The Road To The Crown got off to great start with well over fifty total teams, who came to San Antonio to earn an automatic bid to The Crown. The southern region was well represented, with teams from Louisiana, Texas and even the state of New Mexico traveled east to come and compete against the best talent. Here are several standouts to keep and eye on as we head into bracket play on Sunday.
Elliot Paskett-Bell | Class of 2023 | 6’2 190 | 7v7: New Mexico Heat | Quarterback
Paskett-Bell has a big arm with the ability to push the ball downfield. He has the arm strength to fit the football in small windows and he understands how to throw his receivers open. Elliot stands tall in the pocket, his quick release enables him to get the ball out quickly and he worked the short to intermediate routes with excellent accuracy. The senior signal caller has several offers to play at the collegiate level, which includes Eastern New Mexico University and New Mexico Highlands University. During his senior season he had 2.445 passing , 26 touchdowns and rushed for 738 yards with 11 touchdowns. He helped lead the New Mexico Heat to a 2-1 record in Pool Play.
Jabby Cooper | Class of 2023 | 6’0 155 | 7v7: New Mexico Heat | Defensive Back
Cooper is aggressive in press coverage when he comes down in the box to cover slot receivers, he has a strong punch with violent hands at the point of attack and plays with superb technique to reroute the wide receiver at the point of attack. He transitions smoothly into his backpedal with clean footwork and his ability to plant and turn allows him to open up and drive on the football to close down throwing windows. Jabby plays on the backend at free safety, displaying the range to cover ground in a hurry and he roams the Heat secondary with excellent eye discipline. During pool play, Cooper’s ballhawk skill set, enabled to him to shut down several drives, which included an interception, in which he showed an explosive burst, leaping up to snag a potential score from his opponent. He was a key cog for the New Mexico Heat secondary during pool play.
Zedekiah Thompson | Class of 2023 | 6’0 150 | 7v7: New Mexico Heat | Defensive Back
Thompson has an extended reach, plays aggressive press coverage when engages at the point of attack and he plays with great leverage. He has fluid hips, his ability to flip, cut and stay engaged with the receivers shut passing windows routinely during pool play. Zedekiah changes direction quickly without false steps and transitions smoothly into his backpedal. Thompson’s skill set, along with his strong, athletic frame are what college coaches covet and translates to the next level. He showed his explosive leaping ability on an endzone highlight reel interception, extending past the wideout to shut down a drive. Keep an eye on Thompson heading into bracket play on Sunday.
Chris Johnson II | Class of 2023 | 5’7 135 | 7v7: New Mexico Heat | Wide Receiver
Johnson II has jitterbug like quickness, he is a twitchy athlete, who is a matchup nightmare in the slot. Chris has a high football IQ and understands how to find open holes in the defense, which lead to him being open consistently. He is a hands catcher of the football, with soft hands and his strong mitts allows him to be a safe option for his quarterback. Chris works the underneath zones, as well as the seams like a veteran and this enabled him to get behind the defense for multiple grabs during pool play. Look for Johnson II to continue to be a menace for defenses, as the New Mexico Heat head into bracket play on Sunday.
Zechariah Sample | Class of 2024 | 5’10 165 | 7v7: Goat 7v7 | Athlete
Zechariah gave out buffet sized samples of work to any defender who lined up across from him during pool play in San Antonio. Sample was unguardable, his suddenness in space enabled him to get a free release off the line of scrimmage consistently and his elite burst created separation immediately at the snap of the football. Sample has a large catch radius, but his explosive leaping ability makes him special. He has elite body control, which enabled him to contort his frame mid-air on several receptions and get uptop quickly. Zechariah won consistently on the 50/50 catch, hauling in multiple highlight reel touchdowns. Sample was called into double duty at cornerback and made an immediate impact. He gets hands on wideouts at the point of attack and uses his long reach to reroute his opponent. His ability to engage, turn, run and remain in phase shut down one side of the field for Goat 7v7. Sample is a gamechanger no matter where he lines up and look for him to continue to shine for Goat 7v7 heading into bracket play on Sunday.
Kylan Billiot| Class of 2024 | 6’3 185 | 7v7: 4th Quarter Mentality | Wide Receiver
Kylan runs sharp, crisp routes, he has the ability to start and stop on a dime and he uses his big frame to keep defenders at arms length, which enables him to create separation off the line of scrimmage. Billiot has a large catch radius, he uses his extra large mitts to snatch the football out of the air, which enables him to win in press coverage routinely. Kylan is a long strider with great speed and routinely took the top of the defense. Billiot has a strong, stout frame, with an athletic build and has picked up offers from FIU, Troy and Tulane. He will be on the radar of his opponents as bracket begins on Sunday.
