Next Up Playmakers at DR7 New Orleans

The DR7 Road To The Crown National Tournament in New Orleans over the weekend was an electrifying showcase of talent across all age groups. From 10U to 18U, players of all skill levels displayed their prowess on the field and showed their potential to be game breakers. Several standout performers emerged, demonstrating their readiness to compete at the highest levels and have the potential to make headlines on Friday nights in the near future. The mission and goal of The Platform is to #ExposeTheUnexposed and provide adequate coverage of athletes around the country giving them exposure. We will spotlight several Next Up players who fit that profile and who stood out over the weekend.

Brady Pierson has the skill set to pick defenses apart from the quarterback position, he makes quick decisions which leads to a high completion percentage and he showed the ability to go through his progressions working his way down the field making the right reads often on both days in New Orleans. Brady displayed a high football IQ, knowing his down and distance as he scanned the field and his ability to keep the chains moving allowed his team to stay in games. Brady has tremendous accuracy when on the move outside of the pocket on designed rollouts and his ball placement was on target. Brady was a top performer both days and as he continues to mature his game will flourish.

Kane passes the eye test, he has a stout frame at 5- foot 11, 190 pounds, combined with his extended arm length, he has the makeup that elite defenders possess. He is physical at the point of attack, he has a long, rangy frame that he utilizes well to clog up passing lanes and he has superb ball skills, which he displayed by hauling in a one handed interception in the middle of the field to shut down a drive. Saavedra works well in space, he plays under control, with great discipline and is rarely out of position. He has a huge upside and showed why he was a top performer on both days in New Orleans.

Defensively, Matlock communicates well in coverage, he is a sticky defender, who not only backs it up physically but will let his opponent know that he is ready for action.  He transitions into his back pedal smoothly and his clean footwork allows him to stick close to receivers, leaving little to no room in the passing lanes.  As a receiver, his combination of quick hands and clean footwork enables him to get open frequently, allowing him to be a reliable target for his quarterback. He is a crafty route runner, who plays fast but under control and he has the skill set that allows him to make plays on both sides of the ball. Jaxon’s game changing interception on Crown Sunday for a pick six, helped his team advance to the championship game.

While Fiefia does play tight end and linebacker at Euless Trinity High School, Kohen showed his versatility in pass coverage, lining up at safety here in Louisiana at the DR7 Road To The Crown Tournament, bringing tremendous size and athleticism to the position. Fiefia plays with patience and discipline, showing he has the ability to read, diagnose and react quickly, which enabled him to shut down passing lanes. Fiefia takes advantage of forced passes when reading the quarterback’s eyes, which he demonstrated by hauling in an interception in the deep middle of the field in the 14U championship game. His natural position will be linebacker as he continues to mature, but he displayed his playmaking ability bring in coverage, he has excellent ball skills and his instincts put him in position to make plays on the football.  He is just as dominant offensively, he is a smooth route runner with the body control to shed defenders in close quarters and he showed his strong hands by making tough grabs in traffic. He has the type of game where coaches have to find ways to get him on the field. Kohen saw significant varsity playing time as a freshman for Texas powerhouse program Euless Trinity. He is one the top players in the 2027 class to keep an eye on.

Ramirez brought a physical and vocal presence to his TTG defense, playing with a high motor and natural instincts to affect the offenses’ passing game. He showed a high football IQ, he plays fast with great leverage and is rarely out of position post snap. Owen communicates well with his teammates in coverage, which enabled him to shut down passing lanes, making it tough for quarterbacks to find holes in the defense. Ramirez gets hands on receiver early in the routes to knock them off their axis and this allowed him to get several pass breakups. His clean footwork, combined with the ability to read and diagnose plays quickly, are traits that stood out in his game, which helped him be a defensive stopper on both days. He was a key cog in leading his team to the DR7 15u championship game on Sunday.