John Wood, C.P.A., Offers Trusted Tax Preparation & Accounting Services

Whether it’s tax preparation, IRS audits and other tax resolutions or small business accounting services, John S. Wood, C.P.A., P.A., in Tampa Palms, is here to help you.

Whether you’re a small or emerging business, an individual or a pass-through entity like an S-Corporation or Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), John S. Wood, C.P.A., P.A. can help you navigate the ever-changing tax codes and if necessary, negotiate with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on your behalf.

“Tax laws change every year and the code can be complex, especially if you have multiple investments,” Wood says. “In the case of negotiating a tax debt, I can speak directly with the IRS on behalf of a client and can help get the problem resolved, so they can move on with their lives.”

He also says that the IRS can put liens on property and levy bank accounts.

“The IRS has access to every database known to man,” Wood says. “Once they start actions, they don’t go away. But, once a client comes to me, they don’t have to deal with the IRS anymore.”

Wood’s firm offers “rescue” services for taxpayers who owe back taxes. The firm offers guidance, representation and can help the client get into an installment agreement that will sometimes get the IRS to accept less than the original tax bill.

“As small business owners, we do so much by ourselves. One place we don’t want to mess around with is taxes and the IRS,” says Brandon Diehl of STRATIX Marketing. “It was beyond easy to work with John, he double checks everything and as a business owner, he’s invaluable to me. Even if you keep your own books, it’s good to have a C.P.A. you can call.”

Looking Back…& Forward, Too

Wood, whose office is located in the Palm Lake Office Building off Amberly Dr. in Tampa Palms, remembers a time when life in the area was a bit more simple. He moved to the New Tampa area in 1987 and graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Accounting in 1997.

“When I moved to the area, there was barely anything between Skipper Road and S.R. 54,” Wood says. “The area has developed a lot. There’s more diversity, which is a positive aspect, and the impact of technology on our lives has changed the way we do business.”

When Wood started in the business more than 21 years ago, he says that much of the client interaction was face-to-face. Clients would bring in the proverbial, “shoebox” of receipts and sit down across a desk from Wood. It’s not to say those types of interactions don’t exist anymore, but they are certainly much rarer today.

“It’s transitioning to a virtual practice these days,” Wood says. “Accounting trends like cloud-based software as well as new programs and applications make it so that I actually see less and less of clients. The old days when I’d get people’s bank statements in the mail are gone.”

New Tech, Old Time Service

Wood also says that new technologies are helping to streamline the process for both tax preparation and accounting services.

Quickbooks has been around since the early 2000s but can now be integrated into online platforms that a C.P.A. like Wood can share in real time with a client. Wood says he also started using an application called Hubdoc this past year. Hubdoc can automatically pull your bills and bank statements into one secure hub. Wood can then access the hub and get all pertinent financial information that he needs to provide service to a client.

“A lot of the manual processes of accounting and bookkeeping have been eliminated by this technology,” Wood says.

Hubdoc, coupled with the LogMeIn application, streamlines the process even further. LogMeIn allows C.P.A.s like Wood to remotely access his own or his client’s computer. Wood has been able to utilize the technology for the last five years.

“The screens pop up on my computer just like they were on my client’s,” Wood says. “We’ll actually take turns using the mouse; the technology is amazing.”

The remote access can save clients a significant amount of time and help them negotiate financial programs like Quickbooks or even the IRS website.

With 90 to 95 percent of Wood’s business coming in via digital or electronic submissions, it slashes preparation time and can give hands-on assistance to a client without even being in the same room.

Do You Still Need A CPA?

There are several other reasons why a client would want to use a C.P.A. and not try to file their taxes themselves. The biggest one? Money.

“I’ve had clients where I’ve amended previous tax returns for them and gotten them a bigger refund,” Wood says. “Part of bringing a new client on board is that I’ll review their previous year’s tax return.”

He also says that he often finds credits and deductions on clients’ previous tax returns that they missed when they filed themselves.

“Credits are a dollar-for-dollar reduction of what you owe, while deductions lower your taxable income,” Wood said. “The layperson is not aware of many of these.”

Did you send a child to college last year? There’s an education credit you can use. Even if you run a small business, Woods’ services could help make it run more efficiently.

