Few people get the chance to meet their favorite NFL player.

Standout Longview receiver Jalen Hale is one of the lucky ones.

And he didn’t just get to meet his favorite player Stefon Diggs. Hale had the Buffalo Bills wide receiver personally coaching him at The Opening 7-on-7 Invitational in California in early July.

“He’s my favorite receiver, so it was really exciting for me to get to hear from him,” Hale said. “When we were doing drills, he was coaching me up, telling me what I was doing wrong and telling me what I was doing right.”

With Hale rated as a five-star recruit and one of the top receivers in the nation in the class of 2023, The Opening invited him out to Los Angeles as one of the select underclassmen to compete alongside many of the top 100 prospects from the class of 2022.

“I enjoyed it; it was fun getting to play against all the top players,” Hale said. “I was one of the youngest there, but I enjoyed the experience.”

Being the youngest is nothing new to Hale. As the youngest of four brothers, he said his older siblings have been a constant source of motivation and wisdom.

“Growing up with them, they always pushed me to be the best,” Hale said. “They always told me to stay focused, don’t get mad when we go down, keep my head up and keep playing hard.”

Then when he was in ninth grade, Hale became the first freshman to play on Longview’s varsity squad since John King took over as head coach back in 2004.

“It was exciting,” Hale said. “I got to play with all the older people, and I also got to play with my brothers [Tyree and LaQualon].”

With Jalen playing receiver and his two brothers mainly on defense, they didn’t get to share the field much. However, in a game against Beaumont West Brook, with Jalen in at cornerback, all three got the chance to be on the field at the same time, a memorable moment for the entire Hale family.

“I ain’t ever seen three brothers on one team,” Hale said. “I know for sure our parents were excited. As brothers, we were all three happy about being on the field at the same time versus West Brook.”

But after Tyree and LaQualon graduated this past spring, Jalen will be the lone Hale on the football field this year for the Lobos.

And with 34 Division I offers, including 30 from Power Five schools, expect a pretty big spotlight on Hale as he closes in on one of his lifelong dreams: playing college football.

When asked about recruiting, Hale said he is extremely appreciative of each and every one of his 34 offers. However, there are a couple of schools that he said have really caught his eye.

“I’m excited to have offers from all schools,” Hale said. “But, I guess you could say I’m more excited to have offers from Oklahoma, Florida, USC, Oregon and Alabama.”

Hale also has several upcoming visits planned. He said he plans to take official visits to Florida, Alabama and Ohio State and possibly USC and Notre Dame in the near future.

Currently, Hale said he plans to release a list of his top schools after his junior season with tentative plans to commit after his senior season.

However, with that commitment decision likely still a year away, possibly the most pressing order of business on Hale’s priority list is getting a second shot at Denton Ryan in the season opener on August 28 after the Raiders sent Longview packing in a 27-9 victory in the regional semifinals last season.

“It’s going to be fun,” Hale said. “We got a young defense, so offense is going to do what they got to do. Our defense is going to step up too.”

As Hale mentioned, the Lobos will have to deal with some inexperience on the defensive side as just two starters return from last year’s team. But with six starters back on offense and the memory of the 2018 state title still fresh in the minds of many (not to mention the extra motivation for Jalen that his brothers LaQualon and Tyree were both on that state title team) Hale and the Lobos have their sights set on the grand prize heading into the season.

“As a team, I know for sure we want to win state and play hard every game,” Hale said. “My goals are at least 1,300 yards, at least 18 touchdowns, and be a leader out on the field.”

And while Hale has aspirations to play in the NFL, he also has a backup career in mind, expressing interest in both welding and possibly starting his own business.

“I know for sure I want to be a welder if football don’t go right,” Hale said. “It’s a hard job, but they make good money. That’s what I do at school. That’s a class I’m in.”

But college commitments and the possibility of alternative careers are still well down the road compared to the fast-approaching 2021 Texas high school football season. For now, Hale is focused and ready to take the field for Longview this year with the goal of another playoff run.

“It’s exciting; it’s fun,” Hale said. “When you throw that green on on Friday nights and come out that tunnel, you got to be ready to go.”