Maverick Inman: Record Breaker

Northwest High School receiver Maverick Inman broke three school records throughout the 2023 football season: yards in a game, single-season touchdowns and single-season yards. 

He finished the season with 751 yards alongside 8 touchdowns. Inman stated, “I was focused on winning games… it was obviously pretty cool, but it was like a recognition of how well I played throughout the season.” 

The football team was very successful factoring in Inman’s production, finishing with a 7-3 record, on the way to the team’s state playoff berth. 

He credited his coaches and teammates for the record, as he stated, “They are the reason I had the platform and opportunity to do this, my job was just to go out there and perform.” 

The work for Inman began during the 2023 offseason. “We had to work a lot in offseason workouts, getting bigger, stronger, faster, and also feeling it out with Sam and the other guys.” The work paid off, as Inman improved his 40-yard dash to a 4.58, and eclipsed a 300-pound back squat. 

The chemistry he built with senior quarterback Sam Johnson was also very apparent, as he accounted for 51% of Johnson’s total yards, as well as 40% of the quarterback’s completions. The work in the weight room helped Inman with his speed and agility on the field, while also allowing him to compete with defenders in the secondary with more physicality. 

Inman felt like his breakthrough moment was in the Waukee vs Waukee Northwest game during week 2 of the season. During that game, Inman scored the clinching touchdown, which led Northwest to a 20-17 victory. This was also Inman’s first of eight touchdowns on the season. 

Continuing the success, Inman kept it rolling against Valley three weeks later, which he felt like was his best game. “It really felt like all of my work was shown in that game, and it was a really big win for the team.” 

He found ways to overcome adversity throughout the year and found growth throughout the season, as he dealt with back issues. Despite the negative impact it could have had, he found ways to stay positive through those times. He felt like staying loose, having fun and enjoying the moment was a key contributor to his overall health and enjoyment of the season. He credits his teammates in the locker room for always keeping spirits high and focused on what he had in front of him. 

Inman is still committed to gearing up for next season, however. He is focused on getting weight training in, as well as growing chemistry and feeling with his teammates around him. 

Outside of football, Maverick also excels in the classroom. He maintains a high GPA while taking challenging classes throughout the year. He credits his time management ability for his success in the classroom, being able to balance academics and athletics. His support system also helped him, by keeping him positive and accountable throughout the year. 

He draws his inspiration from Chad Ochocinco, former All-Pro wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals. He described Ochocinco as always able to have fun on the field, which is one of Inman’s key pillars. He also tries to model his game after a Hall of Fame receiver he shares a number with, Randy Moss. He feels like these are receivers he wants to strive to play like and emulate their success on the field. 

One thing Inman has his sights on for next year is the career touchdown and receiving yards records, coupled with a successful season for the Northwest Football team. 

Check the sit-down interview with Maverick on our YouTube page.