Thompson quarterback Trent Seaborn has a state championship ring, an MVP plaque and offers from Auburn and Alabama on his high school resume.

He’ll be a freshman this fall for the four-time reigning Class 7A champions.

How does the No. 1 quarterback in the nation in the Class of 2027 handle that pressure?

“Coach (Mark) Freeman always talks about not adding pressure to ourselves, always keep things light,” Seaborn said during last week’s 7-on-7 event in Foley. “When you add pressure, that is when you start to crack.

“So, we don’t think of it as pressure, just expectations. As a team, we just have to meet those expectations and try to exceed them. It’s a matter of working every day so we can do that in the fall.”

Seaborn drew national attention last fall when he started all four of the Warriors’ playoff games as an eighth grader and was named MVP when he threw five touchdown passes against Auburn in the championship game. In 10 games in 2022, he passed for 1,181 yards and 14 TDs.

The success has continued this summer with Seaborn leading Thompson to 7-on-7 championships in Troy, Auburn, Alabama and last week in Foley. The Warriors went 9-0 in Foley and defeated Benjamin Russell in the championship game.

After competing in Auburn and Alabama, he received early college offers from both of those SEC schools.

“I’m blessed to have those offers,” he said last week. “Those are two big-time schools, but the really important part is developing relationships with these coaches. Offers will come, but I think at my age and at this stage, it is about developing relationships and getting to know coaches as well as what offense I think I will fit into the best and what suits me.”

Seaborn’s other offers at this point in his young career include Arizona State, Arkansas, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ole Miss, Oregon, Troy and Wisconsin.

Freeman told AL.com earlier this summer that his quarterback is blessed with “God-given talent” but also is very mature for his age. Seaborn said his solution to handling all the attention he has received in the last eight months is pretty simple.

“I stay away from social media,” he said. “My dad runs all my socials, so it helps me stay away from all that toxic stuff. I think that has helped me stay grounded and not get ahead of myself or my team. That’s really important to me.”

Seaborn said he can see his team coming together on both sides of the ball the summer.

The 7-on-7 tournaments, which Freeman has long been a proponent of playing in with his teams, have helped the Warriors improve, Seaborn said.

“From a quarterback standpoint, it’s really helpful,” he said. “It’s definitely helpful on our reads and throws and our chemistry with the wide receivers and running backs. It helps me to go up against different defenses and different looks and a lot of great players as well. I think that will be really helpful when the season comes around.”

Thompson will open 2023 against Opelika in Montgomery in the AHSAA Kickoff Classic on Aug. 25. The Warriors also will play a nationally televised game against Class 6A power Clay-Chalkville on Thursday, Sept. 28.