“Businesses need much more than an individual,” Wood said. “You’ll need a profit/loss statement and something to keep track of it. You’ll need to put it in a format that’s properly classified to fit it on your tax return.”

Wood also provides value to your business by managing assets, measuring, processing and combining financial information. Making a profit is essential to any business. At John S. Wood C.P.A., P.A., customers get what they need to measure their financial results so that they can take appropriate action to maximize their businesses’ profits.

“John’s services have been an absolute asset to my company,” says Loren Staker of West Coast Water Tech. “He’s done wonders, he’s kept me up to date on changes in the tax law…I could go on and on. He’s a friend and business associate and I would recommend him to anyone. As long as I’m in business, he’s my accountant.”

Wood offers free consultations and brings back a bit of the interaction lost in technology.

Now is the busy time of year, he says, estimating that 65 percent of his business comes in between January and the end of April. Beyond that, his services extend year-round for individuals who have filed extensions or businesses that have quarterly payroll and sales tax reports.

Wood says he likes to rely on word-of-mouth advertising, although he admits that he has been an avid Neighborhood News reader himself since the beginning.

“Most of our new business comes from referrals,” he says.

Whether it’s tax preparation, tax resolution or small business accounting services, John S. Wood C.P.A., P.A. is here for you. His office is located at 15310 Amberly Dr, in Tampa Palms, and he can be reached at (813) 514-2920 or you can visit JWoodCPA.com .

Communication, Education Keys To Comprehensive Care at Ferrera Dental

General & cosmetic dentist Dr. Robert Ferrera of Ferrera Dental Care, located just off BBD Blvd.

If you’re coming in for an appointment at Ferrera Dental Care, located just off Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., south of E. Bearss Ave., be prepared to use your mouth — and not just to “open wide.”

General and cosmetic dentist Robert Ferrera, D.D.S., believes that effective, two-way communication is key to achieving excellent results.

“I know it sometimes drives my staff crazy because they are looking at the appointment books,” Dr. Ferrera says, “but I always like to have a conversation with my patients before we start any kind of procedure.”

Those conversations help familiarize the patient with their dentist, which helps build the kind of patient-doctor relationship that makes any local practice thrive. As a result, Dr. Ferrera has had some clients who have been with him for most of his 30-year career, like Bob Cornett.

“I have known Dr. Ferrera for many years, in fact I was his first patient,” Cornett says. “Over the years, I’ve been blessed to have been associated with him. I can’t say enough for the respect I have for Dr. Ferrera and his entire staff. I’m there every three months, and have been doing this for many years.”

The initial conversation also helps Ferrera ascertain what the patient is or is not doing that could be causing his or her problem. Oftentimes, it’s not something quite as simple as forgetting to brush your teeth. Permanent and full mouth damage can be caused by certain habits that patients develop, sometimes unbeknownst to them.

“Most people who come in needing full mouth rehabs did the damage to their teeth unintentionally,” Dr. Ferrera says.

Full mouth rehabs are a specialty at Ferrera Dental.

Teeth grinding is one of the leading causes for patients requiring full mouth rehabilitation. Dr. Ferrera says that grinding is not only something people do while sleeping, but something they also may be doing while they are wide awake.

Having a conversation with patients prior to a procedure can reveal clues about the causes of other dental/mouth issues. Whatever the solution, a friendly, familiar environment is provided where the patient can relax, even when undergoing an otherwise uncomfortable procedure. (Don’t worry, though — Dr. Ferrera’s office offers sedation dentistry for patients who want it.)

“Full mouth rehabs are not just problems with your teeth, it’s where the uppers and lowers don’t fit together properly anymore,” Ferrera says. “The work is partially cosmetic, but we give patients function they haven’t had before.”

It’s not an overnight process, Dr. Ferrera says. There’s a strategic approach that he takes in order to start moving forward in the treatment process, using implants, crowns, bridges and veneers. Sometimes, if the case warrants it, Ferrera will refer a patient to one of the orthodontic specialists or oral surgeons he has worked with before.

“I try to work with specialists who have worked with me for a long time, so we can get the result the patient wants in the long run,” Dr. Ferrera says. “Some of these specialists I refer patients to have worked with me for 15 to 20 years.”

That familiarity helps Ferrera Dental maintain a level of consistency. This is especially important when it comes to patients who require ongoing treatments.

