Barry's Top Performers - NUC Air Raid Dallas North

Plano, Texas- Four teams took part in the NUC Air Raid 7-on-7 tournament this past Sunday at John Paul, II High School. Three of the teams were made up of individual high school athletes from around the Dallas Metroplex.  The fourth team was Sachse, TX Mustangs from 5A Region II District 11. Each team participated in a round robin seeding tournament. Once the round robin was complete the teams were seeded and entered into a single elimination tournament to decide the overall winner of the North Dallas NUC Air Raid 7-on-7.

Sachse, TX came out of the gate like game busters using their overall team speed to dominate the seeding tournament. Early on they were led by athlete Tyrique Edwards who would prove to be too fast and quick for any defender to catch. Edwards would score five times in the first two games while also making plays on over five passes on the defensive side of the ball.  But his day ended early with a slight ankle injury. The Mustangs then relied on their defense to carry them the rest of the way. That is where linebacker Kantrell Hunter would take over with help from athlete Austin Williams.

Team White which was blown out in the first game of the day by the Mustangs would bounce back and go on a run which allowed them to avoid the lowest seed thus avoiding Sachse, TX in the first round of the single elimination tournament. They were led by signal caller Connor Smith from Allen TX. Smith used his excellent vision and play calling to pick apart every other team in the tournament. The White Team earned a chance at redemption versus the Mustangs in the championship game. The White Team had become so organized on both sides of the ball that they would end up winning the NUC Dallas North Air Raid 7-on-7 Championship 21 to 7 over Sachse, TX.

Tyrique Edwards, WR/DB, Sachse, TX (2014)

Official Size: 5-11, 172

Assets: This football player has the confidence and moxie that puts fear into the hearts of his opponents. He did a nice job as a receiver attacking the ball with his hands as he adjusted his body into whatever position it needed to catch the ball. After the catch he used superb acceleration and change of direction to weave his way through the defense. Defensively he covers a ton of ground and has the ball skills to become a difference make on either side of the ball. Look for this player's stock to take off once he completes his tour of camps this spring/summer.

Development: Right now he projects on either side of the ball.  Long term I think he will grow into a huge safety with ball skills and a killer instinct. Edwards played a lot of off-man coverage in this tournament so getting work at man coverage will only improve his stock.

Zack English, WR, DB, Prosper, TX (2015)

Official Size: 5-6-1/2, 150

Assets: English was fresh of winning the 9^th grade WR MVP from a day earlier. He really reminded me of a Danny Woodhead type player. He may not be the biggest competitor but he possesses excellent hands and the ability to get vertical after the catch. His hands are so soft he hauled in more than one pass one handed while running crossing routes between the hashes. He was clearly the go to guy for QB Connor Smith. If he continues to work on his craft he will play football at some level on scholarship.

Development: He does have excellent overall body structure but his height could be held against him by closed-minded college coaches. The bottom line is he has three more years left to hone his skills and work on becoming as fast and quick as humanly possible. If this happened he should attract colleges to Prosper High School in a few years.

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Drake Hardy, WR/DB, Frisco, TX (2013)

Official Size: 6-0, 182

Assets: Hardy has excellent size for either a receiver or safety in college. His biggest assets on the field today were his ability to cover a lot of ground as a safety and jump out of the building to make catches as a receiver. Unfortunately his team did not make the championship game. I know he gave the most athletic team Sachse, TX fits in the seeding tournament. He also was coming off an excellent performance from the NUC Camp held on Saturday. That means he has stamina and a true love for the game of football.

Development: Coming into his senior year he will need to grab the attention of college coaches. Similar to Tyrique Edwards I think his best position may be safety at the next level. Why? He has the size potential to become an enforcer and the ball skills to make game changing plays. So working on his backpedal and change of direction should help him reach his goal of playing college football.

Kantrell Hunter, LB/S, Sachse, TX (2013)

Official Size: 6-0-1/2, 174

Assets: It's hard to believe that this hybrid linebacker/safety only weighed in at 174-pounds. He is ripped from head to toe with the size potential to grow into a 230-pound monster. Early on he displayed his superior lateral movement tracking down a back that tried to change directions multiple times. He also showed off some difference making skills by picking off two passes to the house. Right now he has two DI offers New Mexico and Louisiana Tech. I really think if he continues a strong camp circuit that offer list will triple.

Development: I like him as a potential outside linebacker. He looks great in his backpedal and he has ball skills. But this will be his first season of playing the position full time in high school. He must continue a good weight room regime and get use to using his hands to keep blockers off his body.

Connor Smith, QB, Allen, TX (2015)

Official Size: 5-11, 174

Assets: Smith was also a big award winner from Saturday having won Co-MVP at quarterback despite playing up in age group. His first two passes of the day fell miserably to the ground. He did not let that affect him, as he bounced back and drove his team down the field. As the day progressed his ability to take what the defense gave with uncanny accuracy and excellent throwing mechanics gave goose pimples to the coaches that watched. Not only did he lead his team back from a first round whipping; he led them to the NUC Air Raid 7-on-7 Championship.

Development: Smith will need to get stronger while improving his overall athletic ability. If he does not grow over the next three years he will need to be able to buy more time in the pocket while making unscripted yards with his feet. Outside of that this is a mature young man that already is head and shoulders above his peers in ability.

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Austin Williams, WR/DB, Sachse, TX (2013)

Official Size: 6-0-1/2, 174

Assets: Williams is a tall lankly long strider that has excellent body control and serious hops. He was a go to guy in the red zone with the fade pass. Williams was not a defensive back you could just try to throw over because he could get up off the ground like a rocket and knock the ball out of the air. When his teammate Edwards went out with an injury Williams became the go to guy in game three in the seeding tournament making several leaping catches while showing off his body control.

Development: He first needs to get his junior highlights up on the web. College coaches have to evaluate some body of work in a game situation. Williams could improve his change of direction so he can make would-be-tacklers miss in the open field. I really think he has the ability to play DI football.