Imani Christian Academy 2023 Team Previews
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Imani Christian will be back in action on August 19, 2023 in the BCA Coaches Challenge. The BCA Coaches Challenge will feature high schools such as Clairton, Bishop Canevin, Imani Christian Academy, and USO Academy in a 4-way scrimmage. I…
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Continue ReadingImani Christian will be back in action on August 19, 2023 in the BCA Coaches Challenge. The BCA Coaches Challenge will feature high schools such as Clairton, Bishop Canevin, Imani Christian Academy, and USO Academy in a 4-way scrimmage. I fully expect the usual suspects to perform well that being: Che’Von Allen, David Davis David Davis 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Imani Christian Academy | 2026 State PA , Dayshaun Burnett Dayshaun Burnett 6'4" | 220 lbs | LB Imani Christian Academy | 2025 State PA , Markus Williams Markus Williams 6'3" | 190 lbs | ATH Imani Christian Academy | 2025 State PA , Matt Fullmore, and Stephen Vandiver Stephen Vandiver 6'2" | 170 lbs | ATH Imani Christian Academy | 2025 State PA to name a few. I also expect big seasons out of Deston Hubbard Deston Hubbard 6'1" | 170 lbs | ATH Imani Christian Academy | 2026 State PA , Marcus Hart, Frederick Woodfork Frederick Woodfork 6'1" | 260 lbs | OL Imani Christian Academy | 2024 State PA , Kyaire Howe Kyaire Howe 6'0" | 205 lbs | DL Imani Christian Academy | 2024 State PA , Gabe Jenkins, David Compton and Isaiah Arrington Isaiah Arrington 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Imani Christian Academy | 2024 State PA .
We all know about Dayshaun Burnett Dayshaun Burnett 6’4″ | 220 lbs | LB Imani Christian Academy | 2025 State PA , but in case you’re not familiar, he’s Imani Christian’s resident “all-everything” blue-chip prospect. Burnett has several FBS schollies to programs, such as Michigan, Kentucky, Pitt, Penn State, Duke, and Rutgers, to name a few. I’m excited to watch Burnett play some TE and continue his dominance at LB. Burnett possesses quickness, toughness, speed, and a sharp football IQ. Burnett could reprise his role as the playmaking wildcat QB offensively. Dayshaun was nominated for 2A Prep Redzone Preseason Player of the Year in 2023.
Highlights
Marcus Hart
Marcus Hart
Hart is a lineman with valuable experience on both sides of the ball. He displays pretty good agility, playing the 3-tech and as an OL. He has a good motor and doesn’t give up on plays. Marcus exhibits adequate mobility, pulling as an OG and redirecting as a DL. I’m intrigued to see his progression as far as raw strength goes. Hart will provide Imani Christian with quality depth in the trenches and valuable veteran leadership.
Stephen will be the new signal caller for Imani Christian this year. He’s decently athletic and can easily see over the line of scrimmage, standing at 6’1-6’2. He’s a quick decision-maker and normally has pretty good placement on his passes. Vandiver is getting better with each rep; I noticed his improvement every time I watched him in person this summer. He’s competitive and displays a good attitude as the offensive leader. If Vandiver can consistently deliver the ball to his weapons, Imani will be a tough outfit to beat this season.
A formidable asset across all facets of the game, he presents opponents with a daunting challenge to contend with. Davis, surprisingly, is the second in command out of Imani’s 2 blue chips. Like Burnett, Davis has multiple power 5 scholarship offers. His ongoing development and refinement of skills in real-time are intriguing to witness. Davis consistently poses a significant big-play threat, demonstrating the capacity to generate explosive plays on each possession. Davis is a natural athlete with fluid hip movement, quick feet, strong ball skills, and playmaking ability.
David Compton
David Compton
Compton is tough, athletic and bulky enough to be a factor in run support. He moves well when moving east and west, and has a nose for the ball. He’s a reliable tackler who plays with a good tempo. He exhibited a lot of ball skills in the 2Tenths 7-on-7 passing league contesting the ball in the spring. Compton has the potential to be a standout on all the defensive special teams as well.
