ASU 7s Instant Impact: The First Guys Who Caught My Eye

Before we dive in, shoutout to Arizona State for putting on a smooth, well-run event. The setup was great, the energy was high, and it felt like a nice early-summer kickoff for 7s season. Basha came out and handled business, walking away with the championship, but there was talent all over the place.   These are the guys who stood out because of what they did when the ball was snapped — making plays, shifting momentum, and consistently finding ways to impact the game.    Every time I looked over, this dude was open. And not just kind-of open — I mean, completely shook whoever was on him. He made separation look so effortless, and it wasn't because of blazing speed or anything wild. It was the little things: the way he set up his routes, the way he leaned into defenders to sell one thing and then snapped out in another direction. He just got it. What I appreciated most, though, was how he moved with a clear sense of purpose. He knew exactly how to move to give his quarterback a window — and he did it without wasting motion. His confidence was obvious too. That "I've done this before" type of vibe that makes you believe in a player even more. You could tell he trusted his own game, and that trust led to him consistently finding open space and making plays. One of the smoothest route runners out there.     One of those guys that you notice even before the play starts. Just standing out there, he looks built — stocky, strong, and super defined — more like a linebacker than a traditional DB at first glance. But then the ball snaps, and he moves around the field with a surprising level of smoothness. It's not robotic or overly calculated, just really fluid. He flowed from one assignment to the next without hesitation, reading things in real time and adjusting without leaving gaps behind him. That kind of awareness is rare in a 7s setting where things move fast and communication has to be sharp. It wasn't just his build or the way he covered ground either — it was how natural he made it all look. He trusted his positioning and didn't panic when offenses tried to test him. Just kept shifting, staying in phase, and closing windows before quarterbacks could take advantage. Really solid performance from someone who clearly knows how to play his role with confidence and control.     Burrell was a key piece in Basha's championship run, and it was easy to see why. He just brought it all day — not only making plays but doing all the little things that kept drives alive and momentum swinging in their favor. His release off the line was one of the cleanest I saw, and it didn't seem to matter what kind of look the defense gave him. If they tried to get physical, he worked around it without losing timing. If they gave him space, he chewed it up quick and made them pay. He has that great mix of speed and control — fast enough to separate, but under control enough to stay in sync with his quarterback and hit windows on time. Whether he was finding soft spots in zone or shaking off tight man coverage, he looked comfortable. That's the word that kept coming to mind: comfortable, and that's usually a sign that a player is locked in. Really steady, productive performance from a guy who looks ready to step up in a big way this year.     I saw him earlier this offseason at the Prep Redzone AZ Combine and thought he looked good then, but seeing him again here at ASU 7s took it to another level. Sometimes guys test well and it doesn't always show up in live reps — that wasn't the case here at all. That speed he clocked in testing absolutely translated, and he paired it with the kind of smooth movement that makes everything look easy. His frame gives him a legit edge out there. Big, strong, and long enough to really make a difference on contested balls — especially down the field. But what really impressed me was how fluid he was through his routes and how well he moved through traffic. You expect big guys to maybe struggle with quick change-of-direction stuff, but he didn't. He kept his speed through breaks and showed that he can be a reliable deep threat, a red zone option, and someone who creates matchup problems just by being on the field. He's got the tools and he's figuring out how to use them, which is a scary combo for anyone lined up across from him.     It's not easy for running backs to make their presence felt at 7-on-7 events. Most of it is built for receivers and quarterbacks to shine, and backs can sometimes go a whole stretch of games without really getting involved. But Roberts wasn't just involved — he stood out. First off, his size jumps out right away. He's just built different than most of the other skill guys out there. Big frame, strong legs, and carries that kind of power you don't usually see in a non-padded setting.nBut what really impressed me was that he didn't just rely on size. He showed legit movement skills and some sneaky burst once he got into the second level. There were a few times he caught a short pass or swing route and just pulled away from defenders who underestimated him. You could tell he was reading the field well and understood how to find space, which is so valuable in this format. Just a really solid showing from a back who didn't let the format limit what he could do.     At 6'3" and 210 pounds, Dafnis definitely looks the part — big, strong, and built like a true tight end. But what caught my attention was how well he moved for that size. He glided across the field in a way that made it clear he's more than just a big target. The way he tracked the ball in the air was next-level. A couple of the grabs he made weren't just catches — they were calculated plays where he used his frame to keep defenders on his back and shield the ball like a basketball player boxing out under the hoop. His ability to track the ball, adjust mid-route, throttle down or speed up to time the catch perfectly, and still have the awareness to position himself between the ball and the defender was something you don't see from a lot of high school guys his size. You could tell he understands spacing and leverage, which is such a big piece of playing tight end at the next level. And when he's matched up with a true linebacker, he's got the speed to just outrun them. It was a really solid showing from a player who's only going to get harder to cover as he keeps refining the rest of his game.

Before we dive in, shoutout to Arizona State for putting on a smooth, well-run event. The setup was great, the energy was high, and it felt like a nice early-summer kickoff for 7s season. Basha came out and handled business, walking away with the championship, but there was talent all over the place.