PRZ Next Northeast: Running Back 1st Team All-Camp
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The Running Back position at the PRZ Next Northeast camp was the single best collection of middle school talent I have ever seen at a single event. Bar none. If I had to project forward, I’d say there were six…
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Continue ReadingThe Running Back position at the PRZ Next Northeast camp was the single best collection of middle school talent I have ever seen at a single event. Bar none. If I had to project forward, I’d say there were six prospects that have a shot to play at a Power 5 conference. On top of another two-to-four that look like they have the potential to play at the Division 1 level in the future, if they continue to develop and play at a high level. The competition was insane and here are the ballers that stood out in a stacked position.
When looking at this group, there’s not better place to start than the top, and that’s with Running Back MVP Kory Brown Kory Brown 5’7″ | 160 lbs | RB Tottenville | 2027 State NY out of New York. An absolutely rocked up 2027 prospect who passes the eye test right away. He’s the type of back that that welcomes contact with his strong muscular frame and is very tough to bring down, as he runs with a low center of gravity and relentlessly pumping legs. As an eighth-grade Running Back, he’s the complete package at the position. On top of his obvious power, he was clocked (hand-timed) at a 4.47 in the forty yard dash–not once, but twice. He also posted a position-best 4.53 in the shuttle. Brown is an absolute stud and colleges should start to kick the tires early on him, but we’ll see if it happens in the often-overlooked New York City.
If Brown didn’t turn in one of the best camp performances I’ve seen in my 13-year scouting career, Hardy could have and would have been right there in the MVP conversation. Measured in at 5-foot-7 and 150-pounds and was clocked at a 4.87 in the forty (hand-timed). He, like Brown, was an extremely complete back and showed out throughout the camp in every drill they did. From picking up blitzing Linebackers, to bag drills and exceptional feel in cone work–Hardy was a dog. The well-versed athlete had some nasty twitch and the best agility during drills out of all the backs, from what I took in. He’ll be at Wyomissing High School next year, in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Highlights
After showing out at the PRZ Next Camp in New Jersey last May, St. Hilaire was back this year and looked like a completely different athlete. That’s the thing with evaluating middle school talent; In a matter of months they can go from a boy to a man and that seems to be the case for St. Hilaire. He looks exceedingly more high school-ready right now and I know he has all the top private schools in New Jersey looking for him to suite up this year. While not as physically put together as Hardy and Brown are at this point in time, he’s every bit the dynamic back as those two, and could possibly even have a bit more wiggle at this point.
Highlights
When you’re widely considered the top back in your class, in your state (or nation depending on who you ask) and you play for a team that won an AYF National Championship (Brick City Lions) there’s an automatically a target put on your back. Class of 2028 prospect Gabe Kemp, just a seventh-grader, lived up to the billing with his performance at the camp. Getting his first official camp measurements (that I’m aware of) he checked in at 5-foot-7 and 140-solid-pounds. The workhorse back was clocked at a 4.94 in the forty, which was the second best time for a Running Back in the class of 2028. There’s a lot to like and unpack about Kemp’s game, but my main two takeaways were, first, his footwork–it was easily top three in the position. Second, is his thick build on the lower half. I know I’ve mentioned it before when talking about him, but from his glutes down to his calves are stout. Looking forward to seeing him run it back for another youth season.
Like Kobe St.Hilaire above, Logan Dairsow attended the Prep Redzone Next camp last May and came back this year looking like a grown man. Noticeably bigger, faster and stronger this year, Dairsow is starting to look every bit the part of a kid who could become a national recruit. At 5-foot-8 and 160-pounds, the class of 2028 prospect, looks high school-ready right now and still has another year of youth football. Best way to describe his game is smooth and explosive. When setting up his cuts and jukes during his runs, his explosive twitch was second to none and deliberate. He runs hard and is best-suited to hit alleys running downhill when he makes one cut and goes. Between Gabe Kemp and Logan Dairsow, the Running Backs in the class of 2028 are off to a hot start.