The top-four winners on The Times’ 2014 All-Area football team, from left to right, are Cullman’s Justin Patterson (Player of the Year), West Point’s Kobe Smith (Offensive MVP), West Point’s Trent Campbell (Defensive MVP) and Cold Springs’ Rod Elliott (Coach of the Year.)

What more can be said about Cullman’s Justin Patterson?

Exceptional talent? Check.

Intelligent player? No question about it.

Super kid? Sure thing.

Pa-Paw? Um, well, just ask Jeremy Peek.

The Bearcat defensive line coach has seen more than his fair share from the junior phenom to know firsthand just what type of elite football player Patterson really is.

Now, if he’d just move a little faster — like other teenagers.

“I gave him that “Pa-Paw” nickname a while ago,” Peek said. “He has a tendency to limp around and get up slow after some plays and during our practices at times. He walks around like an old man. But from snap to whistle, he’s as good as it gets.”

Peek may be on to something there.

The Class 6A All-State first-teamer opened his 2014 campaign with three sacks against Arab and paid property taxes on most opponents’ backfields for the duration of his junior year en route to 14 sacks — the highest total in 6A — 95 tackles (70 solo and 13 for loss), three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He also rushed for two touchdowns.

It should come as no surprise Patterson was chosen as the Player of the Year for The Times’ 2014 All-Area football team.

Patterson, who’s drawing interest from programs like Georgia, Nebraska and Jacksonville State, used his 6-foot-2, 215- pound frame to terrorize numerous quarterbacks into bad throws, mistakes and a few more pregame prayers.

“I remember the Etowah game,” said Peek, referring to Cullman’s 35-8 triumph versus the Blue Devils in Week 2. “They double-teamed him and triple-teamed him all night. They were sending running backs, tight ends, guards and tackles at him, and they couldn’t block him. He started getting some looks after that. Everybody there knew No. 7 was for real. Their coaches came up after the game, shook his hand and told him he’s the best player they’ve ever faced.”

An honorable mention during his sophomore campaign, Patterson’s 10-game fall showing only added more mystique to his already well-rounded attributes en route to a first-team spot on the Alabama Sports Writers’ Association’s All-State football team.

Go find longtime Cullman coach Mark Britton, tell him Patterson is only a junior and watch his eyes light up with joy.

“When his motor’s running, he’s awfully hard to block,” he said. “He’s so good at getting to the quarterback and really good at pursuing when it goes away from him. Offensive coordinators were planning around him. They ran away from him. When you look at his stats and take that into account, it’s remarkable what he did for us.”

Patterson single-handedly gave the Black and Gold their victory versus Austin with 11 tackles, two sacks, a forced fumble and recovery, several quarterback hurries and the game-winning touchdown in a 13-7 region win over the Black Bears.

All despite not being 100 percent.

“He’s got a lot of tools in his game,” Britton said. “He was bothered at times with a knee and a shoulder, but he never missed a practice and he never missed a game. He brought it every single day.”

The previously released All-County team was selected by Cullman County’s seven coaches and comprised only of players from their programs, whereas the All-Area team was handpicked by myself and sports editor Rob Ketcham.

It includes players from all nine teams in The Times’ coverage area, adding Cullman and Addison to the mix of the aforementioned county schools.

West Point’s Kobe Smith stole the show at Offensive MVP over Cold Springs’ Nic Rollo, while Trent Campbell edged out Vinemont’s Trey Guthery for the Defensive MVP selection. Cold Springs’ Rod Elliott took home Coach of the Year for the second straight season.

West Point, which went 7-4 and clinched a postseason berth for the first time since 2008, dominated the first team with five selections — Bryant Farley (quarterback), Kyle Butler (offensive line), Tristin Skinner (kicker), Levi Laney (linebacker) and Will Wrenn (defensive back).

Cold Springs (8-3) parlayed its strongest season and first playoff bid in more than a decade into five first-team picks — Rollo (running back), Collin Day (O-line), Austin Moore (athlete), Zac Ellison (D-line) and Fisher Willoughby (defensive back).

