De Smet vs CBC Top Performers
In this article:
This past Friday, I had the pleasure of watching two of the top teams in the state of Missouri face off. I decided to go to De Smet Jesuit High School to see their Spartans take on the Christian Brothers…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThis past Friday, I had the pleasure of watching two of the top teams in the state of Missouri face off. I decided to go to De Smet Jesuit High School to see their Spartans take on the Christian Brothers College Cadets in a game that was featured on the “Great American Rivalry Series.” After CBC controlled the game to start things off, De Smet made a strong comeback attempt but ultimately fell short in a 41-28 loss. There was a ton of talent on the field on both sides of the ball but these are the players that stood out the most to me.
To start things off, I have the “Player of the Game” from Friday, running back Jeremiyah Love Jeremiyah Love 6’1″ | 195 lbs | RB CBC | 2023 State MO . Love put on a show in this game, scoring three total touchdowns. He showed that he is a complete back with great vision, speed, and the ability to cut on a dime, while also showing the strength to run through defenders. Love also showed that he is a very reliable weapon in the passing game, using his speed and quickness in the open field to turn short passes into big gains, with one of his receptions turning into a touchdown. Jeremiyah has a long list of Power 5 offers and I expect him to thrive wherever he decides to go as he is a truly special talent at running back.
Highlights
Another play maker on the offensive side of the ball that made a big impact for CBC was wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan Jeremiah McClellan 6’0″ | 185 lbs | WR CBC | 2024 State MO . He made his presence felt in a variety of ways on Friday, lining up at receiver, taking direct snaps in the wildcat formation, and even showing an impressive leg as a punter. At receiver, he showed impressive route running skills with quick breaks in his routes. He also showed the speed to simply run by defenders in the deep passing game. After the catch, McClellan showed the elusiveness to make defenders miss in the open field and the speed to run away from the defense. Just like Love, McClellan holds multiple Power 5 offers and will look to continue to be an impact player at the next level.
Highlights
While Love got most of the spotlight, his teammate out of the backfield, Dylan Van Dylan Van 5’11” | 175 lbs | RB CBC | 2023 State MO , also showed a ton of promise. Van did a great job keeping the running game going while giving Love a break. He showed very good vision with the patience to find the hole then hit it hard downhill. When running between the tackles, Van showed the ability to keep his legs churning to break tackles and continued to do the same once he hit the open field. Once he got around the edge or into the open field, Van showed the speed to run away from a defense. Dylan is a Division I prospect himself, holding offers from Northern Iowa, Southeast Missouri State, Long Island, and Western Illinois, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see more come as he has the talent to be a solid running back at the college level.
While he did split reps at the position, Cole McKey Cole McKey 5’10” | 180 lbs | QB CBC | 2024 State MO looked good as the starting quarterback for the Cadets. McKey showed some nice arm talent with the arm strength to stretch the field. He also put a nice amount of touch on his passes, leading his receivers down the field and placing the ball where only they could get to it. When under pressure, McKey showed the ability to tuck the ball and pick up yards as a ball carrier. Cole doesn’t currently hold any offers but he should be a name to watch over the next two years as he has the potential to be a solid college quarterback.
Highlights
The other quarterback that saw action on Friday for CBC, Jason Wiley Jason Wiley 6’1″ | 170 lbs | QB CBC | 2025 IL , also showed some promise. The sophomore quarterback showed that the stage wasn’t too big for him when his name was called, stepping in to show some big plays. Wiley showed the arm talent to stretch the field and lead his receivers away from their defenders. He also showed the ability to make throws on the run. Wiley also proved to be a true dual-threat option, using his speed and athleticism to pick up yards on the ground. Jason will be a name to watch as he continues to develop over the next three seasons.
On the offensive line for CBC, Josh Gregory Josh Gregory 6’7″ | 260 lbs | OL CBC | 2023 State MO is a player that kept standing out to me on Friday. Measuring in at 6’7″, 270 pounds, Gregory is a very hard player to miss on the field and he knows how to used his size to his advantage. Lining up at right tackle, Gregory is dominant in the run game, doing a great job of getting his hands inside and getting extension on his man, then driving them out of the picture. He also showed the ability to pull from the tackle spot and pick up blocks in open space. In pass protection, Gregory has solid footwork and keeps a strong base, not allowing much movement into the pocket. Josh is currently committed to Cincinnati and should be a very good player for them once he gets there.
On the defensive side of the ball for CBC, senior defensive back Lucas McAllister Lucas McAllister 6’1″ | 200 lbs | DB CBC | 2023 State MO stood out to me the most. McAllister lined up at safety and was all over the field making plays against the run. He did a great job of reading the play and coming downhill to fill the running lane with a sense of urgency. Once he got to the ball carrier, he showed that he is a very reliable open field tackler and brought a ton of physicality with his tackles. He was also very reliable in coverage, showing great route recognition skills and the ability to break on the ball to break up passes. Lucas is committed to Indiana State and I expect him to be an impact player for them on defense.
