Eastern @ Taylor Standouts

Sam Erman September 12, 2022 @ 10:51 AM

I was able to hit the road on Friday and went down to Taylor, IN to catch the Eastern vs Taylor game.   [player_tooltip player_id='255099' first='Jay' last='Patterson'] - Taylor - RB - 6'2" 175lbs - 2023   Patterson is one of the most dynamic players in the area and anytime he touches the ball he's a genuine threat to score. While Taylor doesn't always have the best pieces around him, he's able to stand out and ball out week after week. This past week, Patterson had another typical Patterson type performance. Over 100 yards on the ground, added a bunch of return yards, and visited the endzone a few times. I covered him a few weeks ago, went to this game not knowing it was his school, and he did not disappoint. He's fantastic and even better in person. He took a carry 58-yards on Friday to the house and man it was special. His ability to make guys miss and accelerate is something to see in person.   Jaylen Harris - Taylor - QB - 5'8" 150lbs   Harris is fun to watch because he has no quit in him. When things are going poorly and hitting the fan, he'll take the punch to the chin and bounce back. Taylor fell behind early on Friday but Harris kept the offense moving and competitive. Their first score of the game was a fantastic ball dropped right into the hands of his receiver for a long bomb TD. He's athletic, able to scamper, and has the raw ability to develop into something special. Size and learning the QB position stand in his way, but he's got a ton of potential. The team rallies around him and Patterson when they need to. Harris is getting more comfortable each time he steps on the field.   Mekhi McGee - Taylor - WR - 6'2" 165lbs - 2023   McGee is a fantastic athlete with a lengthy frame who really stretches out the defense. Good things happen when the ball is thrown his way. On Friday, McGee was able to reel in 2 long TDs. The first one, was the first score of the game mentioned above. McGee was able to use his length and frame multiple times to take the ball away from a defender and come down with it. He's got a decent vertical and is really good at the jump ball and contested catches. As he develops physically, there's potential to grow and develop into a possession type WR. McGee looked fantastic on Friday all things considered and has a bright future if he sticks with it.   Eli Edwards - Eastern - QB/DE - 6'4" 220lbs - 2024   Edwards genuinely plays both ways for Eastern and he made his mark on Friday. Offensively, he lit it up throwing TD pass after TD pass. He was efficient, locked in, and knew where he wanted to go with the ball down after down. He was moving that offense up and down the field like a well oiled machine. Throwing receivers open, avoiding any rushers, and keeping his eyes downfield when he had to. I believe he had 3 passing TDs on the night. However, he plays defense too. He didn't end his night just with offensive highlights. Edwards was able to recover a fumble on defense and return it for a score. 4 total TDs on the night for the starting QB and DE. A heck of a night in my book and a well earned W in the books.   Clayton Kelley - Eastern - ATH - 6'4" 212lbs - 2024   Kelley plays all over the field for Eastern. Whether it's on the line, out wide, or on Special Teams Kelley has the versatility and size to do it all. On Friday, he was out on routes more often than Taylor expected and he has a huge size advantage. He's big, strong, and able to box out like a basketball player. Throwing the ball up to him is a big advantage and more often than not, he's able to bring it down. Friday, he brought in 2 TD grabs and looked fantastic doing it. For a guy who doesn't have a ton of experience catching passes, he's learning quick and looking good doing it. He's got all the makings of an elite college TE prospect moving forward.

I was able to hit the road on Friday and went down to Taylor, IN to catch the Eastern vs Taylor game.