It’s always good to have multiple skills and options.

That certainly paid off for Oak Hall’s Dakota Brower, who signed with the University of Pennsylvania on Wednesday.

“I chose UPenn because I loved everything about it,” he said. “I loved the coaches. I felt like I had a true connection with them, and I felt at home. I also loved the education as it is an Ivy League school and you can’t get much better than that.”

Although he has played quarterback since sixth grade, he will play wide receiver at the next level.

“I need to train and work on becoming a better receiver as I have played QB for the past seven years,” he said.

He also loves the football program at Penn.

“I believe that they are going in a good direction, and I feel like I could help the team out a lot,” Brower said.

As a junior at OHS, Brower rushed for 10 yards per carry in 2023, scored 10 touchdowns on the ground, and he threw for 1,215 yards and 12 scores with only three interceptions for the Eagles.

“Dakota is not only one of the best football players that I have ever coached but also one of the best athletes period,” said OHS football coach R.J. Fuhr, who left for Union County (Lake Butler) as an assistant coach last summer but has since returned. “Because of all he accomplished, I would say he’s the best all-around football player that I’ve ever coached.”

Included in those number were a then school-record 70 points against Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) and a school-record 74 points against Eagle’s View (Jacksonville).

He also had 22 tackles and a sack on defense, along with three interceptions.

“He was named All State and All SSAA as a QB, punt and kick return specialist, kicker and punter and was also an amazing defensive back for us,” Fuhr said.

Following a successful junior season in which the Eagles finished 7-2 and advanced to the Sunshine State Athletic Association state playoffs, their ninth straight winning season and playoff appearance, the rising senior got injured.

Brower (5’11, 180) suffered a broken clavicle (collarbone) in a season-opening loss to Bell on Aug. 16.

He missed two games completely and kicked and punted the next two games, but when he came back in late September, he completed 14-of-19 passes for 312 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-12 win at home against Eagle’s View Academy (Jacksonville).

“Amazing he was able to come back at all,” Fuhr said.

His dad, Randy, who served as the interim coach this past fall, initially was told he might be back by the playoffs, but to everyone’s surprise, he was back on the field during the regular season.

“He was in therapy every day and lived on therapeutic machines,” Randy Brower said. “So, six weeks after the break, he was back in at QB to have a great first game back.”

Despite only playing in six games, he still threw for 1,113 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 147 yards on 32 carries (4.6 avg.) with three touchdowns.

His versatility and talent are evident in everything that he competed in.

He went to the FHSAA tennis state tournament as an eighth grader, was the No. 1 kicker/punter in the nation in middle school, an All-State selection in three events in track and field, and an All-State selection in six positions in football heading into his senior campaign.

Although his senior season of football was cut short due to injury, he’ll get a chance to play Division-I college football and get an Ivy League degree.

“Dakota has a very bright future ahead of him at the U of Pennsylvania,” Fuhr said. “I think he will excel as a slot receiver and punt and kick returner. He’s also an exceptional student.”

Although his senior season didn’t end up the way he wanted it to, he describes his career as “very memorable.”

“It had lots of ups and downs but being a part of a team and brotherhood for four years, I could not ask for anything better,” the new college signee said. “My favorite memory is a tie. My first one was running the punt return touchdown against P.K. Yonge, which then gave us the win, and throwing the game-winning touchdown against Seven Rivers Christian (Lecanto) my freshman year in my first start.”