PrepRedzoneFL Showcase Standouts: Defensive MVPs

Last Sunday, on a cold (by Florida standards), blistery afternoon intermingled with brief periods of rain and sunshine alike, 100 athletes from the Sunshine State and beyond brought their talents to the lofty fields of IMG Academy to compete, learn, and test their athleticism at the inaugural PrepRedzoneFL Showcase. It was a lively and productive event, with talent all across the board and represented by five graduating classes and all regions of Florida from Key West up to Yulee. There was also some notable prospects in attendance, with players coming off of P5 offers, future high-profile & up-and-coming underclassman prospects still growing and developing, and unsigned seniors who would make a recruiting coordinator gush with excitement upon the late gem of a find. Of the many outstanding prospects in Bradenton last weekend there were a few particular athletes who really caught my eye and impressed me on the defensive side of the ball, and below I have the complete report of the PrepRedzoneFL Showcase Standouts: Defensive MVPs. There are some real deal studs highlighted here and I hope you enjoy the detailed look at some ballers. Thanks for reading! Defensive Line [player_tooltip player_id="740867" first="Kendall" last="Jackson"] (Buchholz) C/o 2024. 6'4, 245 lbs. @big_Ken25 The best player at the entire PrepRedzoneFL Showcase was - in my opinion - Gainesville Buchholz High School sophomore DE [player_tooltip player_id="740867" first="Kendall" last="Jackson"]. I was lucky enough to have seen Jackson play a couple of times this past fall with the Bobcats and was almost salivating with excitement of watching him move at our first event in Florida. Well, he lived up to the hype and then some. Coming in at all of 6'4, 245 lbs., Jackson definitely passed the eye test for a sophomore defensive end but ended up impressing me even more during positional drills. For an almost 250 lber. he had as close to elite foot speed and balance and was able to navigate the footwork drills with the ease and nimbleness of a LB or safety. Besides his obvious and special physical gifts, Jackson was basically unblockable during competition. With an insane first step, great lateral quickness and overall twitch, and power and strength for days he was a nightmare for opposing lineman to try and handle and I witnessed him embarrass OTs in multiple different fashions throughout the afternoon. Just so you guys know, I don't use the terms "elite", "unblockable", or even "twitch" very often, so I hope you guys realize how high I am on this dude. He should be playing SEC ball in a few years. In the last two weeks he's earned his first three offers from Troy, South Florida, and Maryland. More are coming. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275280" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/14-Kendall-Jackson-229x300.jpg" alt="" width="229" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="740867" first="Kendall" last="Jackson"] - Buchholz [player_tooltip player_id="275867" first="Jalen" last="Janvier"] (Dr. Phillips) C/o 2022. 6'6, 244 lbs. @janvier_jalen Anyone need an unsigned 6'6 DE? After watching the senior Orlando product in person I'd think the waitlist for his services would be a lot higher than it is. With one of the best frames at the entire showcase, Janvier was a lean 240+ who could thrive in a college S&C program and end up looking like Shawn Oakman when it's all said and done. He's already quite strong, and can back down blockers with a mean long-arm and keeps his hands very active when working in a pass rush setting. I also loved how he could transition from speed to power when nearing the top of the arch or in reaction to a quicker pass set from an OT. The senior was a very challenging matchup for opposing tackles and he brought some diverse pass rush skills to the table to go along with his eye-catching size and length. Someone pleasee hit this dude up! <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275281" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/15-Jalen-Janvier-221x300.jpg" alt="" width="221" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275867" first="Jalen" last="Janvier"] - Dr. Phillips [player_tooltip player_id="128015" first="Devin" last="Williams"] (Hernando) C/o 2023. 6'1, 290 lbs. @DWilliamsHHS My favorite DT prospect from last Sunday came out of Hernando High School and the bowling ball of a 3T [player_tooltip player_id="128015" first="Devin" last="Williams"]. He was one of the more heavy-handed defensive lineman at the Showcase and played with low and with great leverage. He'd keep his feet and hands active when working off blocks and also had a little bit of wiggle and could work two gaps from the interior of the DL. Big, strong kid who looked nearly impossible to move for opposing OL. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275288" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/24-Devin-Williams-233x300.jpg" alt="" width="233" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="128015" first="Devin" last="Williams"] - Hernando [player_tooltip player_id="221454" first="Davion" last="Dixon"] (Belen Jesuit) C/o 2025. 6'2, 280 lbs. @DavionDixon60 A really promising underclassman DT prospect, Dixon earned Second Team All-Dade County Defensive honors after his introductory prep season and that is far from the last award the young buck is going to win as a high schooler. His size, strength, and technique are all legit and he plays like a guy going into his last year of high school football as opposed to just finishing his first. He possesses a strong first step, a violent initial punch, and the athleticism to work through or work around opposing blocks. Big things are coming from this standout from Homestead. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275279" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/13-Davion-Dixon-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="221454" first="Davion" last="Dixon"] - Belen Jesuit [player_tooltip player_id="275800" first="Calvin" last="Dickey"] (Land O Lakes) C/o 2024. 