Che’Von Allen
Che’Von Allen
Allen, the resident “little big man” on Imani Christian’s squad, plays much larger than his measurements suggest and fearlessly embraces competition. Currently, he holds a D2 football offer from Wheeling University. Allen has consistently showcased collegiate-level agility throughout the summer on the camp circuit. His toughness shines when observing his execution of physical open-field tackles on defense. Offensively, he possesses excellent hands, next-level speed, and remarkable short-area quickness. When seeking a significant play, he’s one the guys coach Johnson trusts to carry the ball. Allen exhibits the attributes typically found in return specialists.
While he could make slight refinements to his kick sliding technique, his sheer strength often mitigates any weaknesses. Fred is a dependable and tenacious two-way lineman who gets satisfaction from showcasing his physical prowess. Demonstrating skill as a drive blocker, he excels at latching onto defenders and concluding plays with conviction. On the defensive front, Fred exhibits a relentless motor, steadily pursuing the ball. His redirection skills are adequate, and with an improved pad level compared to last season, he could become a formidable presence in offensive backfields. Woodfork is poised to embody the role of trench enforcer under the guidance of head coach Laroi Johnson this year.
Howe possesses a lot of potential and talent overall, but especially on defense. He’s a proficient blitzer from a 2-point stance and demonstrates adept hand usage. He exhibits sideline-to-sideline effort and effectively tracks ball carriers laterally. His attributes are well-suited for college special teams duties as well. At 6’1 and 210 lbs, he boasts an adequate size for the DE position. In fact, Ky’Aire could potentially further increase his size and bulk up for a potential 3-tech role.
Highlights
Matt Fullmore
Matt Fullmore
Matt Fullmore, a 6’2, 305-pound OL, possesses solid size. He’s physically imposing and demonstrates reasonable mobility. Excelling at positioning himself for overpowering defenders, he boasts a solid punch and can leverage his weight to dominate DL. Matt will be a key run game asset this upcoming season.
I anticipate a significant step forward from Williams this year, both in the Flex Y position in the slot and the X on the outside some. He possesses sufficient ball skills, enabling him to secure touchdowns as a WR and interceptions on defense. I’ve observed him making several challenging receptions this summer, establishing his reliability. With a 6’3, 190 lb frame, he’s capable of boxing out smaller defenders. I’m eager to see if he’s enhanced his ability to break quickly on defense by playing at a lower pad level. Williams, a seasoned big target, is prepared to compete hard in 2023.
He’s competitive and possesses good man coverage skills. At wide receiver, he demonstrated the ability to elude defenders, locate gaps in zone coverage, and settle in. With solid hands, he refrains from body-catching passes in the traditional sense. Hubbard exhibits significant big-play potential on both sides of the ball this year. Standing at 6’0 and 170 pounds, he offers size and speed to challenge deep passes and bigger wideouts at CB. He’s another prospect that has been actively competing in the camp circuit all summer long. Deston, another formidable specialist, also demands careful attention when game planning to play ICA.
Highlights
Gabe Jenkins
Gabe Jenkins
Gabe is a 2027 prospect who will see significant varsity time this year. Coach Johnson is hoping that Gabe performs similarly to his older brother, Steven, who is committed to Bowling Green. Gabe is decently sized at 6’0 and 170 lbs as a freshman. Jenkins is naturally skilled at man coverage and has the size to compete with bigger targets. He’s competitive in coverage, constantly contesting the ball. I witnessed Gabe compete hard at the 2Tenths Top 150 camp against upperclass competition.
Arrington is another two-way player returning for Coach Johnson. I like Isaiah as a strong safety at the next level, based on his film from last year. Isaiah is competitive and does a good job of consistently contesting passes thrown his way. He pedals with a good pad level and catches interceptions at the highest point. Arrington is also skilled at getting a hand on the ball during curl flat zone drops when playing the nickel position. He maintains cushioning while playing the free safety position, which leads me to believe he’d be an adequate Cover 2 safety collegiately. He’s a playmaker who can score up the seam in the slot if left unchecked. Isaiah has the skills required to play special teams as well.