Top Performing RBs from Next Northeast Camp

Onto the running back position where we saw a versatile group of speedsters and power backs all show off their skills Saturday afternoon in Waldwick. One of my favorite positions on the field, there were a few RBs in particular that shined above the rest. From the soon to be freshman down to the 7th graders, each level had players that could become household names in the near future.   Top Performers    Romeer came out of Saturday as the top running back from the entire event. One of the youngest players at the camp as well, Romeer shined going up against defenders twice his size. Romeer is going to be lightning fast when he hits the high school level. He excelled in changing direction in the positional drills and agility tests, clocking in a 4.87 5-10-5 shuttle. In the live drills, Romeer consistently juked defenders out of their cleats, and especially impressed running routes against the LBs. With the sharp cuts and quick acceleration Romeer has, he was able to burn a few linebackers on double move and make it an easy throw for the QB.   Romeer has a smaller frame at the moment, but there is a ton of upside in his play on the field. Romeer has an extremely high ceiling and will flourish as the height and size comes.     Running the fastest 40 of the entire positional group, Amar'e's efficient running mechanics helped him finish the day with a 4.84 40. Amar'e was one of the most natural runners at the camp Saturday afternoon. His fast, linear speed translated to the "on-the-field" drills, and he also maintained that same type of quickness in lateral movements as well. Amar'e was able to force multiple linebackers to whiff on the tackle. His quick stutter step caused them to hesitate for a moment, giving Amar'e the window he needed to get by with speed.   Amar'e finished the field tests at the top of the charts for all events, as he was able to achieve a 4.85 shuttle and put up an impressive 8'3" broad jump. Amar'e is one of those explosive backs you don't want to miss out on.    Honorable Mentions   Julius Reeves: 2029 Memorial Middle School   If there is one back that looked prepared for the high school level, it was Julius Reeves. Julius is built stronger that you're ordinary 8th grade RB. He has a sturdy frame and runs the ball with a slight tilt, preparing to lower the shoulder for a big time collision. Not only does Julius look like your traditional power back, but he excelled on the 40 as well, looking like one of the most naturally gifted runners at the Next Northeast camp.   Gustavo de Oliviera: (59) 2029   Gustavo is a name you'll hear about often in the future. From the moment he stepped onto the field, Gustavo was catching the attention of all of the coaches in attendance. Gustavo is a taller, leaner back; built like a 100m sprinter. He is equipped with a powerful knee drive once he gets moving, using his longer strides to outrun the trailing defenders. Gustavo was surprisingly shifty as well, showing off his explosiveness when going one-on-one with the backers.   [player_tooltip player_id='1591123' first='Benji' last='King']: 2029   There is a lot to look forward to in [player_tooltip player_id='1591123' first='Benji' last='King']. Benji shined throughout the day, starting it out by putting up impressive numbers in each of the field test (4.75 shuttle and 7'5" broad jump.) Benji's explosiveness translated in the live drills too, as his twitchiness gave him the ability to explode laterally with quickness, losing very little speed in the transition. Benji also had one of the quickest 40s of the day as well, showing off his acceleration from a dead start position.   [player_tooltip player_id='1587129' first='Dylan' last='Cocoziello']: 2029   Another running back that caught our attention this weekend, [player_tooltip player_id='1587129' first='Dylan' last='Cocoziello'] showed a lot of promise with how he performed Saturday afternoon. Dylan showed off fancy footwork in the running back drills, moving his feet at lightning speed and planting them into the ground to change directions. He tested well too, as he finished the day with a 5.06 40, 4.97 shuttle, and 7'11" broad jump. I foresee Dylan being a weapon up the middle, but once he gets through the line he'll have no troubles breaking it to the outside and outrunning the defenders.

Onto the running back position where we saw a versatile group of speedsters and power backs all show off their skills Saturday afternoon in Waldwick. One of my favorite positions on the field, there were a few RBs in particular that shined above the rest. From the soon to be freshman down to the 7th graders, each level had players that could become household names in the near future.