Scouting Notebook from Three NPA Workouts

<p>As the offseason began following the conclusion of the state championships and the high school football season, prospects began to get back to the drawing board with their trainers and 7v7 teams to expand their skillsets.</p>   <p>National Playmakers Academy (NPA) is one of the premier training groups in the area and feature an excellent array of top underclassman talent with loads of potential. After witnessing three group workouts over the last month, it is clear to see why the program is excited about the young talent they have in the building working with them for the foreseeable future.</p>   <p>Here is the scouting notebook on the prospects that consistently stood out in a tough and competitive environment.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">YOUNG RECEIVERS HAVE EXCITING P4 ABILITY</h2>   <p>The level of talent and potential among a young group of receivers is awe-inspiring to say the least, with Power Four talents featured all over the workouts.</p>   <p>The top star there is Battle Ground Academy 2029 recruit [player_tooltip player_id='1537396' first='Maddox' last='Porter'], who just became the first receiver to ever win MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year. He has a long, wiry frame at 6-foot-3 already and is a natural mover that can run any route concept asked of him at the next level. He is learning how to better set up a leverage advantage before the break in the route, which is just unfair for a receiver of his talent level. The one primary concern I had for his freshman season was how would he work through contact, but he progressively improved by miles there throughout the state championship run and has packed on some more weight to that frame. He does not miss a workout and it is evident as he has risen to becoming one of the premier recruits regardless of position in the nation for his class.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/shaynep_media/status/2010860575958708497?s=20 </div></figure>   <p>His teammate and 2028 receiver prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1030085' first='Max' last='Curry'] is a very dynamic playmaker in his own right and is really beginning to fill out a strong frame. He has always had the home-run ability but the route running ability took a large step forward as sophomore and allowed for him to become one of the best in the state at his position regardless of class. The biggest jump he has taken is over the middle of the field, where he has become as sure-fire as they come, making him a nearly impossible cover out of the slot.</p>   <p>Fellow slot receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1538130' first='Luke' last='Tritch'] had a breakout freshman season at Riverdale High School this year and is quickly emerging onto college radars. At 5'10-5'11, he has good size for his age and has added a lot of muscle mass to that frame over the past year, which has prevented defensive backs from moving him off his spot. His best ability might be his deceleration ability where he can stop on a dime at the top of his route and instantly acquire the advantage on the rep. NPA mentioned him specifically as one of the hardest working prospects they had in the entire program.</p>   <p>2028 receiver [player_tooltip player_id='256895' first='Chase' last='Hancock'] came all the way from Arkansas for the last workout and immediately caught my attention. He has excellent start-stop ability when changing direction, which allows him to dictate each rep he takes. He is undersized at 5'10, but has time to keep getting bigger and has the speed, change of direction and athleticism to overcome that factor.</p>   <p>Paducah Tilghman (KY) 2027 receiver Cam Wade has the ability to get open against any defensive back put in front of him as a slippery, high-IQ route runner with very fluid hips. If he cleans up the concentration drops, he is a premier prospect that can play any receiver position in the alignment.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/shaynep_media/status/2010845258804793344?s=20 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">QUARTERBACKS ARE TAKING THE NEXT STEP</h2>   <p>2028 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1287058' first='Gavin' last='Hampton'] had a breakout season at Riverdale High School as he was finally given his first opportunity to run an offense as the starting quarterback. He has an excellent frame and was a great distributor after an up-and-down first game. He is highly effective over the middle of the field and was not afraid to fit the ball into tight windows. During the workouts, he has shown consistently strong mechanics which allows for him to maintain a strong base and generate velocity on his passes to fit throws into those windowns.</p>   <p>2029 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='1251945' first='Bryson' last='Kennedy'] also came from Arkansas, but I was able to see him at all of the workouts. I saw him last summer as well and he has he come a long way in his development. He has been reworking his body and his mechanics, which is allowing for him to be a more consistent passer. He has a strong arm that can generate a highly-impressive amount of velocities on passes and can fit throws into any window on a rope. As he continues to get more comfortable with the technical aspects of the position and become more consistent with his touch downfield, he could quickly take another large step forward in his development. The good news is he just finished his high school freshman season and has plenty of time. He is on a very big ascending development arc right now.