Friday Night Standouts: Highlight Alabama’s Top Performances

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Week after week, Alabama high school football continues to produce eye-popping performances, and this slate of games was no exception. Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1666191' first='Jaedyn' last='Powell'] showcased pinpoint accuracy and leadership, while wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1507896' first='Jay'lin' last='Taylor'] lit up the stat sheet with explosive plays in the passing game. On the ground, running backs Micah Pledger and [player_tooltip player_id='1879596' first='Anthony' last='Dixon'] powered their teams with punishing runs and game-changing touchdowns. Adding to the excitement, all-around athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1669274' first='Alijah' last='Johnson'] proved his two-way value with scoring plays on offense and impact plays on defense. From big-arm throws to bruising runs and lockdown defense, these Friday night standouts delivered performances that demand attention from fans, coaches, and college scouts alike.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1666191"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68d0d4ee0f690"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1666191' first='Jaedyn' last='Powell'] turned in a dazzling performance under the Friday night lights, completing 17-of-31 passes for 288 yards and four touchdowns. His ability to spread the ball around the field kept the defense off balance and created scoring opportunities in every quarter. Powell showed poise in the pocket, calmly reading coverages and delivering accurate throws on intermediate and deep routes. His leadership was evident as he consistently kept his offense organized and locked in during key drives. With this type of production, Powell is quickly establishing himself as one of the most dangerous signal callers in the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1507896"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68d0d4ee0f70a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1507896' first='Jay'lin' last='Taylor'] was electric for Oxford, hauling in nine receptions for 191 yards and a touchdown against a tough Mountain Brook defense. Taylor's crisp route running and explosive burst off the line made him nearly impossible to cover one-on-one. He displayed excellent body control on contested catches, routinely turning difficult throws into big plays. His ability to stretch the field vertically opened up the offense and forced the defense to stay honest all game. Taylor's combination of size, speed, and playmaking ability continues to raise his recruiting profile.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Micah Pledger","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Jasper HS","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68d0d4ee0f7e1"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Micah Pledger powered Jasper's ground game with a dominant night, rushing for 181 yards on just 18 carries while finding the end zone twice. Pledger showcased elite vision and patience, allowing his blocks to develop before exploding through running lanes. His balance and contact strength stood out as he shed would-be tacklers and churned out extra yards after contact. Whether breaking off long gains or grinding out tough inside runs, Pledger proved to be the offensive engine for his team. Performances like this will keep defenses keying on him every week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1669274"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68d0d4ee0f83b"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1669274' first='Alijah' last='Johnson'] delivered a true all-around effort in Benjamin Russell's win over Spain Park. Offensively, he rushed for 39 yards on nine carries and punched in two touchdowns, giving his team key red-zone production. On defense, Johnson was a game-changer with seven tackles, an interception, and a fumble recovery. His versatility allows him to impact the game in multiple phases, making him one of the most valuable athletes in the state. Johnson's relentless motor and physicality make him a nightmare for opponents on both sides of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1879596"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68d0d4ee0f88e"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='1879596' first='Anthony' last='Dixon'] made the most of his touches, racking up 157 yards on just 14 carries while scoring two touchdowns against Northridge. Dixon displayed a rare blend of speed and power, bursting through holes and finishing runs with authority. His downhill style punished defenders, while his quick cuts allowed him to evade would-be tacklers in the open field. Dixon's performance set the tone early and gave his team the offensive balance needed to control the game. With his ability to break long runs and handle heavy workloads, Dixon continues to cement himself as a rising star in Alabama high school football.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->