6'4, 235 lbs. @CJ_Dickey24 Great size for a sophomore who could potentially play the 3T or slide outside as a 5T defensive end. Also had some of the quickest hands of any DL at the PRzFL Showcase and used them consistently to disengage from blocks. Good get off as well. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275278" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/12-Calvin-Dickey-222x300.jpg" alt="" width="222" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275800" first="Calvin" last="Dickey"] - Land O Lakes [player_tooltip player_id="275847" first="Jaiden" last="Trengrove"] (Trinity Catholic) C/o 2025. 6'1, 205 lbs. @JaidenTrengrove The young buck from powerhouse Ocala Trinity Catholic was one of the smaller DL last Sunday but was far from lacking in the strength department and possessed audible pop when he'd get his hands, chest, and/or shoulders onto a bag or a blocker. He played the game violently, and used his smaller stature to his advantage as his first step, lateral agility, and bend at the top of the arch were all formidable and he could string together pass rush moves and react to what blockers gave him in an effective and consistent manner. It's still early for him as a prospect but if Trengrove can stay in the weight room and get some help from ol' Mother Nature he has the chance to develop into a seriously disruptive force off the edge. Keep it up, Jaiden! <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275287" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/23-Jaiden-Trengrove-238x300.jpg" alt="" width="238" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275847" first="Jaiden" last="Trengrove"] - Trinity Catholic Linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="275803" first="Davion" last="Bartley"] (Zephyrhills) C/o 2022. 6'3.5, 225 lbs. @davion14k The biggest and most physically imposing 'backer at Sunday's PrepRedzoneFL Showcase, Bartley was built like a F350 pickup truck and would be quite an intimidating MLB padded up on his Zephyrhills High School squad on Friday nights. He was all of 6'3, 220+ and played downhill and aggressively in both drills and 1-on-1s. He could get out of his stance quickly and could generate a lot of power out of his cuts and used this well to close the distance on ball-carriers before they could react. Also packed a punch and had some strong hands to go along with his thick lower body. Could also project to the DE position and would bring some solid speed and strength to the position. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275292" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/28-Davion-Bartley-233x300.jpg" alt="" width="233" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275803" first="Davion" last="Bartley"] - Zephyrhills [player_tooltip player_id="275866" first="Samuel" last="Clerjuste"] (Port Charlotte) C/o 2024. 6'3, 205 lbs. @ClerjusteSamuel Loved his build and body frame and you could tell he was far from done growing. Used his length to his advantage in coverage and was overall strong in defending RBs in the passing game. Had no problem being physical as well. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275294" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/30-Samuel-Clerjuste-224x300.jpg" alt="" width="224" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275866" first="Samuel" last="Clerjuste"] - Port Charlotte [player_tooltip player_id="275859" first="Justin" last="Coles"] (St. Thomas Aquinas) C/o 2023. 6'1, 190 lbs. @justin_coles9 Coming out of South Florida powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas, Coles was a favorite of the coaches at the event and I received a lot of positive feedback regarding the rising senior's athleticism and mobility. His most prominent trait that I saw was his quickness, as Coles could start and stop on a dime and drop his hips without losing the body position to make a technically sound tackle. Took good angles in pursuit and also possessed the top end speed to stay with RBs and even SBs on deeper routes down the field. Had a nose for the ball and played fast without putting his body in a bad position or getting out of control. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275295" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/31-Justin-Coles-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275859" first="Justin" last="Coles"] - St. Thomas Aquinas [player_tooltip player_id="275851" first="Carter" last="Dalton"] (Venice) C/o 2024. 6', 175 lbs. @CarterDalton28 Although Dalton was one of the smaller LBs at Sunday's PRzFL Showcase at IMG Academy, he was far from the weakest. Wiry and muscle-bound, Dalton threw every gram of muscle into every rep and played like his hair was on fire whether it was testing, the positional drills, or 1-on-1 competition. He would shoot out of his stance like a heat-seeking rocket and could get hip-to-hip with RBs before they had a chance to try to move or cut out of the way and played with good angles and some noticeable aggression. He also had an intense demeanor and you knew he was at the event treating it like a business trip. I think he could play a little bit of SS if it was asked of him, and coming out of heavyweight Venice High School you can bet your butt he is getting better everyday at practice and has honed his craft against some D1 talent. A lot to like in the rising junior from the Bradenton/Sarasota area. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275296" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/32-Carter-Dalton-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275851" first="Carter" last="Dalton"] - Venice [player_tooltip player_id="275432" first="Jared" last="Lampkin"] (American Heritage) C/o 2023. 