Scouts Notebook – Defensive Backs from PRZ Next’s New Jersey Camp
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This weekend I was able to link up with my old colleague and friend, the one-man industry himself Al Pops. Being what I consider at least, the nation’s savant of identifying middle school football talent, Pops did not disappoint. As the…
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Continue ReadingThis weekend I was able to link up with my old colleague and friend, the one-man industry himself Al Pops. Being what I consider at least, the nation’s savant of identifying middle school football talent, Pops did not disappoint. As the event went on I got a pretty good look at all position groups. Here are a few notes I took from what I saw out of the day’s defensive back group.
Defensive Backs Notes
A week ago I witness a defensive back group was a probably the feistiest group of them all. The first defensive back that stood out to me was actually a 7th grader. Newark Eastside’s class of 2029 graduate Nyray Moody Nyray Moody 5'6" | 135 lbs | DB NJ was about as feisty as they come. Moody was in no mood to get beat, as I watched him fight for his right to the ball in that drill. As I got a chance to watch him move, he was one defender who always stayed tight to the cone…… Davar Chance Davar Chance 5'7" | 130 lbs | DB PA was just as competitive as Moody. However, what separated Chance from his contemporaries was that to the naked eye he appeared the quickest, and perhaps the fastest, out of his group. Chance could stand to improve his hip mobility as the coaches shared with me that he appeared a bit stiff.
One of the more technically sound defensive backs was Sabir Dawson Sabir Dawson 5'8" | 175 lbs | DB NJ . Dawson did an outstanding job walling off defenders with his body, capitalizing on great leverage and creating tight windows and little space for passes to be completed. Another note I had on Dawson was that he was the most explosive defensive back I witnessed on the afternoon…… Brody Garner Brody Garner 6'1" | 160 lbs | ATH New E might be best suited patrolling center field as a safety. With natural size, 6’1″, that produces a natural ranginess, Garner tended to play off a bit and liked to break on the ball. That said Garner was one of the top ball-hawking defenders, especially when it came to high pointing the ball.
Last, Kk Woseley was a player that caught my eye once… and then caught it once more. It was clear that Woseley had the best feet of the group. His fast, fleet of feet always had him in position to compete. Woseley did a bit more than just merely compete, however. Woseley seemed to always get either a finger, hand, or fist on the ball as it was arriving and he was closing in on it.
I realize that I referred to Woseley as the “last” defensive back to catch my eye; however, upon reviewing my notes I missed my notes on Sa’Vion Jones Sa’Vion Jones 5'9" | 145 lbs | DB Millville | 2028 NJ . I got a solid look late in the 1on1 period of Jones and came away impressed. Jones is a competitor. It was as clear as the sky is blue that Jones never relented and jockeys with receivers over every inch of the field. Jones can also run with anyone. He was always either in the hip pocket of the receiver or in position to drive on the ball over top.