Scouting Notes: Cherokee vs North Cobb

I was on the sidelines as North Cobb and Cherokee squared off. North Cobb out-played Cherokee en route to a 56-10 win, but there were still plenty of players on both sides of the ball who caught my eye.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">North Cobb </h2>    Jamauri Major is a senior sleeper who caught my eye early and often against Cherokee. He has a quick and aggressive downhill trigger, which he used to close space on receivers quickly. Early on, he nearly jumped a route for an INT but was still able to bat the ball up in the air. He was flying all over the field and was consistently one of the hats around the football. He also showed some wiggle and flash with the ball in his hand as a returner. Major has small-school offers and possesses athletic traits that should translate nicely to the next level. He is a multi-sport athlete as well, showing some athletic indicators.     Nick Grimstead has contributed for North Cobb since his freshman season and he yet again produced both in the air and on the ground to help rout Cherokee. Grimstead worked the option game brilliantly and frequently broke off explosive plays with his legs. He is a stout, north/south runner who can drive through contact and explode through running lanes, but he flashed more bounce and change of direction in the open field than I expected. He frequently located and took advantage of cut-back lanes, making defenders miss as he tacked on long gains. Grimstead has a baseball background, so he has enough in his arm to pick defenses apart, but his main selling point will be as a runner.     Womack is one of the best available senior DBs in the state. He played center field at an elite level, relying on his instincts and suddenness to beat receivers to a spot and make a play on the football. He made an INT in the first half and frequently helped close windows down the field as the night went on. Cherokee has a potent passing attack, so Womack's ability to patrol the deep third came in handy. There are several D1 offers under his belt and more could come in as we get closer to signing day. He has 6 picks on the year, producing against the ball at an elite level, which is a trait that translates.     Echols plays a role in a two-headed monster at RB for North Cobb. Echols was simply unstoppable. Seemingly every carry was for a big gain, and it was because he was borderline impossible to tackle in the open field. He is a massive, strong RB who uses his traits to drag defenders and shrug off tackling attempts. If Echols gets into the open field, he will require attention from several defenders if they hope to bring him down.     [player_tooltip player_id='470149' first='Zachary' last='Belyeu'] is one of the best freshmen in the state this fall, and he proved it against Cherokee. He was a man amongst boys, getting across the pylon 3 times while generating highlight reel plays seemingly every touch. Belyeu's combination of explosiveness and size allows him to power through defenders and stay on his feet through contact. Late in the first half, he dropped his shoulder and trucked a defender for a loud TD run. Belyeu has an early offer from Appalachian State, but I imagine more and more FBS schools will get involved as he continues to dominate stiff competition despite his age.     [player_tooltip player_id='501383' first='Christian' last='Peacock'] is a puppy, but North Cobb finds ways to get him the football. Peacock will be a P4 football recruit. He looks the part on the outside both size-wise and athletically. He is a burner, breaking off explosive plays on screen. North Cobb tried to get him the ball a few more times in the open field, and when he did get the ball in his hands, he had an extra gear. Peacock has a QB background from his middle school days and even lined up at that spot early in the game, but from the looks of it, he has a P4 future as a WR if he chooses to play that spot. This time a year from now, he will have FBS offers.    Other Notes:   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>55, 8, 41, 11... All consistently rushed the passer and filled gaps in the middle.</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>'25 GT DL commit Kam Cullins came away with a 70-yard pick-six in the second half. Cullins is stout, explosive, and showed another layer as an athlete on Friday.</li> </ul>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cherokee</h2>    Gracen Sexton was the top playmaker for Cherokee on both sides of the ball. He quickly made an impact on the opening drive, winning on a whip route and then climbing the ladder on the next play for a head-top catch for a first down. He has a large catch radius, but he is a smooth route runner who can win at release points. Sexton returned a tip drill INT on 3rd and long to set up a Cherokee field goal at the end of the half. Even though he projects on offense, Sexton ran all over the field defensively and closed space in a hurry. Sexton holds small-school offers, but I believe there is some D1 upside as a TE here.     Izzy Conway is a bit more twitched-up as a senior for Cherokee, and he is soaking in receptions this year as a result. It seems he is schemed up some touches in the short areas, where he can dance around defenders and use his frame to fight across the line for extra yards. Conway was on the receiving end of the lone TD on the night for Cherokee, winning at his release at the line and tracking the ball over his shoulder for a TD grab in the red zone. Conway is another big target with some small-school offers and has the upside to contribute greatly at the college level with his current rate of development.     [player_tooltip player_id='1561683' first='Jayce' last='Jones'] is a dual-sport athlete who has made plays on both sides of the ball for Cherokee. His blend of range and ball skills helps him produce against the ball on defense. On the year, Jones has 6 INTs. He is a playmaker on offense in the open field. He can dance around contact and eat up yards in the open field when he has room to run. Jones is a senior sleeper who could be an intriguing addition to some smaller schools. He has the experience and playmaking skills on both sides of the ball to be worthy of those opportunities.    Other Notes:   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>'25 TE [player_tooltip player_id='1284323' first='Wyatt' last='Tash'] continues to be a reliable target on 3rd down. He has good hands and runs behind his pads after the catch, using his power to will his way across the line for first downs.</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>'25 QB [player_tooltip player_id='942506' first='Tanner' last='Savasir'] was a bit off with accuracy, but I liked his pocket presence amongst chaos and his ability to work off-platform. Despite a tough night, he stepped up through pressure to escape and was able to find open receivers in the scramble drill. He also rattled off an explosive scramble for a 1st down late in the first half, a part of his game that has come up more often this year. </li> </ul>

I was on the sidelines as North Cobb and Cherokee squared off. North Cobb out-played Cherokee en route to a 56-10 win, but there were still plenty of players on both sides of the ball who caught my eye.