Prospect Report: Powerade 7on7
The Powerade 7on7 series made its way to Dublin (Ohio) Coffman High School over the weekend and gave us a glimpse of more than a dozen big-time prospects within the borders of Ohio. Below, we're breaking down some of the top performers from the event.
Anderson is one of Ohio's top deep threats and he showed that once again on Saturday, catching a few long passes. But he is also an excellent intermediate guy and was consistently able to separate from defensive backs and find open holes in the defense. Coming off a big junior season, Anderson should once again be among Ohio's most productive wide receivers this fall.
Drennen has been a running back for most of his life but broke into the Coffman lineup as a wide receiver last fall as a freshman. More and more, it is looking like Drennen is more of a slot/all-purpose back at the next level in the mold of guys like Curtis Samuel or Jaelen Gill. Drennen is dangerous in space and is a reliable pass-catcher. He is also improving his route-running and instincts at the wide receiver position. He'll be a dynamic and versatile offensive weapon this fall for Coffman.
With two dozen teams at the event and having seen Gill numerous times over the summer, I didn't spent as much time on Westerville South as I did on a few of the other teams. Still, Gill made big plays whenever I watched him. While it is easy to scoff at the camp and 7on7 circuit as not being real football, Gill has used that time well to improve his route-running, his footwork, and using his hands against press man coverage.
Harrison is certainly a better defensive prospect, but he was able to put his athleticism on display at tight end on Saturday, catching a few touchdowns and making several big plays down the seam. His production at the position isn't as important as just seeing the way he is able to move around in space at nearly 6-foot-6 and 245-pounds. It is easy to see why Harrison, who has not yet turned 16 years old, is being recruited on a national level.
Lowery threw it beautifully on Saturday, showing zip and touch and spinning it very well. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his performance was his goal line passing. Lowery made several pinpoint throws into very tight windows down by the goal line, throws that needed to be released on time before the window closed. A big junior season is expected here.
Magwood is a two-sport star at Walnut Ridge where he is also the starting point guard on the basketball team. As a receiver, he is a slippery guy to try and defend as he has a tremendous ability to change directions. Magwood could also be an intriguing cornerback prospect where his length and athleticism allowed him to make a few impressive plays on Saturday. Definitely a prospect to watch moving forward.
Murphy has the prototypical size and frame for the quarterback position and a good arm to go with it. His footwork has improved over the past six months and will continue to be an area of focus moving forward. Murphy led Walnut Ridge to the semi-finals on Saturday and will be a prospect to watch this fall. He is being recruited by several MAC programs and has camped with Ohio State.
Just a freshman, Sawyer is going to see major minutes this fall for Pickerington North. His earliest impact will likely be as a wide receiver or tight end. Long term, tight end, linebacker, or defensive end all look like they could be in play for Sawyer who runs very well at his size and showed a lot of competitive fire on Saturday.
Scott tore up the 7on7 on Saturday, making a few highlight reel catches and showing the ability to really stretch the field at 6-foot-2. Also a promising basketball prospect, Scott is a unique talent as a wide receiver and seems primed for Power Five offers this fall if he stays healthy.
Smith has slimmed down a bit this off-season and looks to be in the best shape of his young career. He is more explosive getting off the line of scrimmage, but still knows how to use his big body to shield defenders and win those tough battles in traffic.
Coming over from Worthington Kilbourne, Stewart will have no shortage of weapons this fall at Hilliard Bradley and could put up some big numbers. Stewart is a solidly built prospect and in every evaluation this off-season he has displayed excellent touch on his deep ball. A big year should garner Stewart more MAC and FCS looks.
Taylor is coming off a foot injury that cost him nearly all of his junior season. The term 'catch radius' was made for prospects like Taylor who with their length and height provide some margin for error for their quarterback. Taylor looked to be showing no ill effects health wise and has always impressed with his athleticism at that size.
Not as heralded as some other prospects at DeSales right now, but Velazquez is a versatile athlete prospect who could play safety, wide receiver, or even walkout linebacker at the next level. Velazquez made some big plays on offense and showed good burst in the open field. He is committed to Ohio State to play baseball but camped with the Buckeyes' football staff in June.
It's not a mystery why Weirick is waiting for his first FBS offer, he stands under 6-feet tall. But there are certain times where things like height have to be overlooked and this is one of them. Weirick has good arm strength, can make pinpoint throws into tight windows, sees the field extremely well, and can process quickly on the fly. He's also very mobile. In today's era of spread offenses allowing shorter quarterbacks to excel, there is no reason why MAC schools shouldn't be flocking to Weirick.
Weirick led Pickerington North to the tournament title on Saturday and is coming off a junior season in which he accounted for more than 3,000 yards of offense. Those numbers have a chance to go even higher this fall with his improvements and the general talent around him at North.