1A/2A Coastal Plains Conference Players We're Excited to Watch

When taking a deep dive into the talent, and teams within the Coastal Plains region, it is easy to see that there are plenty of developmental players within teams that are a little less known in the state. While these teams may not be the best in the state by any means, they still contain their fair share of talent, in which can certainly translate to wins, and even scholarships at the next level. Below, we have taken the time to list some of the top prospects for each Coastal Plains team, and we encourage you to give them a look once you get the chance. East Carteret- Jacob Nelson (RB) When watching Nelson's tape, it is evident that Nelson has decent speed, burst, and an ability to change direction efficiently. This can be seen every time he touches the ball, and is able to shake the first and second would-be tacklers, thus putting him in place to make big gains in yardage when moving up the field. Nelson also appears to play with great vision, and good ball protection. Look for him to take a step forward in progression next season, as we expect him to come back faster and stronger than ever. Jones Senior- TyQuan Murphy (DB) Going into next season, we fully expect Murphy to continue to take on a huge part of his defense's production. Not only does he react well to ball carriers, but he changes direction effectively, and on a dime, which helps to put him in place to make big time plays, and tackles. In coverage, he is a bit raw, but his physicality in bump and run situations can be very disruptive to receivers. In addition to this, we like the way that Murphy plays with good discipline, and is able to read opposing offenses. Next season, we would like to see him continue to work on his overall movement skills, as well as the speed that he plays at. Lejeune- Andrew Finnerty (QB) Finnerty is not only an exciting player to look forward to going into next season, but he is a QB that already can be seen to have a great bit of upside. To start, he gets the ball out of his hands quickly, and he has decent arm strength, and in addition to this, he also appears to have good accuracy as well. He can be a bit hoppy in the pocket, but we feel this will grow over time, especially as he gets more comfortable going through his reads, and making timely throws. Finnerty also has a decent touch on the football, but we would like to see him work on his overall mechanics, and consistency in his release, as this will certainly help him to grow as a player, especially when it comes to his accuracy and timing. Northside-Pinetown- Marcus Clayton (RB) When the ball is in Clayton's hands, it is easy to see why we have him as the top returning player for his team. Not only does he run well behind his pads, but he runs with good elusiveness, and quick feet. In addition to this, he appears to read the defense well, and he reacts well, and changes direction effectively, and in a timely manner. Clayton also protects the football, and finds ways to power through and gain the hard yards as well. Our only knock on him is that he can run a bit high at times, and moving forward, being able to run with more bend, and fluidity will certainly be of benefit to him. Pamlico County- Jaquan Johnson (RB) Johnson may not be the biggest prospect on this list, but his impact on his team is undeniable. Not only does he make plays at the RB position with his speed, and elusiveness, but he can be seen to make plays on defense at the DB position as well. At DB, Johnson plays with physicality, and his short area quickness always puts him in position to make good tackles, and timely plays.This same physicality translates to his offensive performance, as Johnson runs through tackles effectively, and allows his lower body strength, and power to help him gain the hard yards. Don't let this fool you though, as Johnson is still effective when turning the corner, and cutting up field. Southside- Chris Fleming (DL) One of the first things that stands out about Fleming is his overall length, and frame. This not only helps him to get off of blocks effectively, but it allows him to make tackles from various angles with ease. In addition to his size, he also plays with great quickness, and solid footwork, which has proven to work to his advantage when making tackles in pursuit, and in the backfield. In addition to this, Fleming also rolls his hips well on tackles, allowing for a good pop on contact, which certainly shakes ball carriers. Going into next season, we would like to see Fleming improve him his overall bend, and the way that he rises out of his stance with proper timing and explosiveness.