Players Spotlight: Coram Deo Academy vs Grace Prep Academy

Week two of the Texas High School football season kicked off around the state with teams ready to show and prove on the big stage that is Texas High School football. In the TAPPS division, two teams who started out 1-0 in week one, Coram Deo Academy vs Grace Prep Academy took the field in Plano Texas to decide who will stay unblemished. We are going to take a look at several players who had impactful performances. Who shined bright when the Friday Night Lights where on them? These players stood head and shoulders above the competition on the field. <strong>John Raybuck RB/LB C/O 2024 (6'1 195 lbs.) Coram Deo Academy   </strong> John Raybuck passes the eye test when he steps on the field. Standing 6'1 195 lbs., he has the frame that elite running backs exhibit. Talking with Head Coach Sean Riley before the game, when asked who to keep an eye on, Coach Riley mentions Raybuck from the outset. Raybuck set the tone early with his physical running style. He is a north- south runner, with quick feet, great vision and reads his blocks well for a young runner. John makes ball security a priority, as he carries the ball high and tight in traffic. Raybuck has next level speed, which was on display on special teams as he made two quick cuts up field and made his first house call from eighty five yards out to score the first touchdown for Coram Deo. Raybuck had his second straight 100 yard game of the season. One thing that Raybuck can improve on as a runner, is keeping his pad level low in the hole so that defenders can't get a clean shot on him as his level of competition becomes stiffer throughout the season. Defenses will began to make him part of their scouting report. Defensively, Raybuck has the size college coaches covet. He flows well from sideline to sideline, breakdowns well at the point of attack, and is a good open field tackler. During the Grace Prep game, he had several tackles for loss and his active hands during a tackle caused a fumble when he was attacking the runner on a tackle. According to Coach Riley, Raybuck is garnering interest from several FBS schools. <strong>Jaylon Talton QB C/O 2023 (5'10 175 lbs.) Grace Prep Academy</strong> Watching Talton during warmups, he displayed a strong arm with good touch and accuracy on his short to intermediate throws. Once the game started it was evident that Talton had a good command of the Lions offense. Early on he made quick reads, hitting open receivers displaying a quick release. Jaylon is a dual threat with speed to outrun defenders when he scrambles, but looks to pass first. He has good pocket presence, maneuvers well in the pocket and has quick feet to go along with the shiftiness to elude the pass rush when needed. The junior quarterback has a high ceiling, and will be a force going forward that Grace Prep's opponents will have to prepare for. <strong>Bradyn Love WR/DB C/O 2022 (6'2 180 lbs.) Grace Prep Academy</strong> Love raised eyebrows during pre-game warmups. Bradyn displayed strong hands, a large catch radius, and is a hands catcher of the football. He has next level size at 6'2 that coaches look for in a wide receiver. Once the contest started, Love was the number one target for his quarterback Talton. He beats press coverage easily and sets up his routes well, which enables him to get open. Love has the skill set, frame, and mindset to play at the collegiate level. I spoke with Bradyn after the game and he has one offer from Hendrix College. As a defensive back, Love has next level size that defensive coordinators game plan to search out on the recruiting trail. Bradyn gets in his back pedal quick, get hands on receivers to reroute them in press coverage and plays zone defense with good eyesight. Love displayed his coverage smarts on a big play, as he jumped an out route on the short side of the field to make an athletic interception. Bradyn took that pick to the house, showing next level speed. College coaches should have Love on their radar as we go deeper into the fall season. <strong>Alex St. Julien RB/LB C/O 2023 Grace Prep Academy</strong> Alex set the tone on his first few carries to start the game. He may be undersized, but runs with a low pad level as the plays develops and knows how to get skinny when he approaches the defense. St. Julien has a quick jump cut, shifty feet, and good speed to the go the distance. Against Coram Deo,  Alex powered thru the defense on short touchdown runs and does well in between the tackles. At the next level,  Alex projects to be a good fit as a slot wide receiver, which was evident went he caught screen passes or short passes out of the back field.