WV Preseason Spotlight: Philip Barbour

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we reach the under one-month window until the 2023 football season begins, we will spotlight some of West Virginia's prospects to watch for this season. Today we will focus on Philip Barbour HS. Here are some prospects you need to keep an eye on from Philip Barbour HS for the 2023 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["907659"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":933111,"_player_evaluations_0_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Although undersized at 5'8 160, [player_tooltip player_id='907659' first='Kaden' last='Humphreys'] put together a very solid year in 2022 as the Colts' starting quarterback. Humphreys threw for over 1,100 yards and 14 touchdowns on a solid 64% completion percentage and also ran for over 500 yards and 5 touchdowns. He's a dynamic little player that is a true ATH prospect that will likely play slot receiver or defensive back in college. Humphreys is exactly the kind of QB opposing teams hate facing because he's so slippery and a nightmare to tackle. He's a great playmaker in the pocket and has fantastic scrambling ability. The rising senior is a true dual-threat QB that is very dangerous when he takes off and runs. He makes defenders miss and breaks would-be tacklers as well as I've seen at his position but also threw some good balls last season too. If he gets a crease or turns the corner he's going to be nearly impossible to bring down. [player_tooltip player_id='907659' first='Kaden' last='Humphreys'] is a very exciting player that you need to watch for this season.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/15776451/Kaden-Humphreysu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/Humphreys1Kadenu0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["875737"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":933115,"_player_evaluations_1_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Keaton u0022Beefu0022 McDermott quickly became one of my favorite players this summer during camp season and I love seeing him in action. He made multiple of my camp standout lists and has been putting in the work all year to better his game. If McDermott was a few inches taller and 30 pounds heavier he'd likely be a highly recruited prospect. Unfortunately, colleges look for prototypical size on the line of scrimmage and he's flying under the radar right now but some college program will be getting a steal when they get his signature in February. McDermott dominates every time I see him and he's as strong as they come. Even for being undersized, he is very stout in the blocking game and very tough to push backward. I hope colleges overlook his size and take a chance on him because the talent and determination are certainly there.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/14975047/Keaton-McDermottu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/BeefMcDermottu0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["933118"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":933120,"_player_evaluations_2_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='933118' first='Nate' last='Hulver'] is making the move from Tygarts Valley to Philip Barbour for his senior year and should settle in as the Colts' starting running back and one of the defensive back spots this season. Hulver was a 1,000-yard rusher as a sophomore in 2021 where he averaged over 100 yards per game and scored 12 touchdowns. Unfortunately, he was only able to play in Tygarts Valley's first game in 2022 but looks to see the success he had as a sophomore this year for Philip Barbour. Hulver will bring some speed to the Colts' backfield and is best when he's getting outside and can hit the corner. Philip Barbour needed some more veteran presence and they'll get that with Tygarts Valley transfer [player_tooltip player_id='933118' first='Nate' last='Hulver'].rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/14962614/Nate-Hulveru0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/natehulver_11u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["864851"],"_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":"A 2025 prospect I'm really excited about is offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id='864851' first='John' last='McGee']. Big John is a towering 6'6 280 and came in as the #5 ranked offensive lineman in our 2025 rankings update. Clearly, he has the size to be a high-level OL prospect and that will get him some D1 looks alone. McGee is also an extremely rare case of being an offensive lineman and swimmer on the swimming team and was a state qualifier for swimming and thrower on the track u0026amp; field team. At that size, you have to be athletic to be a swimmer and a good one too. I got to see him in person during the camp season and the size is definitely legit. McGee is still raw right now as an offensive lineman but with still two more years of development he has plenty of time to keep developing and growing into the position. He has good feet and moves well for a player his size and could still easily add 30-40 pounds to his big frame.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/16587639/John-McGeeu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/_JohnMcGee_u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["908109"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":933126,"_player_evaluations_4_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='908109' first='TD' last='Bodkins'] is an exciting 2025 prospect for Philip Barbour but the big question for him is whether he plays football or basketball at the next level. Bodkins has elite size for a tight end at 6'6 215 and could easily play either sport in college. Selfishly, I would love to see him develop as a tight end and if he puts a lot of time and work into it I could possibly see him being a D1 player in time. The Colts ran the ball a lot last season and Bodkins showed he's an effective blocker and with his athleticism, I know he can be a very good receiver too at the position. He also saw time at defensive end and as a stand-up edge rusher which he could also do at the next level. There is a ton of natural ability in Bodkins' game and natural talent and traits that you simply can't teach. It will be exciting to watch how he develops in the next two seasons.