Demond Davis| Class of 2024 | 6’4 229 | 7v7: 4th Quarter Mentality | Tight End
Davis has a powerful frame, he has a thick lower half, he has nimble feet and he uses his big body to wall off defenders like a power forward. Demond has an extended catch radius, with ability to stretch past defensive backs and he wins at the 50/50 balls consistently. Davis has extra large mitts that engulf the football and his ability to work the middle of the field exploited defenses early on during pool play. Look for Davis to continue to wreak havoc on Sunday.
Cole Bergeron | Class of 2026 |6’4 185 | 7v7: 4th Quarter Mentality | Quarterback
Bergeron plays under control, he doesn’t get rattled easily and his confidence to make big throws was on display early on during pool play. Cole has a big arm, with arm strength to push the football down field. He has great touch on his deep ball and works the short to intermediate routes with pinpoint accuracy. He sets up with a strong base, he engages his hips to get power on his throws and his footwork was clean in the pocket. Bergeron will be a key factor as his squad heads into bracket play Sunday in San Antonio.
Ty Hawkins | Class of 2025 | 6’0 195 | 7v7: Elite House | Quarterback
Hawkins set the tone when early when Elite House stepped on the field during pool play in San Antonio. He first throw was a frozen rope on a line to his receiver over the middle of the field for a first down. Ty has a quick trigger, he has a cannon with the arm strength to drive the football into tight windows with pinpoint accuracy and he can make all throws on the route tree. Hawkins at 6’0 195, has a stout, compact build and he increases his velocity by using his powerful lower half to drive the football downfield. His stellar play lead Elite House to a 3-0 start on the weekend in San Antonio and look for Hawkins to continue to be elite heading into bracket play on Sunday.
Jamare Smothers | Class of 2025 | 5’10 166 | 7v7 : Elite House | Defensive Back
Smothers is long and athletic with the range to take away half of the field from the safety position. Jamare has the skill set to walk down in the box and cover receivers in the slot. He transitions smoothly into his back pedal, his fluid hips enables him to turn and open up quickly. Jamare has superb eye discipline which enables him to find the football. Smothers climbed the ladder in the back of the end zone to make an interception, showing great explosion to take away a scoring opportunity. Jamare embodied the ‘Eat Greedy” Elite House mentality on a defense that only gave up 40 points during pool play.
Joe Perez Jr. |Class of 2023 | 5’9 165 | 7v7 : Elite House | Wide Receiver
Perez Jr. is shifty in space, he has a quick first step that enables him to create separation off the line of scrimmage. When the ball comes his way, he tracks the football well and his soft, strong hands allow him to make the tough catch look routine. Joe has the speed to get vertical quickly and works the middle of the defense well to get open downfield. Perez Jr. has a quick release at the point of attack, which makes it difficult for defenders to get hands on him. Look for Perez Jr. to continue to get targets for Elite House on Sunday during bracket play.
Jordan Clay | Class of 2026 | 6’4 195 | 7v7: Elite House | Wide Receiver
Clay is a big bodied wide receiver, who routinely gets open by using his big frame to wall off defenders and extend to make the big catch. Jordan has an explosive first step, he uses his extended length to keep defenders from getting hands on him, which allowed him to win consistently off the line of scrimmage. He tracks the football well and showed late hands in a fabulous over the shoulder catch in the corner of the end zone. Jordan uses his large catch radius to high point the football and his explosive jumping ability enabled him to win on the 50/50 balls in tight coverage. Clay has the traits that elite wide receivers possess and has picked an early offer from UTSA.
Jeremiah Conaway | Class of 2024 | 6’3 170 | 7v7 : Elite House | Cornerback
Conaway has the physical makeup that elite cornerbacks possess. The 6’3 Conaway has a long, athletic frame, when he is in press coverage, he get hands on receivers early to get them off their axis and plays with great leverage. Jeremiah was key component in the Elite House secondary that held their opponents to 40 points during pool play. He plays the passing lanes well and his extended reach enables him to close down passing lanes. Conaway has the skill set that coaches look for at the cornerback position. Heading into bracket play on Sunday, look Conaway to continue to hold down his half of the field.
Demorian McGarity | Class of 2024 | 5’8 175 | 7v7: SA Ducks | Wide Receiver
McGarity has an explosive first step, he is a twitchy athlete who is a match up nightmare in the slot. He has elite wiggle in space and his ability to beat press coverage enables him to get open consistently. Demorian has a stout build, a powerful lower half, which allows him to absorb contact at the point of attack. His explosive leaping ability allows to him highpoint the football in traffic and his strong mitts enabled him to win on several 50/50 balls. McGarity is a powerhouse in the slot and made defenses pay early on during pool play in San Antonio. Look for him to continue to play bully ball in the slot for the SA Ducks as they head into bracket play on Sunday.
