Greene County defensive back Tamari Roberts has found his college home at Columbus State University.
Roberts completed his final football season with the Tigers last fall and has been actively searching for a place to continue his career on the gridiron. Recently, the senior visited Columbus State University, where he fell in love with the program. It didn’t take long for him to commit to the Cougars.
“It feels good. After the season was over, it seemed like I wasn’t going anywhere, but eventually, Columbus State and I found each other,” Roberts said. “I’m happy about that for me and my family.”
Roberts stated that his visit to Columbus State had a significant influence on his decision. He toured the campus and spoke with the coaches and current players, who made him feel “at home” during the visit.
Roberts also felt blessed that the staff reached out and took an interest in him after seeing his film.
“They invited me down like two weeks ago and I went,” the Greene County senior said. “I visited the school, met with some of the players, and they seemed great. The coaches were also wonderful. They made me feel at home and were very generous to me.”
Roberts appreciated that the Cougar players and coaches didn’t sugarcoat anything, indicating that playing there wouldn’t be easy. He prides himself on hard work and understands their message.
“They kept it real with me. I’m a hard worker, so I already knew what to expect,” Roberts said. “They were looking for someone like me, someone who could work hard. They weren’t looking for someone who just wanted to show up and expect to start.”
Roberts has played both ways for Greene County over the past few years, but he will be a defensive back at the next level.
Roberts admitted that he doesn’t mind what position he plays; he just wants to be on the field.
“I’m just ready to be anywhere on the field,” Roberts said. “I just want to play.”
Roberts played for three years under former Tigers’ head coach Terrance Banks, who is proud of him.
Roberts mentioned that his favorite memory at Greene County was reaching the second round of the playoffs as a junior. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost to Bowdon, which has now claimed the state title three years in a row.
“That was my favorite moment because everyone had high hopes for that season, and I loved seeing smiles on my teammates’ faces,” Roberts said.
Roberts also thinks that reaching the playoffs three years in a row helped set the bar high for the future.
“I feel we set a standard for our younger players,” he added. “They look up to us, so we have to be great role models for them.”
Roberts joins fellow Greene County seniors Steve Miller, RJ Monford, and Kevin Wynn to play at the next level. He admitted that he is ready to be a Cougar and begin the next chapter of his life.
“I didn’t expect myself to be in this situation,” Roberts said. “I just love playing football.”
Roberts plans to major in marketing and minor in business administration, hoping to own his own real estate business and become a broker after his football career ends.