6'1, 205 lbs. @jaredlampk1n The American Heritage Patriot rising senior LB got on my radar initially due to his coverage ability and how balanced and fluid he looked in his back-pedal and when flipping his hips and changing direction. He was great at keeping his feet active, especially when breaking down to make a tackle, and was able to adjust to the path of the ball carrier even if they threw in a hard cut or juke. He was effective and successful at guarding RBs out of the backfield during 1-on-1s and was a stout 205 lber. who would greatly benefit from a college strength and conditioning program. His best days of football are still in front of him. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275298" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/36-Jared-Lampkin-236x300.jpg" alt="" width="236" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275432" first="Jared" last="Lampkin"] - American Heritage [player_tooltip player_id="128724" first="Brady" last="Nowlan"] (Nature Coast Technical) C/o 2023. 6'2, 205 lbs. @bradynowlan15 I could not believe my eyes when I found out the Nature Coast Technical High School product was only 205 pounds! With broad shoulders, a stout chest, and thick thighs and haunches, I would not have been surprised to hear that Nowlan was 220. The kid was well put together, and not only that he could move for his size and competed well during the 1-on-1 portion of the showcase. He had legit closing speed that great benefited him when he'd trigger on the football. RBs would have gotten lit up if we had pads on. He also could move and change direction and had one of - of not the most - balanced skillsets of any LB at the event. Solid in coverage and physical at the point of contact as well. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275300" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/38-Brady-Nowlan-232x300.jpg" alt="" width="232" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="128724" first="Brady" last="Nowlan"] - Nature Coast Tech Defensive Back [player_tooltip player_id="275826" first="George" last="Mullins"] (South Sumter) C/o 2025. 6'2, 160 lbs. @GeorgeMullins_2 This will certainly not be the last time you hear about a prospect from South Sumter as the school of around 700 was well represented at the PRzFL Showcase and was absolutely stocked with talent in the underclassman ranks. On the defensive side of the ball, the Raiders introduced me to their program with freshman 6'2 CB [player_tooltip player_id="275826" first="George" last="Mullins"]. Already possessing an intriguing frame with long arms, large feet, and a ton of room to fill in, Mullins totaled 6 (!) interceptions as a varsity starter in his first year of high school and showed us why he was so productive in his introductory season of prep football at Sunday's showcase. Although still raw in the technique department, Mullins noteworthy speed and ball skills which allowed him to play aggressively in man coverage. Even if he made a mistake, his recovery speed allowed him to easily get back into a good position to play the football and his natural hops and ball skills helped him win contested catches when the ball was in the air. He also had strong hands and could get out his breaks well for a legit 6'2 CB. He displays a ton of potential and if he can hit the weight room hard and sharpen up some technique in man coverage he is going to be one of the best lockdown corners in Central Florida. This won't be the last time you hear about this kid! <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275272" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/6-George-Mullins-226x300.jpg" alt="" width="226" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275826" first="George" last="Mullins"] - South Sumter [player_tooltip player_id="275849" first="Vinkevus" last="Pierre"] (Cardinal Newman) C/o 2023. 6', 190 lbs. @vinkevus Pierre passed the eye test out of our DB group and had some definition in his arms and chest and some broad shoulders to go along with long arms that hung down to his knees. He used that length exceedingly well at the LOS and was disruptive and strong in his jam in press man. Receivers had a tough time getting around him untouched in their releases as Pierre had solid patience and timing and could flip his hips in coverage to stick to receivers like flies on a cowpie. Along with his loose lips and lateral quickness, Pierre had impressive hops and could float in the air when trying to break the ball up. He was eye-catching during a DB vs. WR drill that involved contested catches and was tough and relentless during 1-on-1s. It wasn't until after I had checked him out in some drills that I learned the junior is coming off a Pitt offer and it really came as no surprise as he looked and played the part of a D1 DB. I think he best projects to the safety position in college. <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275274" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/8-Vinkevus-Pierre-232x300.jpg" alt="" width="232" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="275849" first="Vinkevus" last="Pierre"] - Cardinal Newman [player_tooltip player_id="118811" first="Zuri" last="Watson"] (Northside Christian) C/o 2024. 5'10, 175 lbs. @ZuriWatson18 Only a sophomore, Watson put up some solid testing numbers for his age (4.54 40, 9'4 broad) during our opening portion of the Showcase and out that speed and athleticism to great use during 1-on-1s later in the afternoon. The South Florida product out of St. Petersburg had noteworthy closing speed who could break on the ball in a jiffy and could stay on top of even the fastest wideouts at the event. He was very effective at breaking up shorter routes off 3-step drops such as slants, comebacks, curls, and even dig routes. He was also competitive and fearless and didn't back down from anyone despite being younger and a tad smaller than a lot of his peers. The Northside Christian corner had himself a day! <img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-275275" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2022/01/9-Zuri-Watson-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> [player_tooltip player_id="118811" first="Zuri" last="Watson"] - Northside Christian