Peoria’s Geno Hess hoping for shot at NFL

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD/WYZZ) — He’s back home preparing for the shot of a lifetime.

Peoria’s Geno Hess is training and trying to reach his lifelong goal of playing in the National Football League.

“It’s more just proving to myself that I can play at that level. Knowing what I’ve worked for since I was a kid, that it could transfer to that level,” said Hess. “I can hang with anybody.”

Hess was a star at Peoria High School but colleges didn’t knock down the 5-8 running back’s door in recruiting. So he went to Southeast Missouri State where he proved he could play again.

Hess was an All-American and the Ohio Valley Conference player of the year at SEMO. He feels like he’s had to prove himself at every level of football.

“I feel like I didn’t get what I worked for in high school. So I took what I had in college to make the most of my opportunity,” Hess said. ” It might look like a revolving door but I find myself on top most of the time.”

Hess and trainer Ishmael Hicks, who runs the Underground Training Center at Landmark Recreation Center in Peoria, have been working together for about nine years. They hope the hard work pays off in next month’s NFL Draft.

“When we first met, his goal was to make a legacy on the high school level. Then once he did that, he said he wanted to do some damage on the college level,” said Hicks. “When he got there, he started looking around he decided he could make it happen in the NFL.”

Now Hess is a month away for a potential NFL opportunity. Even if he doesn’t hear his name called between April 25-27 at the draft, Hess hopes he can sign with a team as a free agent.

He’d like to be the next athlete from Peoria to reach the highest level of his sport.

“The city of Peoria molded me. It’s always part of my story. It’s always part of me at the end of the day.” Hess said. “I feel like (Peoria) not only helped me but my family. And the next generation (of athletes) just seeing somebody from this city doing what they love. They can do the same thing.”

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