“I happen to be one of those individuals that needed extensive dental work,” Cornett says. “Dr. Ferrera not only diagnosed my problems, but set me up with the appropriate surgeons to have the surgeries performed. After the surgeries, he took care of all the dental fixtures that were required.”

Continuing Education & New Technology

Even though Dr. Ferrera says he has been a practicing dentist for more than 30 years, he never stops learning.

While the State of Florida requires 30 hours of continuing education every two years, Ferrera says he takes 60 hours every two years. At each course or seminar, he says he looks for at least one new piece of information that he can apply to his practice.

“Technology and procedures are constantly changing and evolving,” he says.

Cerec Restoration is one of those developing technologies. Cerec is a dental restoration system that allows dentists to produce and place custom-fitted ceramic dental restorations using a variety of computer-assisted technologies.

Ferrera got involved with Cerec in 2009, during the nationwide economic downturn. Domestic laboratories were raising prices for lab work and many dentists turned to sending crowns offshore to keep costs down.  “I never wanted to send anything offshore,” Dr. Ferrera says. “I realized that I could control my costs by using the Cerec machine.”

Today, instead of multiple appointments and sometimes a weeks-long process, Dr. Ferrera can now create and place a crown in only one day.

There are two parts to the Cerec machine. The first uses two tiny cameras to map a 3-D image of the patient’s tooth or mouth.

The information is sent to a second machine that processes the information and mills a piece of porcelain right there in the office. The system can be used to produce any permanent, single-tooth ceramic restoration, including crowns, veneers, onlays and inlays.

A Hometown Guy

Ferrera has deep roots in the Tampa Bay community.

He graduated from Tampa Catholic High School and earned his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree from the University of South Florida.

He graduated at the top of his class in 1985 from the Ohio State University College of Dentistry in Columbus, with his Doctorate of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree. His first job upon returning to Tampa after college was with the late Dr. Richard Valdes, who had an office in northeast Tampa near what is now Florida Hospital Tampa on BBD.

Ferrera’s father, Robert, worked at the American Canning Company in Tampa until the plant closed down and shipped production overseas. Robert Sr. then got a job as a security officer at Avila. It was there that he met Dr. Valdes, one of the few residents the elder Ferrera felt was gracious and down-to-earth. One day, Ferrera’s father waved down Valdes and asked him to counsel his son.

“I was very fortunate (Dr. Valdes) chose me,” Ferrera says. “I see him as my mentor. If there’s anything I’m good at, it’s because of him.”

Dr. Ferrera worked in an associate position for Valdes for seven years, until his mentor passed away in 1991. By then, Ferrera was already involved in the Temple Terrace Rotary Club. He would soon team up with his friend and neighbor Bill Leonard (as well as Tom Wade) to help create the Rotary Club of New Tampa in 1995, which still meets Fridays at 7 a.m. at Tampa Palms Golf & Country Club.

Ferrera has held every chair position in the Rotary Club of New Tampa with the exception of president.

Participation in community events attracted Ferrera to other organizations, like the Krewe of the Knights of Sant’ Yago & Sant’ Yago Foundation, and the Rough Riders, which both are part of Gasparilla.

The Sant’ Yago Foundation connected Ferrera — whose grandfather was from Spain and grandmother was from Cuba — to his Latin roots. The foundation provides full-ride scholarships to 22-25 junior and senior students at USF, the University of Tampa and Hillsborough Community College who are of Hispanic origin.

Ferrera joined the Rough Riders in 2017. The Rough Riders are a 501(c)(3) non-profit group whose members dress in regalia reminiscent of U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, who camped in Tampa on their way to Cuba during the Spanish-American War. In addition to participating in Gasparilla, they organize their own Saint Patrick’s Day in Ybor City and go on teddy bear runs, delivering plush toys to children in hospitals; they also visit veterans in VA hospitals.

Ferrera has lived in Tampa Palms with his family for the last 26 years. His wife Cheri manages the accounting department at Ferrera Dental and his daughter Morgan runs the office. Dental hygienists Diantha Higdon and Marie Crenshaw each have 20 years each of experience, as does dental assistant Lisa Snow, who works the front desk.

“I can actually say I look forward to my visits,” Cornett says. “If you’re looking for a dentist with exceptional skill and compassion, give his office a ring.”

