No Shortage Of Stars on Cali’s Central Valley 12U at Islands Best
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Every year Islands Best attracts many of the top middle school football players from California, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington for a one-of-a-kind tournament. Celebrating Polynesian culture, the future of football and athleticism from throughout the west side of…
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Continue ReadingEvery year Islands Best attracts many of the top middle school football players from California, Nevada, Utah, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington for a one-of-a-kind tournament. Celebrating Polynesian culture, the future of football and athleticism from throughout the west side of the United States of America. Today, here’s a look at the standouts from 12U Central Valley squad, out of the greater Fresno-area in California.
– Widely thought of as the top 12 UQB in the Central Valley this past season.
– An elite QB in the state of California that comes with great leadership and can lead team to success.
– Has a strong arm and can make throws on the run and/or in the pocket.
– He can lineup at wide receiver or defensive back and win that battle.
– Has advanced ball skills for this level and can go up with one or two hands for the ball.
– Great size and speed make him arguably the top wide receiver in the Central Valley right now.
Highlights
– Two-way athlete at wide receiver and defensive back. Can dominate a game by catching deep balls or returning interceptions for six.
– Football IQ is very high and advanced for this age.
– Was a busy man this season, playing with powerhouse youth program the RareBreeds in Georgia, after starting with the Fresno ducks.
Highlights
– Gives up a decent amount of size but is shifty with great hands as a slot wide receiver.
– Has the moves to get open off the line and can quickly create separation from defenders in man coverage.
– Provides a high level of excitement to the game with the ball in his hands, regardless of the situation.
– Along the defensive line, he’s an inside run stopper with great hands in great feet for this level
– A game changer is the opposition decides to handle him with 1-on-1 blocking.
– Applies pressure to the quarterback almost at will. Nicknamed “Baby AD” after future NFL Hall of Famer, Aaron Donald.
– With a nickname like “Shark”, defenses quickly find out that speed kills if they sleep on him.
– Can run any route on the tree at this point, meaning no route is off the table in any situation with him on the field.
– Can also play defensive back at a high level and displays strong hands on contested balls.
– An eighth-grader (2028 class) on a team that was largely made up of seventh-graders (2029 class).
– A complete athlete with a knack for making big plays, and offers versatility on both sides of the ball.
– Can play wide receiver or running back on offense, and linebacker or safety on defense. He’s a plus no matter where he’s lined up on the field.
– He’s a running back and linebacker with speed that makes him deadly in space on both sides of the ball.
– Plays the game with a chip on his shoulder and wants to be great.
– Hard worker and an extremely coachable young man. Does not take a play off and opponents get his best on every snap.
Highlights
– A slot wide receiver with top level speed, highlighted by his Track and Field championships in the Central Valley.
– He’s a special player in space that can take a short catch the distance if he’s given any room. A lot of wiggle and shake on the outside.rn- Smart player who knows how to find success against any type of coverage.
– He’s an extremely explosive half back out of the backfield. Runs with a purpose and aggression when the balls in his hands.
– Coaches feel he was the top running back in Fresno-area middle school football this year, by a decent margin.
– At this stage of the game, he’s a nice blend of both speed and power.