Highlights
Switching over to De Smet, Christian Gray Christian Gray 6’1″ | 175 lbs | DB De Smet | 2023 State MO was a big name that continued to make his mark on Friday. Gray lined up on the outside at corner and showed the ability to open up and run with receivers in man coverage and stay in their hip pocket. He also showed the ability to come downhill and make tackles in run support. Gray also showed a ton of special teams value, using his speed and elusiveness to break off some big returns. Christian is committed to Notre Dame and has the potential to develop into a very special player for them.
Highlights
Staying on the defensive side of the ball, senior defensive back Elijah Thomas Elijah Thomas 6’1″ | 185 lbs | WR Desmet Jesuit (All Male) | 2023 MO had himself quite a game on Friday. He made an impact in many different roles on De Smet’s defense, lining up in the nickle, coming off the edge as a pass rusher, lining up in an outside linebacker role, and playing some safety. In coverage, he showed the ability to mirror receivers in man coverage and make plays on the ball to break up passes. He also showed the ability to come off the edge and put pressure on the quarterback as a pass rusher, as well as fill the gaps against the run and make tackles. Thomas was also used some on offense due to his speed, being used on jet sweeps as a ball carrier, and also ran a fake punt in a key moment in the game. Elijah currently holds offers from Arkansas, West Virginia, Lindenwood, Kansas, and New Mexico State, and I expect him to develop into a solid player at the Division I level once he gets there.
Highlights
A new player on my radar that stood out to me on Friday was sophomore linebacker, Jason King Jason King 6’2″ | 210 lbs | LB De Smet | 2025 State MO . The inside linebacker was all over the field making tackles on Friday. He showed the ability to read his keys and react quickly to put himself in a good position to make plays. Once he saw where the ball was going, he came downhill in a hurry and was able to take the right angles to get to the ball. Once he got to the ball carrier, he did a great job of running his feet on contact and securing the tackle. Jason will be a name to watch over the next few seasons as I believe he has the potential to turn into a special college linebacker prospect.
Highlights
On the offensive side of the ball, quarterback Chris Cotton Chris Cotton 5’11” | 190 lbs | QB De Smet | 2023 State MO had a solid performance. Cotton showed off a very strong arm with the ability to lead his receivers down the field in the deep passing game. He also showed the ability to keep his eyes down the field and make big throws under pressure. Cotton also showed true dual-threat ability, using his speed and elusiveness to make big plays on the ground. He showed great composure and the ability to make big plays when it mattered down the stretch, making some big time throws and breaking off on a late touchdown run during their fourth quarter comeback attempt. Cotton currently holds offers from Missouri Baptist and William Penn, and I could see more coming for him as he has the talent to play at the next level.
Highlights
Cotton’s go-to target on Friday was senior wide receiver, Demetrion Cannon Demetrion Cannon 6’1″ | 190 lbs | WR De Smet | 2023 State MO . The first thing that stood out with Cannon was his speed. Cannon showed the ability to burst out of his stance and run right by opposing defensive backs, allowing him to create a ton of separation in the deep passing game. He was also able to use his speed to catch passes in stride and run away from the defense on his way to the end zone. Cannon also showed reliable hands with the ability to catch the ball away from his body and the concentration to make catches over his shoulder. Demetrion currently holds offers from Dartmouth and Southeast Missouri State, and I could see more coming as I believe he is a Division I talent at receiver.
Highlights
Damarion White
Damarion White
De Smet was able to keep the CBC defense honest thanks to a solid performance on the ground from junior running back, Damarion White. White showed impressive vision with the ability to find the running lane and come downhill in a hurry. He showed the strength to run through tackles both in between the tackles and in the open field. Once he got out into the open field, he showed the ability to make defenders miss along with the speed to turn up the field and pick up big gains. He also showed ability in the passing game, catching a pass for a touchdown on Friday. While Damarion doesn’t currently hold any offers, he is a player to watch over the next two seasons as he has the skill set to play somewhere at the next level.
Senior offensive lineman Bryson Rolle Bryson Rolle 6’1″ | 260 lbs | OL De Smet | 2023 State MO played a huge role in getting the running game going for De Smet. Rolle lined up and guard and exploded out of his stance in the run game. He played with a very high motor, creating movement off the line of scrimmage and driving his man through the whistle. He is a very physical lineman, showing the ability to knock defensive linemen off balance with his initial punch and drive them into the ground on pancake blocks. Rolle also showed dependability in pass pro with the ability to pick up stunts and keep a strong base to not allow much movement into the pocket. Bryson currently holds an offer from Missouri Valley College and I believe more could come as he has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.