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/shaynep_media/status/2010833782408901031?s=20 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">DEFENSIVE BACKS HAVE INTRIGUING POTENTIAL</h2>   <p>The new name on my radar was 2029 safety Jake Berte, who is transferring to Battle Ground Academy, and the tools that he possesses are very exciting. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, he already has a huge, strong frame with the athleticism to stick as a do-it-all safety. He is a fluid mover with ball skills, physicality and natural athleticism.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/shaynep_media/status/2010889023372329408?s=20 </div></figure>   <p>2028 defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='1193376' first='Jermaine' last='Cobbins'] is a premier talent on the national level and it is not hard to justify that logic when watching him perform in workouts. These workouts were my first time finally getting eyes on him in-person and he did not disappoint. It is hard to find a true flaw in his skillset as he holds a strong, physical frame, standing around 6-foot-1 with long arms, fluid hips and the versatility to play all over the secondary. He is sticky in any sort of coverage as he is impossible to work through and can match receivers athletically. This is an elite prospect that does not miss a workout and will be one of the most highly sought after defensive backs in the entire nation.</p>   <p>2028 safety [player_tooltip player_id='1580781' first='Jayden' last='Sanders'] was at the latest workout and he looks even bigger now than he did during the season at Blackman High School. The major jump in competition did not faze him this season as he has the ability to make plays against any team he faces. He has a lengthy frame to constantly disrupt plays and the athleticism to constantly get in position to make plays on the ball.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/shaynep_media/status/2010835461346861069?s=20 </div></figure>   <p>Brentwood Academy 2027 safety [player_tooltip player_id='2082939' first='Hill' last='Strong'] has some intriguing tools, and when he is locked in, he has shown he can make plays, including picking off a future Power Four quarterback in the state championship game. He can be a bit too active with his hands in press coverage, but he is best at safety, which should limit those situations. He has good length, athleticism and ball skills. He will be a prospect to keep an eye on this season for a team that will be competing for a state championship.</p>   <p>His teammate and 2027 cornerback Troy Porties is the ultra-competitor and is going to give 110% to and through the whistle. He has the want-to, toughness and athleticism to be a rock-solid nickel at the next level. He has a winning mentality that coaches will want in their secondary and the competitive drive that coaches will want in their locker room.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">DEFENSIVE LINEMAN ON BREAKOUT WATCH</h2>   <p>Battle Ground Academy 2027 defensive tackle [player_tooltip player_id='902956' first='Justice' last='Pittman'] had his breakout season during this season and is a prospect that is currently flying under the radar. He has excellent size at 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds and the athleticism to play all over the defensive line and generate havoc in the backfield. BGA actually had him playing a lot of strongside end in a three-man front to showcase that athletic ability. Also a baseball player, he has the athletic profile that college teams should be interested in.</p>   <p>East Nashville 2028 defensive tackle Devin Phillips had a breakout year this season, but I think a much bigger one could be on the way soon. He has excellent size and the ability to generate violent pushback, creating a high-floor as a run defender at the next level. However, he is so much more than just that, as he has the athleticism to rack up pressures on passing downs and impact every situation.</p>   <p>Franklin Road Academy 2029 defensive end [player_tooltip player_id='1665616' first='Dhillon' last='Booker'] has a strong frame that he keeps growing into more and more. He has violent hands and that allowed for him to rotate in behind a future Division One talent and team captain. He is one of the top young defensive line prospects in the state of Tennessee to monitor moving forward.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/shaynep_media/status/2002534295232262384?s=20 </div></figure>   <p>Riverdale 2027 edge rusher [player_tooltip player_id='1588087' first='Gael' last='Lara'] has an intriguing frame, listed at 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds and showed the ability to shed blocks with force and violence, which offers breakout potential as a senior next season for one of the top teams in the top public classification.</p>

As the offseason began following the conclusion of the state championships and the high school football season, prospects began to get back to the drawing board with their trainers and 7v7 teams to expand their skillsets.