Texas Standouts in Las Vegas Pylon 7v7 Tournament
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Texas High School football is considered by some to be the Mecca of pre-collegiate gridiron gamers. When you combine the sheer size of the Lonestar State with the absence of a true Winter season; athletes can pretty much train year-round.…
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Continue ReadingTexas High School football is considered by some to be the Mecca of pre-collegiate gridiron gamers. When you combine the sheer size of the Lonestar State with the absence of a true Winter season; athletes can pretty much train year-round. I’ve been able to follow a group of athletes on the national 7v7 circuit for a month and found some gems representing the state of Texas athletically and academically on and off the field of play. Pay close attention! These are some names that you’re going to want to remember.
QUARTERBACKS
Eli Morcos |2025| 6’2.5 | 205 | 4.7 |QB | Lake Creek HS| Montgomery, TX|
Eli Morcos has been thoroughly impressive taking over as the QB1 for Team Texas Fury 7v7 national squad. In three tournaments to date, the 6’3 205 pound sophomore showed off a rocket arm, the consistent ability to look off safeties to open up backside throwing windows, touch on deep corner routes, back shoulder passes, and a balanced demeanor that seemed to give him a “next play” mentality beyond all game scenarios. Morcos is a touchdown-throwing machine and this was put on display in Las Vegas at the annual Pylon showcase. Morcos will be taking over a 10-0 program next season at Lake Creek High School in Montgomery, Texas. Head coach Pat Kennedy has given the ball to #4 because this kid is a flat-out dude! Morcos checks all the boxes including registering a 4.0 GPA. Coach Grant of Team Texas Fury stated, “Following a QB1 like Wisconsin commit Mabrey Mettauer Mabrey Mettauer 6'5" | 215 lbs | QB The Woodlands | 2024 State TX had many raising their eyebrows, but Eli Morcos has done and is doing just that in spades! He’s the next big thing at QB in the state of Texas; just watch!” Remember you heard it here first…
- Intangibles: IQ, mobility, footwork in and out of the pocket, arm strength, touch, size
- Work in progress: Continue to improve progression processing rate and trust what he sees
- Collegiate Interest: Baylor, Florida St, Georgia Tech, Purdue
- Twitter:@elimorcos4
Rodrigo Bravo |2026| 6’1 | 195 | QB | College Park HS| The Woodlands, TX|
Rodrigo Bravo was a Las Vegas Pylon standout leading his Team Texas Fury (15u) troops to a semifinal game against the defending champions and a heartbreaking overtime loss. This kid was a field general all tournament. Standing at 6 ‘1 and 195 pounds, Bravo kept the fans clapping with his ability to push the ball into the windows of his expecting receivers powerfully. Bravo showed awareness to scan the entire field and to take advantage of the check-down when necessary. Bravo will take over as QB1 for a College Park Cavaliers program next season looking to bounce back from missing the 2022-23 playoffs. If this early national 7v7 circuit is any indicator of what’s to come, look for Rodrigo Bravo to find his way onto the national recruiting scene fast and in a hurry! Remember you heard it here first…
- Intangibles: IQ, arm strength, ball placement, footwork, and leadership
- Work in progress: Improve mobility and throwing on the run
- Collegiate Interest: TCU
- @rodrigobravojr
RECEIVERS
DeBraun Hampton DeBraun Hampton 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Willis | 2024 State TX |2024| 5’10.5 | 167 | 4.5 40 |WR/KR | Willis HSWillis, TX|
DeBraun Hampton DeBraun Hampton 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Willis | 2024 State TX is one of the best slot receivers in the state of Texas bar none! The film simply does not lie. Under the guidance of Willis High School’s head man Trent Miller, Hampton and his wiry 5’10.5, 165 build has made a point to put celebrated defensive backs on his highlight hitlist. Hampton comes in ranked #162 on Prep RedZone boards, #74 on Vype Houston’s top 100 list, 13-6A First Team All-District, 13-6A All-Academic All-District, 1061 all-purpose yards, 9 touchdowns as a primary target for Derek (DJ) Lagway Derek (DJ) Lagway 6'3" | 215 lbs | QB Willis | 2024 State TX and the Willis Wildkats, and 1 KR for a TD to boot. Hampton has been on a tear on the 7v7 circuit already totaling 11 touchdowns in just two tournaments. The kid seems to play with a quiet rage and makes any route look genius for the play caller due to his commitment to run every route hard whether he is the recipient of the target or not. The debate on Hampton seems to be of questionable size. However, upon watching his film, and talking with sources within district 13-6A; durability concerns seem to be unfounded and asinine at best. Hampton has never missed a game due to injury and constantly is finding the endzone. This is a FLAT-OUT FOOTBALL PLAYER alert! Remember you heard it here first…