Vinemont (5-6) also littered the squad with five players — John Michael Dye (running back), Mason Lindsey (O-line), Blake Melton (tight end), Nick Jarrett (D-line) and Guthery (defensive back).

Addison (7-4) was next in line with four athletes — Ronnie Willette (O-line), Kolby Kirk (athlete), Levi Hammack (D-line) and Kyle Denson (linebacker).

Cullman (5-5) and Hanceville (2-8) were each represented three times — Connor Moon (linebacker), Daniel Hunter (O-line) and Ethan McMinn (defensive back) for the Bearcats; and Dant’e Reese (athlete), Kaine Yates (D-line) and Hayden Loggins (punter) for the Bulldogs.

Good Hope’s passing attack allowed both Reese Harbison and Kainan Smith to secure spots at wideout for the Raiders (4-6), while Fairview’s Sambo Woods earned the other WR selection for the Aggies (4-6).

Holly Pond (0-10) was represented on the second team.

See The Times’ entire 2014 All-Area Football Team, including the second team and honorable mentions, below:

The Times’ 2014 All-Area Football Team

Player of the Year: Justin Patterson, Cullman

Offensive MVP: Kobe Smith, West Point

Defensive MVP: Trent Campbell, West Point

Coach of the Year: Rod Elliott, Cold Springs

First Team

Offense

Quarterback: Bryant Farley, West Point

Running back: Nic Rollo, Cold Springs; John Michael Dye, Vinemont

Offensive line: Daniel Hunter, Cullman; Mason Lindsey, Vinemont; Collin Day, Cold Springs; Ronnie Willette, Addison; Kyle Butler, West Point

Wide receiver: Reese Harbison, Good Hope; Kainan Smith, Good Hope; Sambo Woods, Fairview

Tight end: Blake Melton, Vinemont

Athlete: Dant’e Reese, Hanceville; Kolby Kirk, Addison; Austin Moore, Cold Springs

Kicker: Tristin Skinner, West Point

Defense

Defensive line: Kaine Yates, Hanceville; Zac Ellison, Cold Springs; Levi Hammack, Addison; Nick Jarrett, Vinemont

Linebacker: Connor Moon, Cullman; Kyle Denson, Addison; Levi Laney, West Point

Defensive back: Will Wrenn, West Point; Fisher Willoughby, Cold Springs; Trey Guthery, Vinemont; Ethan McMinn, Cullman

Punter: Hayden Loggins, Hanceville

Second Team

Offense

Quarterback: Riley Eisner, Good Hope

Running back: Will Crenshaw, Cullman; Jared McClure, Good Hope

Offensive line: Ben Johnson, Cullman; Mitchell Peed, Cold Springs; Peyton Thompson, Addison; Cody Nichols, Fairview; Dakota Morgan, Good Hope

Wide receiver: Austin Reid, Good Hope; Chris Richards, Holly Pond; Owen Lovell, Cullman

Tight end: Ryder Jones, West Point

Athlete: Brontae Harris, Cullman; Christian Crandall, Cold Springs

Kicker: Matt Bell, Cullman

Defense

Defensive line: Ethan Hopson, Fairview; Austin Young, West Point, Christian James, Hanceville; Kyle Weems, Vinemont

Linebacker: Sam Calligaris, Cullman; Lee Whisenant, Good Hope; Alex Hernandez, West Point

Defensive back: Jose Orozco, Hanceville; Logan Denson, Addison; Garrett Boland, Vinemont; Matt Doyle, Holly Pond

Punter: Dalton Yerby, Cullman

Honorable Mentions

Addison: Hunter Ray, Ryan Walker, Stephen Bryson

Cold Springs: Drew McClendon, Tyler Rice, Cayde Elliott

Cullman: Seth Donaldson, Chase Slocumb, Hunter Brannon

Fairview: Austin Harris, Hayden Maples, Ragan Ashley

Good Hope: Austin White, Dakota Burney, Eric Murphree

Hanceville: Tanner Waldrep, Branen Hurst

Holly Pond: Caleb Jones, Tony Vazquez, Michael Lambert

Vinemont: Bo Wright, Orey Woods, Colby Nicholas

West Point: Jacob Perez, Cameron Moore, Blake Yearwood