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/16587717/TD-Bodkinsu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/TDBodkins_23u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_player":["877123"],"_player_evaluations_5_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"Philip Barbour's [player_tooltip player_id='877123' first='Braylyn' last='Edwards'] is a raw athlete right now but there is a lot there to mold and develop the next two years. The 6'0 180 rising junior has the frame to add more weight and get stronger which will really benefit him in the future. He's another Colt that I got to see in person at camp and made one of my camp standout lists. I see Edwards as a linebacker at the next level but he saw some reps at running back too in 2022. He's a bit of a wrecking ball on defense and loves to muck it up in run defense. As he further develops and fine-tunes his play I believe he'll be able to really elevate his game. Edwards is certainly not afraid of contact and is a sure tackler. He can also drop back in coverage some too and should get better at that aspect of the game as he gets quicker and faster.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/16587732/Braylyn-Edwardsu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/BraylynEdwardsu0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_player":["877281"],"_player_evaluations_6_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_6_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":933128,"_player_evaluations_6_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"A 2025 prospect for Philip Barbour that really caught my attention during camp season is Michael u0022Drewu0022 Morral. Morral is a very athletic rising junior with good size at 6'1 175. He can really run and has been timed in the 40 in the 4.6 range. I really like the outlook for him as a defensive back and I saw him have some really good reps in person in 1-on-1s at some camps this year. Morral has great closing speed in coverage and isn't afraid to attack receivers and ball carriers. Obviously, with that kind of athleticism, he's also a good weapon on offense too but I think his future and potential at defensive back is high. His coverage abilities are advanced for an athlete his age and Morral will only continue to get better the next two years.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/16587675/Drew-Morralu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/drew_morralu0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_7_player":["928036"],"_player_evaluations_7_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_7_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":933135,"_player_evaluations_7_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_7_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"A 2026 athlete that saw a lot of playing time last season as a freshman for the Colts is [player_tooltip player_id='928036' first='Cameron' last='Bennett']. Bennett is a versatile player that can play a number of positions on both sides of the ball but right now I like him at linebacker the most. He played some slot receiver and running back on offense and both middle and outside linebacker on defense. Bennett has nice size for a 2026 prospect at 6'1 185 and as he continues to get bigger and stronger his future looks bright. Even as a young linebacker, he showed the ability to drop back into coverage and has the athleticism to do so. Philip Barbour has some good young talent and [player_tooltip player_id='928036' first='Cameron' last='Bennett'] will be a key piece to their team for the next three seasons.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/17569529/Cameron-Bennettu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/CamB_05u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_7_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_8_player":["893401"],"_player_evaluations_8_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_8_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_8_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"Philip Barbour's Layna u0022Turkeyu0022 Grassi is in rare company for a couple of reasons. For one, Grassi is one of the only girls playing football in the state as Philip Barbour's kicker. For two, she is a u003cemu003eu003cstrongu003eFIVEu003c/strongu003eu003c/emu003e sport athlete and excels at each of them. You'll find Grassi on the football field, soccer field, swimming pool, running cross country, and on the track u0026amp; field team. Grassi strikes the ball very well on the football and soccer field and is a sought-after soccer prospect. She made national news in Philip Barbour's game against Grafton last season where she threw for a TD on a botched field goal attempt while also kicking a field goal and converting 7 extra points in a 52-7 win against the Bearcats. Grassi is very accurate and consistent on extra points and is lethal on onside kicks and places the ball well.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/15116231/Layna-Turkey-Grassiu0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/Layna51113973u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_8_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_9_player":["894893"],"_player_evaluations_9_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":["override_image"],"_player_evaluations_9_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_9_player_featured_image":933151,"_player_evaluations_9_player_featured_image":"field_62f141137ead9","player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_9_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='894893' first='Patrick' last='Webster'] is another versatile 2026 prospect for the Colts who could play on offense or defense at the next level. Webster is lengthy for a 2026 athlete at 5'11 140 and as he continues to add weight he should become a complete player. I've gotten to see him in person during the summer camp season this year and I think I like him as a DB right now the most. With his length and speed, he matches up well with most receivers and once he gets stronger Webster should be able to shut down one side of the field for the Colts. With his speed, you can line him up at running back or slot receiver, and he has good lateral speed. If he can get out in space and get to the corner he's tough to catch up to. It will be exciting to see how Webster develops in the next three years.rnrnu003cstrongu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.hudl.com/profile/17575867/Patrick-Websteru0022u003eHudlu003c/au003e | u003ca href=u0022https://twitter.com/patrickwebster0u0022u003eTwitteru003c/au003eu003c/strongu003e","_player_evaluations_9_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":10,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64c976e12456f"} /-->