State. The 6-3, 252-pounder was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round of this year's NFL draft.

The Seminoles, who won the BCS title in 2013, regularly play on national television. "I'm excited for everybody to see me on TV," Upshur said. "I'm going to put on a show for Philly."

@ozoneinq