Ferrera Dental Care will celebrate its 20th anniversary at its 15047 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. location in March. For more information, call (813) 558-6684 or visit DrFerrera.com.

Magic On Ice!

OlympianVanessa James gave 7-year-old future ice skating star Serena Kemble a lot more than just some tights -— she gave her a memory that will last a lifetime.

A Simple Gesture By An Olympic Medal Hopeful Inspires A Young Skater At Florida Hospital Center Ice

Serena Kemble had only been figure skating a few months when she first saw Olympic medal hopeful Vanessa James at a 2016 competition at the Ellenton Ice & Sports Complex in Bradenton.

The then-five-year-old was transfixed by Vanessa’s beauty and grace, the way she glided across the ice and so elegantly twisted and turned as she leapt through the air.

And by her skin color.

“It was the first time Serena saw anyone in person skating that was her own skin color,” said Deserree Kemble, Serena’s white, adoptive mother. 

“She was bouncing in her seat, as happy as she could be.”

During the Winter Olympics, which begin today in PyeongChang, South Korea, Serena is likely to once again be happily bouncing in her seat, as she hopes to see Vanessa and her partner, Morgan Cipres, who have been training at Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel since May, represent France as they compete for a medal in the pairs figure skating competition. The duo recently finished fourth at the European World Championships.

As she cheers on her skating idol, Serena just may be clutching a pair of new brown tights in her hands, given to her by Vanessa, a significant gesture that has left a significant impact.

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Deserree and Serena, who is 7 years old and has been skating for two years, grew dismayed by a lack of equipment for skaters of color, especially tights, which are primarily supposed to match the skater’s skin tone, while adding protection in case of falls.

“We bought her tights, but I recall they never did look right,” Deserree says. “Tights are supposed to resemble the skater’s skin tone and hers stood out. They were obviously not close to her skin tone.”

Deserree tried dyeing the tights they had, but nothing seemed to work. One competition, Serena skated without them, but fell and suffered ice burns on her legs. They managed to locate a used pair from Nyman, and by mending holes and double-layering the tights, made them last.

Deserree connected with Vanessa, whom they had met at a skating event in Ellenton, on Facebook and shared some of the difficulties she and Serena encountered being a skater of color. Having endured her own obstacles, Serena’s story touched Vanessa.

The next time she saw Serena, she vowed she would be ready. Her coach, John Zimmerman IV (a 2018 U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame inductee), and FHCI Ice Skating Director Shari Klutz, helped orchestrate a future meeting.

On Jan. 24, Deserree was on Facebook when she noticed a post announcing the final practice for Vanessa and Cipres before they headed off to the Olympics, with an autograph session to follow.

She rearranged her schedule so she and Serena could drive across the state to see Vanessa up close, although she kept it a secret. Traffic, though, caused them to miss the morning session. So, Serena free skated while they waited for the night practice session.

After a few hours, as Deserree and Serena stood at the Guest Services desk at FHCI, Vanessa came in the door and also walked up to the service desk.

“Serena was just in shock,” Deserree says of the unplanned meeting. Serena stared at Vanessa. She had no words.

“I told her, ‘You waited two years for this moment, you’re not going to say anything?,’” Deserree says.

A star-struck Serena mumbled, “She’s so pretty.”

Vanessa looked down and realized it was Serena, the little girl from Facebook who couldn’t find a pair of tights in her skin tone.

“Let’s meet after the night practice session,” Vanessa told her.

Serena got a front-row seat for Vanessa and Cipres’ practice session, where the figure skaters performed their long program, or free skate, to the tune of Simon & Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence.” She excitedly provided the play-by-play for her mother.

“Serena told me every move they did that she knew the name of, and when she didn’t, she just sang their song,” Deserree says. “When it was over, Serena looked over at me and said, ‘This was the best day ever.’”

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Little did Serena know that the best day ever was going to get even better.

After the training session, Vanessa signed autographs, including a copy of SKATING, the U.S. Figure Skating magazine, January issue. In the Kid Zone section of the magazine, Serena is featured, and named Vanessa as one of her skating role models.

As the autograph session wrapped up, and only Serena was left, she met with Vanessa. After a brief conversation, she asked them if they could wait around for a few minutes. Serena nodded her head.

Vanessa sped home to nearby Seven Oaks, where she has lived while training at FHCI. With music playing in her head, a beaming Serena waited in the lobby, practicing axel after axel, nearly 75 in all.

