Evaluating prospects from The First State: 1A standouts - Pt. 1

Prep Redzone's Ed O'Brien looks at some of the standout players in Delaware high school football's 1A classification.    Jahfarri Payne's game is built around explosiveness and playmaking ability, as evident in multiple highlight plays where he turns short or intermediate catches into long touchdowns. He thrives in open space, consistently making defenders miss and generating big yardage after the catch. Payne's ability to adjust mid-play, such as in scramble drills and contested catch situations, showcases his instincts as a receiver. Payne's ball skills stand out, as he has made difficult grabs in traffic, including a fade touchdown over two defenders and a leaping end-zone catch.   However, while his raw talent is evident, he can work on improving his route running. Many of his biggest plays come from improvisation rather than precise route execution, which could limit his effectiveness in a more structured offensive system. His production in 2024—29 receptions for 548 yards and four touchdowns—is solid, given the number of opportunities he gets to make plays. His ability to maximize opportunities and create after the catch is a significant strength. If Payne improves his route precision and develops a more polished game, his stock will improve at a prospect level.     Vaughn Brooks possesses a nice combination of size, power, and speed, making him a highly effective ball carrier out of the backfield. His highlights showcase a strong ability to break tackles, maintain balance, and accelerate in the open field, as seen in his 75-yard touchdown run, where he eluded multiple defenders before outrunning the defense. Brooks' vision stands out, allowing him to find rushing lanes quickly and adjust to traffic at the line of scrimmage. Brooks isn't just a power back—he has impressive agility for his size. Several plays show his ability to sidestep defenders, spin out of tackles, and make decisive cuts to extend plays.   His blocking ability is uncertain, as his film primarily focuses on his rushing skills. Given his size and power, he has the potential to be a dominant blocker, but without clear tape on that aspect of his game, it's an area that remains a question mark. For the sake of this evaluation, it's worth noting that he's also an impressive linebacker prospect. At some point, I'll also evaluate him as a linebacker prospect.     Jamar Smith is a shifty and explosive running back whose ability to quickly break tackles, make sharp cuts, and reach top speed makes him a dangerous playmaker. He consistently proves challenging to bring down, often shedding multiple tacklers in the backfield before accelerating into open space. Smith's vision allows him to find cutback lanes, and his elusiveness helps him avoid defenders with quick, decisive movements. Smith doesn't lose speed when he changes direction, which makes him a reliable big-play threat.   Throughout his highlights, Smith demonstrates the ability to turn routine plays into long touchdown runs, including an 85-yard sprint down the sideline and multiple 40-plus-yard scores. His acceleration and burst allow him to explode through the line of scrimmage and separate from defenders once he gets into the open field. Smith also showcases excellent balance, maintaining his footing through contact and keeping plays alive even when defenders attempt to wrap him up.   While Smith's speed and agility make him one of the more electrifying running backs in his class, little mention is made of his pass-catching ability or blocking skills, which could be factors in his recruitment. His quickness, vision, and ability to create explosive plays make him a player to watch this upcoming season.     [player_tooltip player_id='933836' first='Cole' last='Andrews'] is a young quarterback with a solid upside but clear areas for improvement. He has a reasonable frame at 6-3 155 pounds but needs to add weight and strength to be more durable and effective at the next level. His 840 passing yards with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions suggest he has potential but needs to improve his decision-making to improve his touchdown-to-interception ratio.   Andrews is at his best when rolling out and extending plays, making him effective in play-action situations and improvising. However, his lack of mobility (under 100 total rushing yards for the year) means he isn't a significant dual-threat quarterback at this stage. If Andrews improves his ability to move the chains with his legs—especially in the red zone—he could add another dimension to his game. He is best suited for short and intermediate throws right now. Andrews needs to develop his deep passing ability to improve as a passer.   Andrews has plenty of time to develop, and with improved mechanics, accuracy, and decision-making, he could make some nice strides this offseason.     (NOTE: DeViere has transferred to a Class 3A school. This evaluation is of him while playing for Class 1A school.)   Quinn DeViere is a highly productive, pass-first quarterback with impressive accuracy and decision-making. Last season, he threw for 2,494 yards, 37 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions, leading his team to a 12-1 record. His ability to distribute the ball effectively was proven, as two of his receivers combined for 1,600 yards, while another finished close to 400 yards. DeViere isn't afraid to push the ball vertically or outside the hashes, demonstrating confidence in his arm and his ability to read the field. He doesn't lock onto his first target and remains poised in the pocket, stepping up and avoiding pressure rather than bailing prematurely. His footwork and pocket awareness allow him to extend plays while keeping his eyes downfield, as seen in his ability to sidestep pressure and deliver accurate throws on the move.   While DeViere is an excellent passer, his lack of a rushing threat makes him one-dimensional. He can evade pressure but doesn't create extra yards with his legs, meaning defenses that generate a strong pass rush could limit his effectiveness. He also lacks prototypical quarterback size at 5 11 180 pounds, though his passer efficiency helps compensate for it. His ability to consistently produce, as shown by his three games with 340+ passing yards and six games with three or more touchdown passes, makes him one of the better quarterbacks in the First State.    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Prep Redzone's Ed O'Brien looks at some of the standout players in Delaware high school football's 1A classification.