nuc phoenix Soph article-Sophomore Prove to be Sensational at Apache Junction HS!

Sophomore Prove to be Sensational at Apache Junction HS!

The Phoenix Area Sophomore Session showcased a number of terrific prospects last Saturday at Apache Junction HS. The athletes were fired up from the get go and with the kind of competition there was at the event, they had a reason to be.

The star of the day was Chaperrel HS’ DaVonte “Real Deal” Neal. The 5’9.5 167 lb Neal won the Overall MVP and Fastest Man award, topping his session for the second consecutive year. Neal had a 32 inch vertical, 9’1 broad jump, ran a 4.29 shuttle, 4.41 He is also a terrific WR who has tremendous explosiveness, great hands, a solid understanding of the game and the ability to consistently create space between him and the opposing DB. While Neal still needs work on his strength, he is a complete player in terms of his athletic and pure football abilities.

LeAndre Vaughn of Agua Fria HS was best cornerback of the session, taking home the DB MVP. Vaughn, a terrific athlete, was very aggressive, had great footwork, good movement from the hips and made a quick break every time the ball headed in his direction. Vaughn could also jump, as his 30 inch vertical and 9’2 broad jump made him a threat for a pick six at any given time.

The Randy Moss award (or what we call the Combine King) for the best all around athlete went to Gilbert HS’ Marcus Brantley, a hands down choice for the trophy. Brantley ran a ridiculous 3.95 shuttle (just 3 milliseconds short of our all time record) 4.44 40, had a 33.5 inch vertical, 8’6 broad jump and bench pressed 155 lbs 20 times. This 5’8 169 lb safety is entertaining as they come!

From the defensive lineman standpoint, Dwight Melvin was in a league of his own. The 6’0.5 239 lb standout from Fair Fax HS won the DL MVP after a solid display of quickness and physical strength helped him wreck havoc on opposing linemen during 1 on 1’s. Regardless of how big and strong some of these players are the athletically gifted linemen are the ones that do the most damage.

Hakim Mathieu’s work ethic really caught our eye. The Hamilton HS standout hustled non stop, simply refusing to give up even when the going got tough en route to winning the Leadership award. There are even some elite NFL players who can’t keep it together like Mathieu. He was also a good athlete, as his 8’9 broad jump and 4.58 shuttle run were more than noteworthy.

Casey Jahn accomplished a rare feat Saturday afternoon, taking home the Strongest Man award as a running back. The 5’11 192 lb powerhouse bench pressed 155 lbs 34 times, had an 8’5 broad jump, ran a 4.21 shuttle, 4.65 40 and did a nice job during 1 on 1’s. Jahn’s all around abilities make him a highly touted RB in our eyes. Northwest Christian really has a special player on their roster.

Much like earlier in the freshman session, the best battle was at the QB spot. I assumed the way that Allen Thigpen and Matt Young went at it to grab the spotlight earlier couldn’t be matched. Assumption wrong.

Kurtis Walls, Connor Brewer and Jordan Gehrke each had a tremendous day on the gridiron; thus making choosing a QB MVP harder than trying to figure out Brett Favre’s 2010 outlook.

Walls, 6’1 175, of Fairfax HS did a terrific job during 1 on 1’s. He was accurate, had a strong arm and good footwork. It was really a pleasure watching him operate.

Brewer had solid athleticism and a lot of potential. The Chaparral HS student had a 30 inch vertical, 8’0 broad jump and ran a 4.69 shuttle, all solid for a QB. During 1 on 1’s, he displayed a terrific arm and is a gunslinger more or less. He needs some work on accuracy but with good coaching, expect to hear much more about this 6’0.5 171 lber.

The best of the bunch however was Jordan Gehrke. Gehrke put in a ton of hard work, had a quick drop step, solid accuracy and threw a great ball. The 6’0 161 lb star from Notre Dame Prep really made a name for himself at the camp.

From end to end, the Phoenix Sophomore Combine was quite impressive to say the least.