- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,253,964
- Reaction score
- 59
Some of the most talented high school football teams in Florida were on display at the 305 Sports 7-on-7 Tournament on July 18 in Miami, and the action did not disappoint.
West Boca won the championship over fan-favorite Carol City in a triple-overtime thriller while quarterback Trey Moran putting together a surgical final few possessions.
With some of the biggest names in the country taking the field, we got a chance to see plenty of elite matchups between top recruits. Here are some of the top performers from the tournament:
The Texas commit showed again why he is a consensus 4-star and top-10 signal caller in the nation and headed into his junior campaign. Lawrence (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) continues to build on his already impressive timing and accuracy after a spring with his new teammates at Heritage, and his balance remains elite. He connected on some great layered throws and worked tight balls in against some of the best secondaries in the state — including his former school Miami Northwestern.
The star of the show came to play. Lennear, a 5-star Miami commit and No. 3 overall player in the state, shined with every camera in the stadium pointed at him and teams sending doubles. His elite route-running stunted premier defenders, and he showed again why he has a claim to the best hands in the state. Carol City has a lot of skill talent this year — probably more than most, yet Lennear played head-and-shoulders above everyone else on the field. It was expected, he came out and delivered, and it will probably be that way throughout the fall for the star-studded Chiefs.
At 6-2 and 190 pounds, O'Neal has all the physical tools to be a playmaker at a Power 4 school. The rising sophomore showcased great concentration and hands, plus impressive burst in the open field. O'Neal already reports over 20 offers from the likes of Georgia, Florida State and Indiana.
It is not common for an incoming freshman to look so poised against high-level competition, but Woods has been connecting strikes for the Lions since he was in eighth grade. The 6-foot, 175-pounder is ahead of the curve physically and mentally, and made good reads rolling out often for a TFA squad that started the day very strong. He did a good job of letting his best players win balls and showed no hesitation on deep looks. Woods' offer list already includes Miami, FSU, Syracuse, Purdue and UCF.
Dillard, a USF commit and No. 76 in the USA TODAY Florida Top 100, was the go-to man for the Lions. They started every game with a 1-on-1 go route to him, and it resulted in a touchdown more often than not. He's extremely shifty in space, and has the burst to create separation in a pinch. Dillard showed great concentration through contact, his hands were great, and he showed up on both sides of the ball for TFA.
Dunbar was the lone Southwest Florida squad in the tournament, but showed they belonged early with wins over Cardinal Gibbons and Spanish River. Hitchens had his fingerprints all over both wins, reeling in big touchdown catches in coverage and making himself a real threat in space. He welcomed all challenges throughout the day, and won plenty of them with impressive verticality beyond his 5-10 height. Hitchens is an elite athlete that shined against stout competition, and drew a lot of eyeballs by the Tigers' second game.
The marquee name in West Boca's secondary didn't shy away from big time matchups. Valade, a Texas A&M commit, brought elite technique and physicality to the tournament for the Bulls and they used it well against top-shelf receivers. The No. 46 player in the state is a polished defender that covered the the field well.
Elder (5-11, 160 pounds), is a speedy receiver that can take the top off of a defense, and did so often on Saturday. He's a crisp route-runner that created solid separation, and he found himself open in the end zone frequently.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Top Florida high school football stars at 305 Sports 7-on-7 Tournament
Continue reading...
West Boca won the championship over fan-favorite Carol City in a triple-overtime thriller while quarterback Trey Moran putting together a surgical final few possessions.
With some of the biggest names in the country taking the field, we got a chance to see plenty of elite matchups between top recruits. Here are some of the top performers from the tournament:
Neimann Lawrence, American Heritage 2028 QB
The Texas commit showed again why he is a consensus 4-star and top-10 signal caller in the nation and headed into his junior campaign. Lawrence (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) continues to build on his already impressive timing and accuracy after a spring with his new teammates at Heritage, and his balance remains elite. He connected on some great layered throws and worked tight balls in against some of the best secondaries in the state — including his former school Miami Northwestern.
You must be registered for see images
Nick Lennear, Carol City 2027 WR
The star of the show came to play. Lennear, a 5-star Miami commit and No. 3 overall player in the state, shined with every camera in the stadium pointed at him and teams sending doubles. His elite route-running stunted premier defenders, and he showed again why he has a claim to the best hands in the state. Carol City has a lot of skill talent this year — probably more than most, yet Lennear played head-and-shoulders above everyone else on the field. It was expected, he came out and delivered, and it will probably be that way throughout the fall for the star-studded Chiefs.
Jeffrey O'Neal Jr., American Heritage 2029 WR
At 6-2 and 190 pounds, O'Neal has all the physical tools to be a playmaker at a Power 4 school. The rising sophomore showcased great concentration and hands, plus impressive burst in the open field. O'Neal already reports over 20 offers from the likes of Georgia, Florida State and Indiana.
Deuce Woods Jr., The First Academy 2030 QB
It is not common for an incoming freshman to look so poised against high-level competition, but Woods has been connecting strikes for the Lions since he was in eighth grade. The 6-foot, 175-pounder is ahead of the curve physically and mentally, and made good reads rolling out often for a TFA squad that started the day very strong. He did a good job of letting his best players win balls and showed no hesitation on deep looks. Woods' offer list already includes Miami, FSU, Syracuse, Purdue and UCF.
Brian Dillard, The First Academy 2027 ATH
Dillard, a USF commit and No. 76 in the USA TODAY Florida Top 100, was the go-to man for the Lions. They started every game with a 1-on-1 go route to him, and it resulted in a touchdown more often than not. He's extremely shifty in space, and has the burst to create separation in a pinch. Dillard showed great concentration through contact, his hands were great, and he showed up on both sides of the ball for TFA.
Taheim Hitchens, Dunbar 2029 WR
You must be registered for see images
Dunbar was the lone Southwest Florida squad in the tournament, but showed they belonged early with wins over Cardinal Gibbons and Spanish River. Hitchens had his fingerprints all over both wins, reeling in big touchdown catches in coverage and making himself a real threat in space. He welcomed all challenges throughout the day, and won plenty of them with impressive verticality beyond his 5-10 height. Hitchens is an elite athlete that shined against stout competition, and drew a lot of eyeballs by the Tigers' second game.
Loia Valade, West Boca 2027 S
The marquee name in West Boca's secondary didn't shy away from big time matchups. Valade, a Texas A&M commit, brought elite technique and physicality to the tournament for the Bulls and they used it well against top-shelf receivers. The No. 46 player in the state is a polished defender that covered the the field well.
You must be registered for see images
Jayden Elder, Spanish River 2027 WR
Elder (5-11, 160 pounds), is a speedy receiver that can take the top off of a defense, and did so often on Saturday. He's a crisp route-runner that created solid separation, and he found himself open in the end zone frequently.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Top Florida high school football stars at 305 Sports 7-on-7 Tournament
Continue reading...
