VTO Sports All-American Challenge

I covered the two-day camp that was held at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida on January 9^th – 10^th, 2021.  250 players from various states participated and North Carolina was well-represented.  There were lots of talented players who displayed their skills while competing in various drills.  Listed are the players who caught my attention during the camp. &nbsp; <strong>QB’s</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="44974" first="Aliam" last="Appler"], 6’4” 190 – New Hanover HS.</strong>  Throws the medium-range pass with accuracy.  Displayed good footwork and a quick release on his passes.  He won the Most Accurate QB Challenge. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="28670" first="Byrum" last="Brown"], 6’4” 185 – Rolesville HS.</strong>  Throws the medium-range pass with laser accuracy.  Displayed good mechanics in his throwing motion.  He will draw a lot of college interests during the upcoming season. &nbsp; <strong>Athlete</strong> <strong>Jackson Barker, 6’1” 193 – Fuquay-Varina HS.</strong>  Fast and powerful runner who displayed good hands while competing in pass catching drills.  He shields the defender to make catches in traffic.  An athlete who can play multiple positions. &nbsp; <strong>OL’s</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97531" first="Justin" last="Horta"], 6’3” 295 – Corinth Holders HS.</strong>  A big and powerful lineman who is technique-sound and good foot-spacing.  He controls the defender once contact is made.  I observed him compete for two days at the Challenge.  He was clearly the best offensive lineman at the camp. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97533" first="Omari" last="Allen"], 6’4” 335 – Vance Co. HS.</strong>  A huge lineman who gave maximum effort on every drill.  He readily accepted a challenge and displays good use of hands.  He has a bright upside and a lot of potential to become a dominant force on the offensive line. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97537" first="Brayden" last="Locklear"], 6’5" 350 - Lumberton HS. </strong> A huge lineman who displayed quick feet and good lateral movement while competing in the drills. He controlled the defender once contact was made.  He has a lot of potential to become even more dominant on the offensive line. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97532" first="Xavier" last="Lloyd"], 6’2" 310 - Southern Durham HS.</strong>  A quick and nimble anchor on the offensive line.  He displayed good lateral movement and strength while participating in the drills.  Once contact was made with defender, defender was taken out of the play.  Displayed dominance throughout the competition. &nbsp; <strong>WR</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="28658" first="William" last="Hawkins IV"], 6’4” 205 – Heritage HS.  </strong>A big, quick receiver who runs precision pass routes.  Displays the ability to separate from the defender, often in traffic to make the catch.  He catches the ball in his hands, which are powerful.  The receiver is difficult to defend one-on-one.  He was one of the top receivers competing at the camp. &nbsp; <strong>DL’s</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="44971" first="KJ" last="Sampson"], 6’4” 285 – New Bern HS.</strong>  A dominant force on the defensive line.  Technique sound and displayed precision footwork while participating in the drills.  It is exceedingly difficult to block him in a one-on-one situation.  A combination of size, power, and quickness.  He was one of the top defensive lineman competing at the camp. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="97534" first="CJ" last="Mims"], 6’2” 260 – West Craven HS.</strong>  He plays with an edge and is a disruptor on the defensive line.  Displays good technique and use of his hands to drive offensive lineman out of his way.  It is difficult to block or stop him one-on-one.  He was one of the top defensive lineman competing at the camp. &nbsp; <strong>2024 to Know</strong> <strong>Ahmad Breaux, 6’2” 220 – Vance Co. HS.</strong>  Displayed good technique and quickness out of his stance.  Loads of potential and a very bright future for the young player. <strong>Kareem Clarke, 6’3” 235 – GSO Panthers.</strong>  Displayed aggressiveness while competing in the linemen drills during the two-day camp.  Loads of potential and a very bright future for the young player. &nbsp; &nbsp;