Deserree stood nearby, smiling.

Vanessa returned with gifts — tights for Serena.

The first two pairs were tights in Serena’s size, and skin tone, that Vanessa’s mother shipped her from France.

The third pair actually belonged to Vanessa. “One day,” she told Serena, “you will grow into these.”

“Serena was over the moon excited,” says Deserree. “When we were in the car driving home, Serena said she would never wash the tights Vanessa gave her, and would never wash the hand that she shook.”

Deserree chuckled. “I told her she might want to think about that, but left it there for the time being.”

Serena may have had trouble finding tights to match her skin tone, but she definitely didn’t have any trouble finding a role model who does.

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The Kembles, Deserree and Lance, adopted Serena and her 6-year-old biological cousin, Elijah, at birth, rescuing the children from their rough background, through a program with the Kembles’ church.

“It just seemed like the right thing to do,” Deserree said.

The Kembles hardly imagined that their daughter would discover figure skating, of all things, but a 2016 family trip would change Serena’s world forever.

At a ski resort in Gatlinburg, TN, Serena saw ice, and people skating on it, for the first time. She was mesmerized as the skaters whizzed by her, and begged her parents to let her try it.

A few moments later, Serena had laced up a pair of cheap, worn rental ice skates and was gliding around the ice with surprising aplomb, charming the other skaters, many of whom couldn’t help but notice.

“How long has she been skating?,” someone asked Deserree.

“Oh, about two minutes,” she replied.

When it was time to leave, Serena begged to stay. She has been skating ever since, inspired by Vanessa on that night in Bradenton, just a few months after she began. Her mother says Serena has already been in about a dozen competitions, earning nine gold medals, one silver and one bronze. She also skates with a performance team called Theatre On Ice, and is the youngest member of the team coached by Katie Nyman, who also coaches at one of Serena’s home rinks, the Space Coast IcePlex in Rockledge (near Cocoa Beach), which is known for its strong figure skating program.

Serena is heading into competition season now, and will have her first competition in a more competitive classification this March, in Coral Springs. The Florida State Games are coming to FHCI in Wesley Chapel this summer, and Serena plans to compete there.

She will be wearing her new tights.

The Winter Olympics begin Feb. 9 in PyeongChang Olympic Stadium and continue through Sunday, Feb. 25. Vanessa and Morgan will skate Feb. 13-14.

Octogenarian Trying To Bring Truly “Old-School” Hockey To Wesley Chapel

Wesley Chapel resident Norm Dann (in the goalie gear) recently competed in the 80s Division at the Hall of Fame Games in Ottawa, Canada. Dann’s team was comprised of octogenarians from all over the country, the oldest playing being 86 years old.

Florida Old Timers Hockey Association secretary/treasurer Norm Dann is looking for a few good (older) men — and women — to come out in support of ice hockey in Wesley Chapel.

The Canadian-born Dann just turned 80 years old, and amazingly, he says 75 of those have been spent playing organized hockey. He also says he once had pro aspirations while playing in a juniors league for the Ontario Hockey Association, but says a back injury torpedoed his chances. As a teenager, he moved to Tampa in the 1950s, but never stopped playing hockey.

It’s easier to find venues these days for Dann, who lives in Wesley Chapel and is already taking part in some senior hockey programs already going at Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI).

The USA Hockey Adult Nationals Program has been at the Ice Sports Forum in Brandon since 2004. Dann says in 2015, at its zenith, the program produced 50 teams of 50-over players, 12 teams of 60-over, eight teams of 65-over and six teams of 70-over.

There were even 24 ladies teams for ages 50-over. Yes, ladies. There is room for you in senior hockey leagues, too.

Meanwhile, FHCI hosts a myriad of hockey leagues for many different age groups, from beginners to ages 50-over, but Dann is pushing for an even older hockey division.

“It’s definitely something we could do,” says FHCI general manager Gordie Zimmerman. “Last year, we had a very successful adult nationals hockey tournament here.”

Finding the older skaters is the next goal. Dann says he meets seniors frequently at FHCI, many of them snowbirds who had no idea that there is an opportunity to play locally.

“I’ve met 12 guys just standing around and when I ask them where their gear is and they say, ‘Up home, up north,’” Dann says. “I go over there (FHCI) two or three times per week, just to see who’s there and to get on the ice. Most guys I talk to are interested, we just have to let people know that if they are interested, to contact us.”

