Crowley vs Birdville: Difference Makers

Friday nights in Texas High School Football vary each week. As a scout, you travel to see certain players, but there is always a hidden gem that shines bright right before you eyes. I hit the road to Crowley, Texas to get eyes on a versatile athlete and came away very impressed with several players. Here are some the standouts from Friday night’s gridiron tussle between Crowley and Birdville HS. <strong>Cameron Jones DB/WR C/O 2022 Birdville HS</strong> Jones was the main attraction, the best player on the field all night, and who I had heard enough about to make the trip to Crowley. Cameron lined up as the boundary corner most of the night. Jones is the best defensive back that Birdville has and practically shut down whichever side he lined up on. His press coverage is hands on, he stuffs wideouts at the line, has the speed to bait quarterbacks into throwing the ball when his target isn’t open. During one series against Crowley, he closed in on the wideout he was holding, to get a pick six, using great technique and recovery speed. In the open field, Jones is a sure tackler, takes the proper angles when tackling, which was on display all game long as he made a couple tackles for loss when the ball was thrown to his side. His back pedal is quick, he gets his feet in position quickly and has fluid hips. Jones most valuable asset, is his next level speed. He can flat out fly!!!! The first half of this game both offenses couldn’t generate any points which resulted in both team’s punters getting plenty of reps. Crowley tried to corner kick to Jones during the first half, but the Eagles made that mistake once and Jones capitalized on that special teams blunder. Jones is a weapon with the ball in his hands. He made one defender miss, shifted gears up the right side, powered past the kicker for a 65 yard TD. Guys like Jones, need the ball in their hands, and school are definitely interested in having his speed and quick strike ability. He has interest from Army and Nevada. Colleges might want to get out to watch Jones live. <strong>Aiden Dollar QB C/O 2022 Birdville HS</strong> Dollar is a former linebacker who has made the switch to the quarterback position for the Birdville Hawks. Aiden is a more advanced runner than he is a passer. Dollar has deceptive speed, is a strong runner and runs with a linebacker’s mentality. Aiden scored two rushing touchdowns in the second half, on a 60 yard run Dollar cut thru the Crowley defense and used his speed to run away from defenders. Aiden’s strong suit is not the passing game but when has sets his feet he throws an accurate ball. Dollar could be a next level running back with the right college program behind him. <strong>David Hensley OT C/O 2022 Birdville HS</strong> Standing 6’4 330,  Hensley passes the eye test. David is the best run blocker for the Hawks. He is a physical blocker, has a nasty streak, churns his legs until the whistle blows, and when he gets his hands on a defender he serves up tall stacks of pancake blocks. Hensley runs well and gets up field quickly to block down field. He lays the wood on trap blocks when he pulls. FCS schools should have David on their watch lists, Hensley has on offer from St. Thomas University in Minnesota. <strong>TJ Shelton DE C/O 2022 Birdville HS</strong> Shelton comes up field quickly, his first step beats average high school linemen, has good bend in his hips, flows well laterally, which lead to several tackles for loss, a couple of sacks and he put constant pressure on the Crowley quarterback. At 6’2-6’3 220 lbs., in the the right college program Shelton could be a key contributor and should get a few looks from any school in need of a next level defensive end. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="131481" first="Johnathan" last="Porter"] OL C/O 2022 Crowley HS</strong> [player_tooltip player_id="131481" first="Johnathan" last="Porter"] is ranked #40 for offensive linemen and is the #273 overall player in the Prep Redzone Texas C/O 2022. Porter is a leader for the Eagle offensive line. Johnathan is powerful, uses good leverage off the ball, has good hand placement, and plays multiple positions along the Eagle offensive line,  which means he is able to adapt based on where the team needs him to line up. He gets up field quickly on screen passes and pulls well in the open field. Porter translates naturally to a power guard position at the next level. <strong>Donald Thompson III DE C/O 2022 Crowley HS</strong> Thompson sets the tone on the Crowley defensive line. His speed and quickness off the edge gives him an advantage on most nights. Donald uses his hands violently, keeps his arms extended, has good bend in his hips, which lead to multiple quarterback hurries, a couple of sacks and being a disruptive force all game long. Thompson flows well and takes proper angles when the play goes away from him and has a non stop motor. College teams in the hunt for an edge rusher should definitely take a hard look at Thompson. <strong>Nicholas McGinty FS C/O 2023 Crowley HS</strong> The 6’2 180 lbs. junior is the sheriff of the Eagle secondary. McGinty is rangy, is a sure tackler, if you step in his lane he isn’t afraid to lay the wood. During a key third down with the Hawks in the red zone, he shook up the crowd with a jaw dropping hit. He has the skill set to play the nickel back and cover slot receivers. McGinty will continue to improve and with an active offseason should draw lots of college attention. Speaking with his position coach after the game, he expects Nicholas to get looks from Ivy League Schools due to his excellence in the classroom. <strong>Tycameron Burns DB C/O  2022 Crowley HS</strong> Burns has the package that colleges coaches seek out. Tycameron has long arms, plays press coverage well, reads his keys well, sells out to be strong tackler in the open field, doesn’t get out position, and his back pedal allows him to stay make plays in coverage that most high school corners don’t make consistently. Burns at 6’2, plays like a big corner and doesn’t let wideouts off the line without being aggressive. His next level size should help him pick up some late looks from colleges in need of a defensive back with size. Coach Bonds his position coach, believes Burns has the attributes that will translate to the collegiate level.