Week Three Top Performers: Offense

Week three is behind us and it’s time to highlight those that stood out.  In this article we are peeling the curtain back, analyzing much more than simple statistics.  We are looking for the players who jumped off the screen, who made a real impact in the game.  As scouts we like to ask ourselves, what does the video tell us about a player?  In this article, we are going to dive into the film and tell you exactly what we are seeing from these top performers. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="141260" first="Devin" last="Gardner"], 5’11" 240, Harrells Christian Academy</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 25 carries, 370 yards, 5 touchdowns [player_tooltip player_id="141260" first="Devin" last="Gardner"]’s stock is rising faster than any player in the state right now, as he tops this list for the second week in a row.  Gardner is putting on an absolute clinic against his opponents every Friday night.  This time going for 370 yards on the ground, making it three straight 100 plus yard performances to kick off his senior season.  As I said last week, he is one of the most unique backs I have scouted due to his combination of size and speed.  Gardner has heads turning and college coaches talking. <strong>Corey Casilac, 5’11" 200, Central Davidson High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 22 carries, 350, 6 touchdowns Corey goes off for a massive performance to get on this list for the first time this season.  The senior running back has an impressive skill set that makes him very hard to take down.  Corey’s game has some similarities to Gardner’s game, both big physical running backs that can turn on the jets after hitting the hole.  One thing that stood out to me Friday night was Corey’s vision, he was able to follow the correct blocker and burst through the open lane.  Corey is currently not ranked in our senior running back rankings, but he certainly has us interested moving forward. <strong>Marqies Mccombs, 5’10" 180, Chase High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 33 carries, 253 yards, 4 touchdowns Marqies Mccombs is making the list for the second time this season, the junior running back has been running all over his opponents.  Friday night, Mccombs showed that he can be a workhorse type back.  Handling the ball 33 times in a game is tough and not everyone is cut out for that, but Mccombs is.  Mccombs is a very shifty back, he knows how to use his body to twist and turn before turning up the speed.  Mccombs footwork is tremendous and gives him the ability to change direction when needed.  He also showed on Friday night that he isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and run over some people.  At one point he got hit at the 5-yard line and bounced off 3 different defenders before eventually finding the endzone. <strong>Bristol Carter, 6’0" 175, Northwest Guilford High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 4 catches, 177 yards, 2 touchdowns Bristol Carter is every offensive coach’s dream and every defensive coach’s nightmare because of all the different things he can do with the ball in his hands.  He is the definition of a gadget player, and he plays that role very well.  On Friday night Carter took a simple screen pass 70 yards to the house for a touchdown.  I was incredibly impressed with his poise and vision.  To be successful in that type of role you have to have patience and let the play form before making your move and Carter did just that.  He followed his blockers and used his speed throughout the night, and once the jets turn on, good luck catching him. <strong>Trent Cloud, 6’1" 170, Northwest Guilford High School</strong> <strong>Stats:</strong> 8 catches, 102 yards, 2 touchdowns The wide receivers of Northwest Guilford High were showing out week 3 of the high school season, as Trent Cloud makes the list to go along with Bristol Carter.  Quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="144215" first="Tanner" last="Ballou"], who has also been very impressive this season, has some great weapons to work with.  At 6’1" 170, Cloud plays like he is 6’3" or 6’4", he has a very big presence out on the field.  Cloud is a phenomenal route runner and very hard to bring down when hit in stride.  He has quick movements that help him burst off the line of scrimmage and helps him get open on a quick slant or crossing route.  Cloud and Ballou have a great rapport with each other, so look for Cloud’s name to come up again this season.