- Intangibles: Uber twitchy in route running, footwork, hand-eye coordination, creating separation, climbing the toes of the defender to dictate the top of the route, high pointing ability, sure-handed, YAC
- Work in progress: Working to bulk up and maximize his speed potential
- Offers: PrairieView A&M and Northern Arizona
- Collegiate Interest: UTSA, UH, TAMU, Montana St, Army, Baylor, Northern Arizona, UNT, Sam Houston St, West Texas A&M
- @debraun_hampton
Kelan Harris Kelan Harris 6'0" | 185 lbs | WR Willis | 2025 TX |2025| 6’0.5 | 183 | 4.61| WR/Slot | Conroe HS| Conroe, TX|
Kelan Harris Kelan Harris 6'0" | 185 lbs | WR Willis | 2025 TX of Conroe High Schools and Team Texas Fury is a sleeper wide receiver possessing extremely strong hands that he contributes to countless hours on the jug machine and his rice bucket regiment. Measuring in at a solid 6 foot and weighing 185 pounds; Harris has been lighting up the 7v7 circuit for Team Texas Fury Flame with head-top catches and brutal route running combinations that require him to utilize that 185-pound frame to lean on defenders while exploding out of breaks with ease. Harris plays both the slot and extended receiver positions giving him flexibility in any offense. Coach Cedric Hardeman and the Conroe Tigers. Look for his stock to continue to rise with every tournament he attends. Remember you heard it here first…
- Player Body comparison: High School Debo Samuel
- Intangibles: Strong hands, leverage, finding soft areas in the zones for throwing windows
- Work in progress: Top-end speed and snap down
- Collegiate Interest: North Texas, Montana St, Northern Arizona, TSU, PVAM
- @kelan_harris1
Kameron Williams |2025| 5’10 | 170 | 4.55 | WR | The Legacy School of Science Sports| Spring, TX|
Kameron Williams is a pleasant surprise early on the 7v7 circuit for Team Texas Fury. This kid is literally destroying any defensive back who attempts to press him from scrimmage and is a “head top” savant. This was on display countless times over the weekend at the Pylon 7v7 national showcase in Las Vegas, NV. One of the catches sealed the game for the Fury 15u in a brutal matchup with Dallas’s own Team Grind. The weekend was littered with “oohs” and “ahhs” as Williams made one-handed catches look routine. The kid is a sleeper who many are just starting to wake up to. His hands and route running are certified. You would think that the most impressive thing about Williams was all of the amazing big play catches he made on quality competition from around the US, but no. The mentality and character that this kid approaches the game with spoke volumes when he was asked about his play style and he replied, “By the grace of God I’m going to give it all or give it up!” Remember you heard it here first…
- Intangibles: Speed, excels at the 50/50 ball, strong frame, mental makeup, big playmaking in pressure situations, a plethora of releases
- Work in progress: Needs to maximize his impressive physical abilities and continue to develop top-end speed.
- Collegiate Interest: Northern Arizona
- @kameronllx
Anthony Portonova |2024| 6’2 | 195 | 4.6 | WR/SS/ATH | Porter HS| Porter, TX|
Anthony “P-Dirty” Portonova is coachable, coachable, coachable! That’s the first thing that a scout will notice about this load of a receiver/football player besides his amazing physique. Everything is a yes Sir or no Sir followed by a determined sprint into action and execution of his job. Portonova is a man-child of a receiver for Texas’s Porter High School. Under the leadership of Coach Billy Russle, the 6’2 195 pound receiver with 4.5 speed in the 40 has shown a knack for finding soft spots in zone concepts with his large frame and strong hands. Portonova has yet to drop a target on the 7v7 circuit and finds ways to accumulate YAC in windows. Remember you heard it here first…
- Intangibles: IQ, route running, coverage processing during a route, Hands Hands Hands…, and aggression
- Work in progress: Fluidity in the hips on snap downs, positional projection
- Collegiate Interest: UNT, New Mexico St, Northern Arizona St
- Fun Fact: Portonovo plays both sides of the ball and some scouts predict he may end up being a crushing safety/Linebacker at the next level
- @anthonyport2024