FBU National Championship: Central FL 8th Grade Tryout Report
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The FBU National Championship is quickly approaching and regional tryouts around the nation are wrapping up. With Central Florida youth football being a premier location for collegiate scouts and recruiters to find talent, many next level athletes are competing to represent their region. Here are some 8th grade athletes who will not only dominate the FBU National Championship, but should also dominate high school football in Central Florida for the next four years.
Gnivre Carr | Offensive Line
The most impressive recruit at the entire tryout and the most impressive youth prospect I’ve seen in my time with PRZ Next, Carr walked through the gates of Central Florida Chrisitan Academy & immediately all eyes were drawn to him. At a hulking 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds that was far from sloppy weight, he’s already got the size of a D1 lineman, but the ultimate test was going to come after warmups, when we could see how he moves. Well, he passed that test with flying colors and then some, and I believe I had to manually close my jaw when I saw him fire out of his stance, demolish a blocking dummy, and burst forward with choppy steps to finish the rep. He was nimble, balanced, and flexible, and after the warmup I got to watch him hit the sleds with his fellow defensive lineman. When he kept his hands inside for his initial punch, the sled would noticeably jump backwards, and it was truly hard to believe I was watching an 8th grader as he worked through positional drills and eventually some 1-on-1s. His technique was also solid, and overall he was a ready-made varsity OT who P5’s NEED to be aware of going forward. Gnivre was also a very well-spoken and polite young man when I got to talk to him, and when we shook hands, he almost crushed mine with the natural strength. Huge things coming for the giant and future FBU All-American out of Central Florida.
Jeau-Pierre Furtado | Defensive Line
Another physically imposing, high-potential prospect in the trenches came from 2026 DT Jeau-Pierre Furtado. With a massive lower body, long arms, and a ton of physicality, Furtado was a noticeably strong recruit with a ton of pop and power in his game and his age. He consistently plays with a low pad level, has a good first step, and plays with a great base that was almost impossible for OL at the tryout to move out of his gap. Behind the aforementioned Carr, Furtado was the next biggest prospect at the entire event and carried his 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds well, and with the strength he has in his hands, chest, and legs I think he could potentially contribute to a varsity defense sooner rather than later.
Grayson Gibson | Wide Receiver
I already got my eyes on Gibson during the last FBU Central Florida tryout I attended, but the 6-foot-1 wideout once again continued to catch my eye throughout the afternoon and was the most promising wideout at the event. A nuanced route-runner for his age, he can drop his hips and cut off his routes quickly and possesses soft hands and the speed to run a variety of routes successfully. He also uses his size to his advantage, and can box out smaller opponents, high point the football, and use his long arms to create a wide catch radius. He also was always the first kid in line for whatever drill they were doing and gave tips and direction to other WRs in his group. I loved his attitude and leadership ability, and he was intense, focused, and competitive throughout the whole tryout. The future Lake Nona pass catcher has a bright future ahead of him.
Dominick Kelly | Defensive Back
A smooth, well-built DB for the class of 2026, Kelly looked great during positional drills and possesses good footwork, loose hips, and balance that helped him effectively start, stop, and drive on the football on a variety of routes. Already 5-foot-10 and 140 pounds, he had the speed to stay with receivers downfield in college, the physicality to play some press-man if called upon, and was overall very technically sound for his age and when compared to the other DBs at the event.
Jake Kreul | Tight End/Defensive End
A multi-time FBU Top Gun attended and Player of the Week winner from this season, Kreul is a future stud in the making and received a ton of hype from the FBU coaches at the event. At 6-foot-5 and 185 pounds, he’s a tough, naturally talented prospect. Kreul has length, strength, and athleticism in droves. I wish he was padded up with the other players on Sunday so I could watch him work a little more. Unfortunately, he wasn’t but that didn’t stop me from being impressed.
Isaac Tanis Isaac Tanis 6'3" | 240 lbs | OL Plantation American Heritage | 2026 FL I Quarterback
Some players possess the “IT” factor and Isaac Tanis Isaac Tanis 6'3" | 240 lbs | OL Plantation American Heritage | 2026 FL lives up to the hype. At 5’9 145 pounds Dereon is already a dynamic player that has plenty of time to grow. At this age, Dereon has all the attributes that a successful quarterback needs to thrive. While evaluating his performance at the FBU National Championship tryout, he throws a nice, catchable ball with the ability to fit tough throws in small windows. His ability to throw out-routes and corner-routes are also extremely impressive. Although outward cutting routes may be difficult to complete, especially with tight coverage, Dereon completed all passes on time and on target in a spot where the defender couldn’t get to it. Furthermore, his fundamentals are top tier which enables him to stay balanced in the pocket, which also allows him to use his legs when pushing the ball downfield. He can also read defenses and understand which defensive backs are rolling down in his pre-snap reads. All in all, Dereon will light up the FBU National Championship and light up defenses all over the state of Florida for many years to come.
Makai Georges | Wide Receiver
For any receiver, being able to make all routes look the same can increase the success rate when going against man or zone defense. With this 5’9 145-pound receiver, manipulating his routes and getting in and out of breaks seemed easy and fluent. Makai was also by far the fastest player on the field. With showing great burst off the line with minimal false steps, and being able to re-stack defenders, he will be tough to contain at the FBU National Championship. Furthermore, at this age he already has the attributes to drop his weight and doesn’t drift at the top of his routes. With his natural athletic ability and developed route running ability, defensive backs better be aware for this speedster in the upcoming weeks.
Kason Mullis I Kicker/Punter
When used properly, kickers and punters can change the game in many ways. For Kason, this 5-foot-11 kicker has the ability to make many kicks from all over the field. While evaluating Kason at the FBU tryout and watching game tape, Kason is consistent and has major leg power. He possesses great leg extension and balance that is needed to succeed at the kicker position. With his longest field goal so far being 45 yards and having a 90 percent touchback percentage, opportunities in the return game will be minimal for opposing teams at the FBU Championship.