Battle In Bama: 15U Standouts from Day 1

The inaugural Battle in Bama 7v7 tournament kicked off on Saturday, and despite the harsh conditions, there was plenty of good football. I was assigned the 15U Division, so I want to talk about some of the top performers from day 1 of the event.   I've chosen six young prospects to discuss, all of whom have Division I upside and are on the come-up. Five are on the offensive side of the ball, with the final one being a talented cornerback from Mississippi.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   2029 WR [player_tooltip player_id='2118007' first='Landon' last='Forrest'] – Daphne High School (AL)   [player_tooltip player_id='2118007' first='Landon' last='Forrest'] had a terrific first day at Battle in Bama, being a big-time contributor for Gulf Coast Athletics. The rising sophomore had nearly double-digit catches, including a couple of touchdowns.   The 2029 wide receiever is well-built for his age, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 160 pounds, with a long frame. He's a good route runner who consistently forces himself open while being able to make every play on the field. Forrest has the body and skills to win on contested catches, but is highly athletic and can beat defensive backs with finesse.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   2029 WR [player_tooltip player_id='1718132' first='Brayden' last='Lawson'] – Gulf Shores High School (AL)   [player_tooltip player_id='1718132' first='Brayden' last='Lawson'] is another young buck for Gulf Coast Athletics, a highly talented player with Division I potential. The 2029 wide receiver played in just one game today, but dominated the opposing team.   He stands 6-foot and weighs 145 pounds, being on the lighter side of things, but has the frame to fill out and become a mismatch nightmare.   Lawson is highly athletic, with the vertical to become a contested-catch specialist. He's also relatively quick and possesses sound technique that allows him to break away from defensive backs with ease.   The rising sophomore is a young player with room to grow, but he has a very high ceiling.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   2029 WR Jmairea Carter – Oxford High School (AL)   Have I mentioned how loaded Gulf Coast Athletics is at the wide receiver position? Regardless, I want to talk about Jmairea Carter, another rising sophomore who was productive at the inaugural Battle in Bama event.   He's a compact player who stands 5-foot-4 and weighs 120 pounds, but is a dog who showed a lot of good stuff, despite his lack of size. Carter is extremely shifty and has good hands, proven by the number of catches he made on a day with horrendous weather.   A lot of players dropped passes because of the conditions, but he pushed through it and made some nice grabs. I like what he offers as a receiver, but with his athleticism and quickness, the 2029 prospect could become an excellent gadget guy.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   2028 DB [player_tooltip player_id='1757519' first='Trendon' last='Harden'] – North Pontotoc High School (MS)   2028 [player_tooltip player_id='1757519' first='Trendon' last='Harden'] is an intriguing defensive back who caught my eye at Battle in Bama. There's a lot to like about this kid's game, starting with his build. The rising junior stands 6-foot-2 and weighs 177 pounds with a long, but good frame.   He possesses good ball skills and instincts for his position, racking up a good amount of pass breakups. Harden is a disciplined player who shows sound technique and the ability to stay composed in every moment.   The 2028 cornerback is a lockdown defender who's a fluid mover, has excellent footwork and flips his hips well. He picked up his first Division I offer recently from Samford, but you can expect more to come his way.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   2031 QB [player_tooltip player_id='2115765' first='Isaiah' last='Pinto'] – Piedmont Middle School (AL)   2031 [player_tooltip player_id='2115765' first='Isaiah' last='Pinto'] was my personal favorite player from the first day at Battle in Bama. I couldn't believe that he was only in middle school when I first saw the young quarterback sling the rock.   He possesses outstanding size for his age, standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 205 pounds, with elite arm talent and solid mechanics.   While he needs to grow in some areas, including his decision-making, the rising eighth grader has the potential to become one of the best players in Alabama. Pinto is likely the best prospect at this event, and showed a lot of good things on Saturday for Playmakers Elite.   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   2029 WR [player_tooltip player_id='2118013' first='Braylen' last='Brown'] – Central High School (AL)   The wide receiver play at Battle in Bama has been excellent so far. One of the people responsible for that is 2029 [player_tooltip player_id='2118013' first='Braylen' last='Brown']. He had a strong showing on Saturday, making several insane grabs and giving himself a strong argument for being the top receiver in the 15U Division.   He possesses an excellent build for his age, standing 6-foot and weighing 171 pounds with a long frame and terrific athleticism.   Brown excels at winning on contested plays but also has the speed and elusiveness to run circles around defensive backs. The rising sophomore is a fascinating player with the abilities and physical tools that will draw FBS interest in the future.

The inaugural Battle in Bama 7v7 tournament kicked off on Saturday, and despite the harsh conditions, there was plenty of good football. I was assigned the 15U Division, so I want to talk about some of the top performers from day 1 of the event.