The leagues and the membership are already strong in the Tampa area for older hockey players.

Currently, Dann, who credits a 125-over-65 blood pressure with a resting heart rate of 50 to the health benefits of playing hockey, skates at Clearwater Ice Arena in Largo, and his bonds run deep there.

He says the camaraderie and warmth in a hockey locker room is like no other, and that spirit is what makes it difficult to start a league in Wesley Chapel.

“There’s guys that would like to play here (Wesley Chapel) but they play in Brandon or Oldsmar and they’ve made friends there,” Dann says. “They don’t want to leave their leagues.”

But, Dann is hoping to create those same bonds here in Wesley Chapel.

“It’s a beautiful facility here, everything anyone could want,” Dann said. “They have a studio, a half rink (aka “minipad”), weight rooms and off-ice facilities. It’s so new you can still smell the paint.”

Dann and his teammates don’t bang each other around like they might have in their youth. In fact, checking and other overly physical contact is not allowed.

“It becomes more of a finesse game, “ Dann says. “All these guys have great stick handling.”

Appreciation for the sport over decades isn’t lost on Zimmerman, who also grew up playing hockey in Canada before moving south.

“I’ve been playing since I was three and I’m 52 now,” Zimmerman says. “I enjoy it as much now as I did back then. You can play until you’re someone like Norm’s (Dann) age and still enjoy it.”

Anyone interested in joining a senior hockey league at FHCI  can reach Norm Dann at Florida Old Timers’ Hockey Association, PO Box 7218, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543-0103. Or, call (813) 973-3654 or email old.puck@juno.com.

Former Wildcats Litton, Tate Declare For NFL Draft

Auden Tate catches a touchdown pass for Wharton in a 2014 game against King. Tate and former Wharton quarterback Chase Litton have both declared that they will be entering the 2018 NFL Draft. (Photo: Andy Warrener)

In 2013, the last year Wharton High’s football team went to the playoff, Wildcats’ quarterback Chase Litton was throwing passes to wide receiver Auden Tate.

Next year, they may both be on NFL rosters.

Tate, a starter for Florida State at wide receiver last season, and Litton, the starting quarterback at Marshall University in Huntington, WV, have both declared for the 2017 NFL draft, scheduled for April 27-29 in Philadelphia.

The former Wildcats just completed their junior years in college, passing on their final years of eligibility.

If they ended up drafted, as expected, that would make three members of the 2012 Wharton football team, including Tampa Bay Buccaneer Vernon Hargreaves, on NFL rosters.

Tate will forego his senior season at FSU after catching 40 passes for 548 yards and a team-leading 10 touchdowns in 2018. At 6-5, 225, he has all the measurables NFL scouts want these days in a wide receiver. He has very good speed and hands, exceptional height and a physical style that gives him an edge against smaller defensive backs in the red zone.

Auden Tate

Shoulder and foot injuries limited his playing time at FSU in his first two seasons. However, a solid junior campaign and the changing of the coaching staff at FSU nudged him to go pro.

CBS Sports ranks Tate as the No. 7 wide receiver in the upcoming draft. A mock draft at DraftUtopia.com has Tate going 10th overall in the first round to the Los Angeles Rams, while other mock draft “experts” have him being selected in the first three rounds.

USA Today ranked Tate as the 39th best prospect in the draft.

One mock draft, WalterFootball.com, has Tate going 77th overall to Cincinnati, with Washington taking Litton a pick later.

At 6-6, 235-pounds, Litton also has many of the tools NFL scouts drool over, including a lively arm to go with his height.

Chase Litton

Litton graduated from Wharton a year earlier than Tate, and was a three-star recruit (Rivals.com, 247Sports) who initially committed to hometown USF and reportedly had offers from LSU and Western Kentucky, but settled in on Marshall, where he was a three-year starter.

He became one of only two quarterbacks in school history to complete at least 60 percent of their passes in three straight seasons.

Litton’s draft prognosis, however, is not as rosy as Tate’s, as he is coming out in a quarterback-heavy year and with some scouts feeling he could benefit from an additional year of college.

Although both former Wildcats were very good basketball players in high school, it looks like football has turned out to be the right choice for both of them.