The NEXT Lone Star State Standouts – 4.27

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>From little league all the way through high school, the roots of Texas football have become a religion. This state has produced some of the best talent at the college and professional levels for years. For a majority to the premier athletes who have come out of Texas and into the next level, their journey to the top started at the middle school level. Having said that, here are some of the Lone Star State's top athletes who are about to become some of the biggest names in high school football at both a state and national level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["736799"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='736799' first='Weston' last='Nielsen'] is another athlete coming out of Bastrop, Texas to keep an eye on in the class of 2027. With him having [player_tooltip player_id='801754' first='Case' last='Benoit'] at tight end, you can tell that Weston is surrounded by some top talent as a quarterback. With an ideal frame at 6'1, Weston has proven command over the field as a quarterback. One of the first things that stuck out to me when evaluating Nielsen is his ability to move in and out of the pocket. With his smooth-moving feet, he can set up his throws nicely. Weston can also get the job done on the ground. If he feels pressure, you won't often see him try and force a ball. Instead, Weston will roll out and scramble, which has been shown to lead to big gains and points. Overall, Weston has proven to be a workhorse in the pocket and has no problem generating offense. Texas High School football better look out for the dynamic duo of [player_tooltip player_id='801754' first='Case' last='Benoit'] at Tight End and Weston at Quarterback, in the future.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["803579"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='803579' first='Joshua' last='Bengard'] is a human wrecking ball at linebacker. Standing at 6'0, Bengard plays fast and physically in the box and is no stranger to making plays. Josh is a seasoned blitzer who has a knack for slipping through the cracks of offensive linemen and instantly gaining penetration into the backfield. Josh's explosive nature allows him to finish plays off no matter where they are at on the field and has the speed to close the gap on the ball carrier and bring them down easily. Based on everything that I have seen from Bengard, no-brainer is the perfect way to describe him. If he continues to play at this level throughout his career, he is going to be one of the most dangerous linebackers in the state of Texas.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["803646"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='803646' first='Jaderian' last='Jones'] is an interior defensive lineman that can flat-out do it all. With him already standing at 6'1 and around 240 pounds, Jaderian is growing into a frame that is perfect for a run-stuffing defensive lineman. Jaderian's explosiveness is second to none and has helped him get the extra step on opposing offensive linemen in the trenches. There are not many interior defensive linemen out there who can make plays as a pass rusher like Jaderian can. With a strong bull rush, protecting Jones from the quarterback is a job for multiple offensive linemen. When he breaks through the pass protection, Jaderian has the closing speed to bring the quarterback down and finish plays. Overall, Jaderian is a very exciting ball player to keep a lookout for at the high school level. If he keeps doing what he's done, he is going to be feared by quarterbacks across the state.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["803681"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Coming out of the shadows of Kyle Field, [player_tooltip player_id='803681' first='Kody' last='Ballard'] is an explosive playmaker who can shred the back end of any defense he goes against. Standing at a lean 6'1, Kody has a long frame that gives him the edge on jump balls and has the stride to cover chunks of yards in a few steps. Kody also has the speed to blow the top off of and break away from anyone he faces on the defensive side of the ball. Kody is a very gifted athlete who has proven himself on the field. With him being the big play machine that he is, it is very surprising that his recruiting hasn't picked up yet. However, if he continues to do what he has done, Kody will end up being one of the top receivers in the state of Texas.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["735189"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='735189' first='Jacob' last='Bly'] is a receiver out of the Mansfield Area who has already taken some visits to some of Texas' name-brand college football programs. From what I have seen from him so far, his recruiting is beginning to heat up for good reason. On the football field, Jacob is one of the smoother route runners that I have had a chance to watch. With him being able to break in and out of routes, it looks like it is almost impossible to guard him. Bly also has the ball skills to go out and make some extravagant grabs. With the repertoire that he is working with, Jacob is built to be one of the best wideouts in the South. If he continues to put in the work, Texas and TCU will not be the last schools that he will visit.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-644961bf332af"} /-->