3 Standouts from the Big Dawgs Showcase in Cincinnati

Saturday I had the pleasure of traveling to Cincinnati to attend the Big Dawgs Showcase.  There were around 60 athletes in attendance for the showcase.  The kids worked hard and the coaches coached hard!  There were a lot of young men who competed and showed something, but in the end I chose a 2022, and two 2024's that I felt had good days to feature for this article. [caption id="attachment_148275" align="alignleft" width="171"]<img class="wp-image-148275" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/Jayron-Gibson-2-263x300.jpg" alt="" width="171" height="195" /> <strong>2022 Jayron Gibson</strong>[/caption] <strong>2022 DE/DT Jayron Gibson (Winton Woods HS)-</strong>  Jayron was my MVP of the day.  He's the twitchy, explosive, kind of athlete that has the ability to wreak havoc on offenses.  His get-off will him the opportunity beat the opposing blocker, but his strength and ability to bend is what will allow him to makes plays once he beats his man.  I project Gibson as a 3 tech in college.  With summer camps on the brink, I expect Jayron to burst onto the D1 recruiting scene.  He's currently around 245, but he has the frame to easily add 10-15 pounds before he graduates and add another 25 at the college level.  I really think he could be special as an interior pass rusher at the next level. [caption id="attachment_148274" align="alignright" width="124"]<img class="wp-image-148274" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/Elias-Rudolph-2-262x300.jpg" alt="" width="124" height="142" /> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><strong>2023 Elias Rudolph</strong></span>[/caption] <span style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>2024 DE Elias Rudolph (Taft HS)-</strong> When you first see him, Elias immediately passes the look test, He's every bit of 6'4 and has good length.  The blend of size, quickness, and athleticism are there.  Elias is raw in his pass rush techniques.  What was great to see though was that Elias was very coachable.  You could see him soaking up all of what the coaches were teaching him.  As he continues to grow and learn I'm excited to see how Elias continues to grow and develop.  Right now I like him as a 3-4 WIL LB or a Weakside DE at the college level.  The college interest will pick up as he starts to display those rush moves that will make him a problem on the edge.    </span> [caption id="attachment_148354" align="alignleft" width="147"]<img class="wp-image-148354" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/Camdon-Wilborn-2-300x292.jpg" alt="" width="147" height="143" /> <strong>2024 Camdon Wilborn</strong>[/caption] <span style="font-size: 1rem;"><strong>2024 OL Camdon Wilborn (Cincinnati College Prep Academy)-  </strong>Camdon did a really nice job.  As a 2024 he held his own against the upperclassmen who he went up against.  Camdon is well put together for a Freshman at 6'2 242.  He has a frame that will continue to grow and fill out.  Skill wise Wilborn does a good job of getting depth with his kick and playing with balance in absorbing the rush.  He does a good job of letting the defensive linemen come to him.  I'm interested to see Wilborn continue to grow, get stronger, and work his craft!</span>