Defensive Standouts from Philly’s Finest Tourn. of Champions
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Congratulations to The PA Playmakers for taking yet another 7v7 event championship! It’s been nothing short but a successful camp season for the 7v7 squad, who has won each tournament we have attended. They’ve got serious talent and size to…
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Continue ReadingCongratulations to The PA Playmakers for taking yet another 7v7 event championship! It’s been nothing short but a successful camp season for the 7v7 squad, who has won each tournament we have attended. They’ve got serious talent and size to match. They also cannot be coached by a better man in coach Al Crosby. Congrats to all teams, prospects, and coaches who were in attendance! Shout out to coach Tobias Darden for putting on an excellent event and for representing his squad well.
Below are Defensive Standouts from the Tournament of Champions 7v7 event this past weekend. I couldn’t cover 15U prospects, so all below are from the 18U bracket. We’ve got a nice mix of old names as well as newcomers to this site! It’s always good to expand on our player base. These events help!
Andrew Osmun Andrew Osmun 6'1" | 205 lbs | ATH Spring Grove | 2023 State PA | QB/DB | 6’1 205lbs | Spring Grove | 2023
Andrew Osmun Andrew Osmun 6'1" | 205 lbs | ATH Spring Grove | 2023 State PA , a two-way player out of Spring Grove HS, showed why he’s trusted to play both Quarterback and Safety while only being a sophomore! Osmun was a stud as a backend safety, securing three total interceptions for the Prolific Elite. He showed good range and very good ball tracking skills. Osmun was a second-team all-county safety this past year and it showed. He’s ahead of the curve when talking about potential FCS safeties.
Elijah Beaty | DB/WR | 5’11 160lbs | Monsignor Bonner-Prendie | 2023
I have heard rumbles from coaches about this kid all camp season long but haven’t gotten a chance to see him in person. That changed this weekend. Beaty was as advertised and was nothing short of spectacular. I didn’t see him allow a catch on Day One which is an accomplishment in its self considering how much talent was on the field. He’s got the prototypical defensive back build that allows him to show off quick feet and quick hips. I wanted to see how he handled speed. He consistently stayed poised and balanced when being taken vertically, showing he can flip his hips with ease and run stride for stride with his matchup. Love how he doesn’t panic when being taken deep. Hopefully, he continues to chisel out his frame and add just a little weight to handle the overly aggressive wideouts he’s going to face in the future. No doubt in my mind that can be done.
Patrick Awo | WR/DB | 6’0 175lbs | Interboro HS | 2023
Was happy to see a prospect from the United Ten conference that made multiple impact plays for Interboro all Spring long. Didn’t get the opportunity to watch film on any Interboro kids, so finding one on the Dream Makers was a delight. As was his game. Consistent in coverage. His awareness was on display. He’s a fluid athlete who can also give you reps at wideout and be just as productive. A lot of potential with Awo.
Evan Spivey | ATH | 6’2 185lbs | Germantown Academy | 2023
Corey Wright-Downing | WR/DB | 5’7 150lbs | Bishop McDevitt | 2023
Kyle Williams Kyle Williams 6'3" | 265 lbs | OL Central Dauphin East | 2021 PA | ATH | 6’0 190lbs | Harrisburg HS | 2023
Semaj Bridgeman Semaj Bridgeman 6'2" | 235 lbs | LB Imhotep Charter | 2023 State PA | LB | 6’2 220lbs | 2023
Markus Dixon | TE/LB | 6’5 230 | Archbishop Wood | 2023
The next five prospects were all stellar on defense for Philly’s Finest (Royal). Spivey did damage on offense but still provided great safety reps all day long. Safety is where I think the kid has a future. His offensive reps have proved to be vital in his development at safety, as he has the IQ and understanding of where to be and when. He shows a great understanding of leverage and how to use it to his advantage. His height to weight combination fits the mold too.
Speaking of height to weight combination, that’s all I saw with Archbishop Wood’s Markus Dixon. He was a physical presence at his linebacker spot for PF, not allowing anyone to cross his face without feeling his chiseled 6’5 frame. Dixon was seen pretty much unphased by multiple attempts to be moved by opponents. This leads me to believe this kid’s even better with pads on. Time will tell for that. Dixon moved well in and out of his responsibilities. He doesn’t have blazing quick feet and can be considered a little stiff, but I can tell this kid can be a force with pads on. He primarily gets reps at tight end. He put himself on the map and has been added to our watchlist.
One prospect that doesn’t need to be added to anyone’s watchlist is Semaj Bridgeman Semaj Bridgeman 6'2" | 235 lbs | LB Imhotep Charter | 2023 State PA . Bridgeman was as advertised. Like Dixon, these types of events don’t show off just how good of a linebacker a kid can be despite showing how well you cover your zone. Every rep was seamless for Bridgeman. His movement in and out of zones was effortless at times. This event doesn’t showcase just how good of a linebacker he is, yet I was still impressed by how well he moved in open space.
I came away impressed with three different corners at this event. Kyle Williams Kyle Williams 6'3" | 265 lbs | OL Central Dauphin East | 2021 PA was one of them. Williams is a stud running back out of Harrisburg HS who showed off some serious cover skills. Keeping up with his matchup downfield was no problem, he’s got all the speed necessary to do so. Where I was really impressed was seeing how far along his ball skills have come. He caught multiple interceptions on the day and could be counted on to make a play when his squad needed him the most. Williams is a super-athletic prospect who can definitely do more than just run the ball. His Hudl tape shows it, as does his play in person at these events.
Shoutout to Corey Wright-Downing as well. He’s an albeit undersized prospect who doesn’t let his height affect his game. He came away with a huge sideline interception that impressed me. He, like Dixon, will be added to our watchlist to become ranked in the future, so long as he continues to develop.
Malachi Hansen | 5’10 | DB | Archbishop Carroll | 2021
I wanted to talk about this kid watching him at the Pylon 7v7 this past February but couldn’t get enough info on him to do so. Now it was a must. Out of every player in this piece, Hansen has to be the most polished and technically sound when it comes to playing corner. The footwork, the hips, the physicality with his hands throughout. He has so many fundamental traits down, it’s easy to see why he has dominated in the Catholic league for years. In two separate events, I have yet to see him blow a coverage or give up a score. He hardly allows catches as is. Coach Crosby likes to have Hansen work in the slot where he is nimble and athletic enough to work without a sideline. He was spectacular this past weekend yet again.