NJ/NY Combine Preview: 2028 Edition Part II

Tomorrow athletes from across the Northeast will converge on Hillsborough, New Jersey. This will be the final preview before the Middle School Combine Series, but there will be a lot of coverage and recap following tomorrow's event. Stay tuned.   [player_tooltip player_id='1270594' first='Jackson' last='Vaughn']: ATH Bergen Catholic   Bergen Catholic may be getting themselves one of the best young athletes in the state. Outsizing varsity players as an 8th grader, Jackson towers over his competitors a he stands at 6'3" and comes equiupped with an 80 inch wingspan. Few freshman get the chance to play at the varsity level for Bergen Catholic, but this is one that has the potential to make an appearance. Jackson has the speed, strength and elusiveness to make him a terror coming off of the edge. Look for Jackson to set himself apart from the pack tomorrow.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Jackson29260774/status/1788292020701675606 </div></figure>   [player_tooltip player_id='1272028' first='Ralphie' last='Barca']: OL/DL Mountain Middle School   A name to get familiar with, [player_tooltip player_id='1272028' first='Ralphie' last='Barca'] is a center and nose tackle that has the potential to mold into something special. Quick out of his stance, Ralphie gets the ball back and jams the D-lineman immediately after the snap. Lining up at nose tackle, he comes off the line low to the ground, gaining leverage on the blocker and splitting the linemen to get into the backfield. Ralphie should show good speed and foot work tomorrow.    Colt Inman: QB Saxe Middle School   A QB that will pick up some steam after the combine, Colt is a legitimate talent up in Connecticut. Colt is another one of those players that not only has a size advantage for his grade, but is also a step quicker than those he goes up against. Colt is a playmaker in the truest sense, and a play is never considered finished if Colt still has the ball in his hands. Growing up with a history of elite athletes in the lineage, Colt is sure to be the next one in line and follow the footsteps of those in his family.    Osiris Niven: ATH Milton Academy   A big bodied edge rusher, Osiris is an athlete coming all the way from Massachusetts to compete this weekend. The way Osiris played in 2023 put his opponents at a disadvantage at all times. It was a tough task for any offense to try to slow him down, and the opponent would often need two bodies on him to prevent him from getting into the backfield. Osiris' speed and hand work allows him to either run right by the offensive tackle or use his hands to throw him out of the way. He also caught and ran the ball last season, where he barreled through defenders on his way downfield.    [player_tooltip player_id='1141049' first='Maddox' last='Mingucci']: ATH Saint Joseph's Metuchen   Already standing over the 6 foot mark, Maddox is a big time playmaker lining up at the linebacker position. Even as a younger defender, Maddox displayed quick play recognition in 2023. He was able to sniff out the run or pass and move swiftly into the direction of the play. Maddox really shines as a run stuffer, as his size allows him to stop runners in their tracks and bring them down for little to no gain.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/TheGooch76/status/1733608094226121163 </div></figure>

Tomorrow athletes from across the Northeast will converge on Hillsborough, New Jersey. This will be the final preview before the Middle School Combine Series, but there will be a lot of coverage and recap following tomorrow's event. Stay tuned.