CEDAR HILL, Texas – Saturday’s Under Armour Sevens, 7-on-7 tournament featured some of the very best teams and prospects in North Texas. The 32-team tournament was run with precision, and will undoubtedly continue to attract the top teams and prospects in the every city a tournament takes place.
Robbie Rhodes continues to be one of the fastest-rising prospects in the country.
Here is a look at the top prospects among the 75 or so on hand.
1-Robbie Rhodes, WR, Fort Worth (Texas) Southwest
Simply put, Rhodes was the most talented prospect on hand Saturday, and by a wide margin. The 6-foot-1, 189-pound wide receiver is full of explosive speed and quickness with elite ball skills. His ability to instantly get off the line of scrimmage and into routes is among the best in the country and his ability to sink the hips and create separation in and out of breaks is elite. He made a number of highlight reel grabs during the event, and makes playing the position look smooth, effortless and easy.
Rhodes, who won the 4A state 200-meters with a time of 21.06 into a breeze, also displayed the competitive fire and fight for the ball in the air that the best receivers possess. Baylor is considered by many to be the favorite with Texas working to make up ground.
Rhodes had 394 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in a single game as a junior, and is currently the No. 75 ranked prospect in the country. Look for his rise in the class of 2013 to continue.
2-KD Cannon, WR, Mount Pleasant (Texas) (Class of 2014)
In a tournament loaded with prospects from the 2013 class, it was a member of the class of 2014 that stood out among the very best. Cannon is a blend of quickness, change of direction ability, burst, timing, soft hands and elite high-point ball skills. The slight of build 6-foot, 155-pounder showed terrific quickness off the line of scrimmage and the ability to create instant separation in and out of cuts. His ability to quickly get his head around, and snatch tough passes out of the air was among the very best at the event.
Cannon is part of a talented group of skill players at the North East Texas school that has produced four NFL players. He currently is the No. 76 ranked prospect in the 2014 recruiting cycle by 247Sports.
Laquvionte Gonzalez, a Texas A&M commit, had some of the best feet of any prospect Saturday at the Under Armour Sevens in Cedar Hill, Texas.
3. Eldridge Massington, WR, Mesquite (Texas) West Mesquite
Massington continues to be one of the most physically impressive wide receiver prospects in the 2013 class. The USC commitment has legit over the top deep speed as he proved this spring on the track running a number of 100-meter races in the 10.6-range, and on Saturday he got over the top of nearly every opponent West Mesquite faced.
The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder continues to flash improving ability as a intermediate route runner, but will have to continue progress working back to the ball and fighting through over the back contact. After the catch, his strength will be his ability to break tackles and maximize plays due to size and strength. Massington is currently the No. 125 ranked prospect in the class of 2013.
4. Laquvionte Gonzalez, ATH, Cedar Hill (Texas)
In an event filled with some of the best athletes the Lone Star state has to offer, the Texas A&M commitment had the best feet of the bunch. The 5-foot-10.5, 162-pound explosive playmaker is not only tough to tackle on Friday nights, but proved to be tough to get a hand on in 7-on-7. His ability to change direction multiple times in short space is among the best in the country, and his sure hands and explosive quickness and ability to maximize every touch places him among the elite.
Gonzalez, who is slated to play slot receiver for the Aggies, is also among the top punt and kick return prospects in the country – and will also fill that role for Texas A&M. Gonzalez is the No. 148 ranked prospect nationally by 247Sports.
5. Durham Smythe, TE, Belton (Texas)
At an event built for wide receiver and defensive backs, it’s sometimes tough for a true tight end prospect to stand out. That was not the case for Texas commitment Smythe Saturday. The 6-foot-5, 233-pounder proved to be a tough cover for any linebacker or safety with impressive initial quickness, quick feet in and out of breaks and the ability to quickly get the head around and make soft, sure handed catches in the short and intermediate passing game.
Jakari Dillard is a 6-foot-4 receiver from the 2014 class that impressed Saturday. Oklahoma could be a big factor in his recruitment.
Smythe, who doesn’t turn 17 until August, is among the top tight end prospect in the class of 2013, and is currently ranked No. 177 by 247Sports.
6. Jakari Dillard, WR/S, Princeton (Texas) (Class of 2014)
Dillard is a second class of 2014 prospect to make the list. The 6-foot-4, 190-pound two-way performer continues to show a high football IQ, and the type of savvy that very few possess. Dillard, who first found his way onto the radar as a 176-pound freshman at the state 7-on-7 tournament in July of 2011, is beginning to fill out physically and has the look of a prospect that will carry well over 200-pounds in time. There is not a question of Dillard’s talent, but what position he will end up playing at the next level with wide receiver or tight end being most likely.
Dillard is the son of Princeton head coach Stacy Dillard, who played at Oklahoma. Dillard is a big fan of the Sooners, as expected, and has already picked up offers from Mississippi State and others.
7. Kameron Miles, S, Mesquite (Texas) West Mesquite
Miles is one of the more physically imposing safeties in the 2013 class, and in this setting showed the ability to back pedal, turn and run with a number of big receivers. His quickness and downhill burst is impressive for a 205-pounder. The big question surrounding Miles is whether he will play safety or grow into an outside linebacker at the next level, as he has the frame to carry 230-pounds or more in time.
Miles will likely be the next member of the Top247 to commit, with a choice among Tennessee, Penn State and Stanford expected Monday before the West Mesquite spring game.
8. Lorenzo Joe, WR, Abilene (Texas) Cooper (Class of 2014)
Yet another member of the class of 2014 to make the top prospect list. The 6-foot-2, 180-pound Joe will be one of the top wide receiver prospects in the state in his class, but was one of the top quarterbacks on hand Saturday leading Abilene Cooper to the tournament final. Joe, who is possesses quick feet and impressive change of direction for his size, looks to have makings of a tremendous high school quarterback. While his release is long, he showed the ability to zip the ball around the field in the intermediate passing game, and the arm strength to stretch the field vertically.
Joe is already receiving attention from all of the top programs in the Southwest Region, and will camp in June at Texas, Texas Tech, Baylor and Texas A&M, among others.
9. Dontre Wilson, ATH, DeSoto (Texas)
While Wilson was very limited on Saturday due to a slightly injured left hamstring, it’s impossible to leave one of the nations top playmakers in the class of 2013 off the list. While he mostly watched and cheered on his teammates from the sidelines, his quickness and burst is among the best in the country.
The 5-foot-10, 176-pounder is considered an Oregon lean over Texas and Ohio State. His recruitment has been a hot topic discussion In the last couple of weeks as he was expected to make a commitment on May 25 at the DeSoto spring game, but that is now up in the air. Wilson is the No. 107 ranked prospect in the 2013 class.
10. Quincy Adeboyejo, WR, Cedar Hill (Texas)
The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Texas A&M commitment continues to show impressive upside. His ability to quickly get off the line of scrimmage low and controlled impressed before he makes his first cut. Once into a route, his ability to quickly get in and out of breaks creating separation is among the best in the state. While he possesses good, but not great hands, he always competes for the ball and doesn’t shy away from contact. Look for the latest highly recruited Cedar Hill receiver to be among the most improved players in the state in 2012.
Notes
The winner of the tournament was one of the storied programs in Lone Star state history, Stephenville. The school where current Baylor head coach Art Briles once dominated the 4A ranks winning multiple state championships, beat Abilene Cooper in the finals.
The next Under Armour Sevens event will begin next Saturday in the Phoenix area at Hamilton High in Chandler, Ariz.
- Gerry Hamilton
- National Scouting Director - 247Sports