Jalen Wydermyer building on family legacy started by his father

Asked to relive his football glory days, 55-year-old Vincent Wydermyer paused. His mind wandered. He recalled a simpler time.

Last year.

Almost 40 years ago, Wydermyer was a star running back at Dickinson High School. He made more than a few highlight reel-worthy runs.

But like many parents, his accomplishments pale in comparison to seeing his child be successful. So, when asked about his most memorable athletic moment his mind drifted to a cool night in Mississippi.

In particular, he recalls Texas A&M’s 24-17 victory over Ole Miss in which Vincent and Tremona Wydermyer’s son, Jalen, caught four passes for 67 yards.

Lia Musgrave, TexAgs

In 2019, Wydermyer hauled in four catches for 67 yards in a 24-17 A&M victory.

Vincent was particularly impressed with a 14-yard catch that Jalen made in the flat in front of the A&M sideline.

Six yards downfield, he shrugged off a tackle attempt by Ole Miss cornerback Jaylon Jones. He then spun around converging linebacker Lakia Henry. Jalen ran another five yards before linebacker Donta Evans dragged him down.

“At Ole Miss, he caught a ball in the middle of the field,” Vincent recalled. “He saw a linebacker going to get him. Jalen caught it, dipped into the linebacker and spun around him. I asked Jalen, ‘Did you see him coming?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I caught him out of the corner of my eye.’

“That’s when I knew he was playing football.”

Maybe Vincent was so impressed with that play because he saw a glimpse of himself.

Back in 1982, Vincent was a big-play threat at both running back and cornerback. He once rushed for 170 yards on ten carries in a victory over Clear Creek. He also starred in a 20-6 upset of No. 1 ranked Port Arthur Jefferson, who was led by future Texas A&M quarterback Craig Stump.

His eight children would’ve bored their friends bragging about their dad’s athletic exploits. That is, had they really known about them.

“I don’t think any of my kids really know,” Vincent said. “They’ve heard some things through people in the neighborhood who know me.”

One of those people is Michael Clerc, a salesman for Bonnie Plants, who was a trainer at Dickinson High School when Vincent played.

“He was amazing,” Clerc said. “I remember things he did on the field that were incredible. If you could get a look of some old films, you’d be amazed. His footwork and the moves he did as a running back were incredible.

Wydermyer Family

Jalen with his parents, Vincent Sr. and Tremona at Kyle Field during a recruiting visit.

“To this day, I can picture in my mind some of the moves he made. Of course, his son, Jalen, is doing very well. It’s a genetic trait.”

Apparently, playing college football is something of a Wydermeyer family tradition. Vincent earned a scholarship to Texas Tech to play cornerback. That didn’t work out, so he joined the Army.

After leaving the service, Vincent returned to Dickinson and started a career as a safety specialist at a chemical plant. Soon afterward, he began raising a family that would grow to eight children — four boys and four girls.

All his sons were athletically gifted and played college football at some level.

The biggest difference in them was that Vincent Jr., Kessrin and Tyrese, were similar in stature to their father, who played at 6-foot-1, 175 pounds.

Jalen was also of similar size … in about the eighth grade.

“It was like my kids, especially my boys, just got bigger as we had them,” Vincent said. “(Jalen) just kept growing.”

Of course, Jalen grew into a 6-foot-5, 265-pound tight end who earned second-team All-Southeastern Conference recognition last year after catching 32 passes for 447 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman.

Vincent saw glimpses of what Jalen’s future might become when coaching youth football for the Hitchcock Heat.

“He made a run one day, faked out a lot of people and stiff-armed a guy,” Vincent said. “I knew he could play college football. I just didn’t know he’d keep getting bigger. He was 6-1 then.”

Jalen’s possibilities and expectations just keep getting bigger. He’s a proven receiving threat. Teammates say he’s honed his blocking, too.

“This year especially, I’ve seen him get better in his run blocking,” fellow A&M tight end Ryan Renick said. “He’s really starting to attack and be a little more physical because he knows what he’s doing a little more and what we’re trying to do.

“I think what makes him special is just his great size and amazing hands. I think his hands are just great, especially for a guy his size.”

Jalen has now established himself among the best offensive players in the SEC. Athlon’s magazine named him second-team preseason All-SEC.

Saturday Down South, a website that follows the college football in the SEC, ranked Wydermyer No. 12 on its preseason list of the Top 25 best offensive players in the Southeastern Conference.

However, he wouldn’t even be considered the best player from Dickinson — not even by his dad.

Vincent ranked former Texas quarterback Donnie Little as the best player to come from Dickinson. Heisman-winning quarterback Andre Ware was second. He rated former Texas A&M offensive lineman Calvin Whitfield third.

But none of them had distinguished NFL careers. Jalen could someday.

“If that happens, I’ll make them sure I tell him he’s the best player from Dickinson,” Vincent said. “He’s by far the best Wydermyer.”