Official GMSAA 7th Grade FBU National Championship Preview

<strong>Get Familiar: </strong>Little brother ain’t so little anymore. This group of GMSAA kids was the first one to break through the virtual lock GFL had on this bracket last year and won the FBU National Championship as 6^th graders. Back a year later, it’s scary to say this team is even better than last year. A coaching staff which features former all former NFL and/or college players, they’re all returning from last year and plan on bringing more college level coaching and concepts to the middle school level, which is a lot for others to handle. This team is completely loaded with guys who can play two and three positions at a higher level than most other team’s starters can. The enthusiasm and passion this coaching staff has to help these kids get better is infectious. Simply put, this group is special. <strong>How they’ll light it up: </strong>The offensive identity is going to be toughness up front on the line. This team walked away as national champions last year, but it was widely thought that the defense was why they won—they’re aiming to up the ante this year. They want to run the ball and be physical. Coaches plan to make defenses very uncomfortable and let them dictate the poison they get. Look for a lot of 21 personnel and some spread as well. Either way, they plan to make defenses regret whatever they choose when attempting to stop this multifaceted offense. <strong>How they’ll shut it down: </strong>This team plans on being as physical as legally allowed. Coaches stressed that teams may be able to hang with them for the first two quarters, but by the second half they aren’t going to want to be punched in the mouth anymore. Expect multiple fronts from this defense but that a 4-2-5 seems with a lot of moving pieces should be base. They feel their linebackers are the best in the country and can play in the secondary or down on the line if they choose to go that route. Couple the linebackers and secondary with the gap eaters and you’ll have a defense that will make opposing teams “remember that they played GMSAA.” <strong><u>Mt. Rushmore</u></strong> <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-235689 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/11/CadenDawson-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Caden Dawson | Athlete</strong> You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better pure athlete in the state of Georgia on the 7^th grade level than Dawson. Coaches can line him anywhere from tight end to receiver to running back on offense and he’s going to get the job done. Defensively he can play any of the linebacker spots in addition to even possibly an edge rusher if needed. Also one of the most elite baseball prospects in the country for the class of 2027, this kid has the “it” factor that people talk about. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-235691 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/11/JustinWeeks-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Justin Weeks | Offensive Line/Defensive Line</strong> Weeks is a guy I’m yet to see live, but coaches are extremely excited about having. At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, they think Weeks could be the next dominant offensive lineman to come out of the uber-talented Peach state. It’s very evident why they think that way when you look at just how long his limbs are already. He has the frame to put on a ton of weight and is nowhere close to being done growing. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Weeks is that he has the feet of a skill position guy, despite his massive size. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-235692 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/11/ColeCrawford-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Cole Crawford | Edge/Tight End</strong> Crawford is physically imposing at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds of muscle. If that name sounds familiar he was highlighted on MaxPreps as a 7^th grader squatting 275 pounds earlier this fall. Very similar player to Dawson, in the fact that you can literally put him pretty much anywhere on the field and he’ll be a difference maker. The son of a high school head coach, the game and work ethic has been instilled in him since birth. Also an elite baseball talent, Crawford is going to be an athlete to know in some shape or form for years to come. <strong><img class="alignleft wp-image-235693 size-thumbnail" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/11/BraydenStoker-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150" />Brayden Stoker | Athlete</strong> Stoker was a kid our Prep RedZone Next scouts fell in love with at the tryout we attended back in October. Nicknamed Big Country, he is nothing short of country strong and county tough. He plays with a throwback attitude and is a gritty hard-nosed kid. At the tryout he bounced around from position group to position group and excelled everywhere he went. Coaches marveled at his hand-eye coordination and paid him a great compliment by saying simply, “he’s just a flat out football player.” <strong><u>Defensive Ballers to Know</u></strong> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><strong>David Jacobs | Linebacker</strong></li> <li><strong>Cody Coleman | Linebacker</strong></li> <li><strong>Caleb Hudson| Athlete</strong></li> <li><strong>Jorian Bailey | Defensive Line</strong></li> <li><strong>Julio Perez | Defensive Line</strong></li> <li><strong>Jackson Pounds | Defensive Back</strong></li> <li><strong>DJ Rumph | Defensive Line</strong></li> <li><strong>Garnett Day | Defensive Line</strong></li> </ul> <strong><u>Offensive Ballers to know</u></strong> <ul style="list-style-type: square;"> <li><strong>JR Harris | Quarterback</strong></li> <li><strong>Hudson Marikno | Quarterback</strong></li> <li><strong>Hayes Maginnis | Quarterback</strong></li> <li><strong>Rosco Hayes | Wide Receiver</strong></li> <li><strong>Grant Haviland | Wide Receiver</strong></li> <li><strong>Christian Wells | Athlete</strong></li> <li><strong>Elijah Peeks | Offensive Line</strong></li> <li><strong>Jackson Williams | Offensive Line</strong></li> </ul>