HOUSTON – Though both schools have very good seniors, it was the younger talent that was on display when Klein Oak traveled to Cy Falls for a scrimmage this weekend.
Josh Mabin currently holds offers from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State.
That’s not to say that the class of 2013 did not impress, though. Cy Falls wide receiver and Texas commit Jacorey Warrick is one of the most elusive players in the class and the Top247 prospect proved that on Friday evening.
The 5-foot-10.5, 170-pound Warrick is incredibly quick off the line and Klein Oak’s defenders struggled to keep up with him. Cy Falls struggled to protect the quarterback on the evening but when they did, Warrick shined. He easily got behind the secondary several times and he showed how smart a football player he is when he adjusted to an underthrown ball to record a reception for around 60 yards. He also caught a few passes over the middle and showed excellent hands.
Senior Temi Alaka plays outside receiver opposite Warrick but the 6-foot-2, 195-pound prospect was relatively quiet on the evening. He has a big frame and was a target in the red zone for the quarterbacks. Alaka has a top two of Iowa State and Purdue right now.
Other senior prospects in action were Cy Falls defensive tackle Jacobi Hunter, Cy Falls running back Bryce Peters, Klein Oak offensive guard Reid Najvar and Klein Oak running back Jaylon Brown.
Hunter has offers from Baylor and Indiana but the 6-foot-1, 285-pound defender really struggled with conditioning. He did see some time on the other side of the ball with the second team as an offensive guard, though. Peters, three-star prospect with offers from the likes of Colorado State, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico and UTEP, could really see his stock soar even more with a big senior season. He is a big back with good speed and had an impressive 50-yard touchdown run where he made one cut to make a defender miss and then outran the entire defense.
Najvar, the younger brother of Baylor tight end Jordan Najvar, has offers from Air Force, FIU, New Mexico and Texas State and is very physical in the run game. Brown, who also lines up in the slot quite often, is not the feature back for Klein Oak but is a big and physical runner with good hands.
With the younger players, it was a pair of linebackers that made the most noise on the evening.
Josh Mabin of Klein Oak is coming off an ACL tear last season or else the 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior would have even more than his current offers from Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. While he was still slowed a tiny bit from the injury, he was not favoring his knee at all and was able to move laterally quite well.
Otaro Alaka will see plenty of other offers come his way thise season.
Mabin is a true MIKE linebacker and is not afraid of contact. He loves coming downhill to fill the gaps in the run game but also showed he could drop well in zone defense. He is a big hitter and made several plays in the backfield. The four-star prospect will no doubt pick up a ton of offers soon and be a national recruit.
Mabin’s counterpart on the Cy Falls sideline, Otaro Alaka, was just as impressive. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound outside linebacker is incredibly quick off the edge and gave the Klein Oak quarterbacks fits all evening. He was always around the ball and never quit on a play, even making the tackle on plays to the opposite side several times. Alaka was probably most impressive when he dropped into coverage, though. He was able to run with the slot receivers with relative ease.
Alaka has early offers from Arkansas, Baylor and Oklahoma State and will definitely see more as well as the season gets underway.
Klein Oak has a few other young prospects as well. All-purpose back Larenzo Stewart is small in stature at 5-foot-6 and 170 pounds but the junior is a dangerous threat at a receiver out of the backfield and is quick to the edge as a runner. He has one offer from Baylor at this point.
Outside linebacker Ja'Von Shelley played defensive end last year but the 6-foot-2, 220-pound junior is a lot better suited to his current position. In fact, if he was not on the same team as Mabin, he would likely play in the middle. Schools will come through Klein Oak to see the bigger-name prospects and they will notice Shelley for sure. Junior dual-threat quarterback Jordan Davis is a first-year starter and the 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect showed a good arm and great athleticism.
The most impressive prospect on the field from a physical standpoint was only a sophomore. Defensive tackle Willie Harris is 6-foot-3 and 275 pounds. While he needs to get stronger, as is the case with pretty much every player his age, he is quick off the ball and will likely be a national recruit in two years.
- Brian Perroni
- National Recruiting Analyst - 247Sports