Pickerington North College Showcase: Skilled Player Stars
Even though Division I college coaches can’t hit the road this spring to evaluate talent in person many high schools in Ohio are still holding showcase days for lower-level coaches to come out and evaluate their players. Most recently Pickerington…
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Continue ReadingEven though Division I college coaches can’t hit the road this spring to evaluate talent in person many high schools in Ohio are still holding showcase days for lower-level coaches to come out and evaluate their players. Most recently Pickerington North held one and the Panthers had a handful of skilled players stand out, here are four of the top performers from that day.
Landon O’Connell, 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Quarterback, 2024
Despite none of them seeing real varsity action last fall, there are a handful of 2024 quarterbacks in Central that have already caught our eye and O’Connell is one of them. Immediately he stands out with his 6-foot-4 frame but then he starts throwing the ball and your brow raises even more. O’Connell has a big arm that allows him to make almost any throw on the field and he can put velocity behind the ball when he needs to. All signs point to O’Connell being the Panther quarterback this fall and the sky’s the limit with his potential.
Jaiden Vital, 6-foot-2 and 185 pounds, Wide Receiver, 2024
O’Connell may be a first-year sophomore starter this fall but he won’t be without weapons and Vital will be his go-to guy. Just two cycles ago Pickerington North had one of the most steady wide receivers in Ohio and his name was Chris Scott Chris Scott 6'3" | 185 lbs | WR Pickerington North | 2021 State OH , he signed with Cincinnati. Fast forward two years and some around the Panthers program believe Vital could be a similar talent to Scott. He catches everything thrown his way and creates separation with his route running ability. Vital also has good length with some dual-sport athleticism. Expect him to be O’Connell’s safety valve this fall and put up big numbers in the OCC.
Carl Allen, 6-foot-1 and 175 Pounds, Cornerback/Safety, 2022
Allen is the first defensive prospect we wanted to touch on and he put on a show last week. Ever since Allen was an underclassman he has been a special athlete putting up blazing fast times and jumping out of the gym. However, he has struggled at times to translate that athleticism to the football field but that could change this fall. After spending most of his high school career on the offensive side of the ball Allen has made a commitment to playing defensive back. On the defensive side of the ball, he is able to just play and use every bit of his athleticism without overthinking it. Allen has power five testing numbers but the film this fall will ultimately determine what level he’ll play his college ball at.
Preston Bowman, 5-foot-11 and 170 Pounds, Wide Receiver, 2025
Gotta keep this one short because while Bowman has talent he has yet to do anything on a varsity football field because well he is in 8th grade. Nonetheless, after watching him run routes with O’Connell and Vital following the workout it will be interesting to see his high school progression. The football IQ and talent are both there for Bowman so now we wait to see him play at the high school level. There is a strong chance he contributes this fall as a freshman for the Panthers.