Tyseer Denmark is Roman Catholic’s ‘generational’ receiver. Next stop: Oregon

When Rick Prete first realized that Tyseer Denmark was a next-level receiving talent, Denmark had yet to play a down of high school football. Prete had first heard about Denmark’s talent from one of the wideout’s family members. After seeing Denmark play as an incoming eighth grader, Prete knew that the receiver would be a great addition to his Roman Catholic program.

Prete wasn’t the only local coach to take notice of Denmark’s talents, as Denmark had several options regarding his high school enrollment. Initially, the class of 2024 wide receiver was going to play for St. Joseph’s Prep. But Denmark had built a level of trust with Prete that made Roman feel like his best fit.

Denmark’s rapport with Prete helped during his first year with Roman, when the pandemic interrupted the Cahillites’ season. In addition to adjusting to Catholic school and high school football, Denmark also had to handle online classes and inconsistent practice schedules. Key for Denmark in handling the challenges of his freshman year: separating school and football and focusing on each individually.

Although his freshman year was challenging, it was crucial in preparing Denmark for a big offseason. Heading into his sophomore season, Denmark was consistent in the weight room and gained the size necessary to compete in the Philadelphia Catholic League. He also continued to refine his receiving skills, including the route running that had first captured Prete’s attention.

It was also during that offseason that Denmark started to draw attention on the recruiting trail. By the time his sophomore season started, Denmark had offers from a host of Power 5 programs, including Texas A&M, Penn State, and Ole Miss. Suddenly, Denmark had to get used to balancing high school and his recruitment.

“I didn’t expect it to be that way before,” Denmark said. “So, it was hard, but at the same time, it felt good, trying to deal with the two. … My sophomore year was when I really blew up.”

While the high level of interest from colleges so early in Denmark’s high school career was surprising to him, it didn’t come as a surprise for Prete.

“Definitely for us, he’s generational,” Prete said. “We had Marvin Harrison here, we had Will Fuller here, and we currently have Tyseer Denmark here. I don’t think they come along too often, and I think the guys at the college level, a lot of them have a great eye, and they’re able to see what he brings to the table.”

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Denmark’s recruiting stock continued to rise throughout his sophomore year, when he had his first chance to play a full season with the Cahillites. The 5-foot-11 wideout led the Catholic League in scoring and all-purpose yards and turned into someone opposing teams had to game-plan against. It was the kind of season that helped Denmark prove to others what Prete had realized many years before — he’d be a big-time college recruit.

“Amazing, literally,” Denmark said. “Being able to showcase my talent, let people know it’s not just hype, like I’m really actually gifted, felt great.”

Said Prete: “It got to a point that you realize no matter who we’re playing, we had the best player on the field, which is something that’s a great advantage. I think that a player, any time a team is game-planning for him and he’s still able to be effective, I think that shows a great trait of being a step above everyone else.”

Last year, Denmark was a sophomore playing with on team composed mainly of seniors. Playing with an older group helped the four-star recruit mature as a player. As a junior this year, Denmark has served as a veteran on what has been a successful Roman team. A year removed from a 3-7 finish, the Cahillites were 9-3 and secured an appearance in the city championship for the first time in decades before falling to Imhotep Charter.

Denmark announced his commitment to Oregon on Thursday, coming three days after he also named Ohio State and Penn State as his top schools. He committed on his mother’s birthday.

“It means a lot to me and her because she helped me get here,” Denmark said. “I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for my mom. So, I just want to show my appreciation to her that ‘I really appreciate you, Mom.’”