North Stars Could Break Out At Touchstone Energy Bowl

Jed Blackwell October 20, 2022 @ 09:55 AM

At the all-star level, everybody can play. That's a given. However, there are often some bigger "names" than others. This year's Touchstone Energy Bowl is no different. With that in mind, here's a look at four guys selected for the North squad who are a little bit under-the-radar. They won't be for much longer.   Drake Sloan, WR, Powdersville   Sloan, simply put, is a problem. He moves around all over the field for the Patriots, and can do it all. Need a game-breaker? Check. Possession guy? He's got you. QB [player_tooltip player_id='448984' first='Eli' last='Hudgins']' favorite target? Yep, that too. Sloan might not be the fastest guy at Touchstone. He won't be the biggest. He's probably not the most physical. But total package at WR? Look no further.   Ve Morton, RB, Greenwood   Morton has battled back from an injury, which is why his senior year stats aren't eye-popping. As a junior, though, he put up some gaudy numbers, including more than 1,700 yards and the Eagles' mark for single-game rushing at 335. He's a textbook fullback, and he runs violently. Morton will be a short-yardage beast, and his power should lend itself to some hard-fought straight-ahead yards, key components of an offense that will have to be installed in a week.   Graham Smith, OL, Dorman   On a team with two Shrine Bowl OL, it might be easy to dismiss Smith as "the other guy". Don't. The Cavaliers have had a ton of success on the ground behind their massive line, with a bunch of it coming between the tackles. Smith's play at guard has been a huge part of the reason why. He's exceptional on the move, athletic enough to pull and create the kind of mismatches coordinators dream about. His athleticism at 6-3, 285 pounds pulling to the point of attack creates a nightmare for opposing defenses.   [player_tooltip player_id='262574' first='Bennett' last='Judy'], QB, Hillcrest   In a lot of ways, the 2023 class is the Year of the QB. There are a bunch of high-level guys all over the state, and Judy is no exception. His last two years haven't been quiet, and he's got some attention coming his way. Every bit of it is deserved. Judy has thrown for more than 2,100 yards as the Rams have started 7-1. He's got a big arm, great pocket presence, and can make every throw.

At the all-star level, everybody can play. That's a given. However, there are often some bigger "names" than others. This year's Touchstone Energy Bowl is no different. With that in mind, here's a look at four guys selected for the North squad who are a little bit under-the-radar. They won't be for much longer.