By Platform Scout: Marc Henry @marchen44
The DR7 Road To The Crown Orlando tournament showcased some of the top talent in the state of Florida, with several standout performances from players who caught the attention of scouts in attendance. Several of these playmakers have been flying under the radar and are on the verge of making some noise on Friday nights. 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 players who are names to know in the state of Florida who caught our attention.
Omar Anchico III | Athlete | Bay Area Buckeyes 14U
Omar is is two way player who makes plays on both sides of the football. He is a dynamic offensive player, who is shifty in space, his explosion off the ball enables him to get open early and his superb route running allows him to win and get open often making him a reliable target. Anchico III has a stout, compact build that he uses well in tight coverage, he has the strength to fight off defenders in close quarters and he shrugs off contact to make contested grabs in heavy traffic. His hands are reliable, he attacks the ball with purpose and Omar plays thru the defender, which enabled him to make several difficult catches with a defensive back draped over him.
Omar showed that he has the skill set to be a lock defender, he has clean footwork, that enables him to get into his backpedal smoothly and he has the ability stay engaged with receivers, playing sticky defense. He is strong at the point of attack, his ability to get hands on his opponent early, helped him have several pass knockdowns, as he displayed the ability to close down passing windows. With his versatile skill set, Anchico III has the traits of a dynamic playmaker and he won’t be flying under the radar for much longer. After seeing him to a second time at a DR7 event in Florida, he has shown that he will be a name to know in his class in the Sunshine State.
Brayden Himelright | Class of 2027 | Athlete | 7v7: Trinity Elite | Calvary Christian High School | @BraydenHim8
Brayden flashed early when he stepped in the pocket at the quarterback position and flooded the route tree throwing lasers to his receivers. He has excellent field vision, his ability to make quick decisions with the football and throw his receivers open were traits in his game that stood out. Himelright has the arm talent to push the football down field with pinpoint accuracy and he made big throws on time and in rhythm. His ability to make accurate throws on the roll out, showed his athleticism and his footwork combined with his ability to get his hips and shoulders open and pointed to his target paid off, enabling him to have excellent ball placement on several crucial throws for scores in small coverage windows.
Brayden uses his athletic gifts on defense and displayed the ability to make plays. He has a long, lean frame with an extended reach that enables him to play the passing lanes well, getting his hands on several balls to break up passes. Brayden moves well in space, he has good short area quickness and he showed that he has the speed to run with receivers in space and be a defensive stopper. Brayden showed that he has a plug and play type of game. You can expect him to excel at whatever position he lines up at and be a difference maker.
Grant Vowinkel | Class of 2028 | Quarterback | 7v7: Showtime
Grant showed excellent poise in the pocket on both days in Orlando, his ability to make quick decisions and deliver throws on time flashed early when he took control of the Showtime offense. At the snap, he showed clean footwork, progressing through his 3-step and 5-step drops, showing fluid mechanics and the ability to drive the football into small passing windows on time and in rhythm. Vowinkel has superb field vision, he displayed the ability to go through his progressions quickly and he rarely took a sack, getting the football out before taking a four second sack. Grant plays under control, he engages his hips to create velocity on his throws and his ability to push the football down field, lead to several big plays for the Showtime offense. Grant played well, he was a vocal leader in the huddle and his communication with his receivers was key to the Showtime offense making big plays on both days in Orlando. As he continues to mature his game will continue to elevate and flourish.
Jayden Donaldson | Athlete | 7v7: Underdog Mentality 14U
Jayden is an explosive playmaker, who has good burst off the line of scrimmage when he lines up at receiver, he runs crips routes and he is a hands catcher of the football who tracks the ball well in flight. He uses his lean frame and extended reach to his advantage, using his size to leap above defenders on multiple occasions to make clutch grabs.
Where Jayden made an impact during bracket play early was on the defensive end. He had a pick six, that set the tone for Underdog Mentality. He broke on a pass in the seam, showing great eye discipline to step in front and make a house call for six. Jayden’s length, combined with his ability to stick his foot in the ground and move quickly aided in him making a key play from his defensive back position. His versatility to play on both sides of the ball and be effective paid dividends. He has the skill set where coaches will find a way to get him on the field where they need a playmaker.
Samuel Amarista | Athlete | 7v7: Underdog Mentality 14U
Samuel flashed early, lining up on the offensive side of the ball and he made several clutch grabs, beating his defender off the ball often. He is a savvy route runner, Samuel understands how to get open and his ability to be a consistent target for his quarterback allowed him to be a featured weapon offensively. He has strong hands that attack the ball in flight, he has the athleticism to climb the ladder and win on the 50/50 balls and he showed the skill set to work well in space, beating whoever covered him.
Amarista excelled defensively, lining up at defensive back and showed early on Sunday that he can be a difference maker. He transitions into his backpedal smoothly, he uses his length and active hands to engage receivers at the point of attack, getting them off of their axis. His breakout play, was a pick six, where he stepped in front of a pass, playing the passing lanes like a veteran, baiting the quarterback into throwing a pass right into his bread basket. Samuel proved that he is a factor no matter where he lines up and he showed that if you test him on either side of the ball, he will pass with flying colors.
Joseph Howard | Athlete | 7v7: Underdog Mentality 14U
Howard makes up third member of a trio of playmakers for Underdog Mentality, who made plays on both sides of the ball on Sunday during bracket play. Offensively, Howard has a knack for making the big play, he is a smooth route runner who moves well in space and when the ball is thrown his way, he attacks it at the catch point with aggression and this enables him to be a reliable target for his quarterback. Joseph has a rangy frame, combined with a large catch radius and this allowed him to make several contested catches in heavy traffic. Speed kills and Howard has plenty of it in his game. He excelled at yards after the catch, his ability to make defenders miss in a 7v7 setting and run away from players who were in hot pursuit, speaks to his playmaking ability.
Defensively, Howard makes the transition easily showing the ability to change directions quickly and he uses his length to play the passing lanes well, shutting down what appears to be open windows. Joseph was apart of an Underdog Mentality defense that had three pick sixes early on Crown Sunday, as he displayed his playmaking skills by stepping in front of a pass and hitting the end zone for six. As he matures, you can expect his game to continue to elevate.
