Inside The Knights

Sunday Observations, DR Sportz Top Performers and Recruits

Highlighting the second day of DR Sportz Plant City seven-on-seven tournament.

Brian Smith

PLANT CITY, Fla. - The playmakers were out in full force today. Players emerged, players continued to rise, and top prospects showed why they have the offers they do.

This list just touches on the incredible amount of talent in Plant City. It’s a lot of fun to watch these players compete against one another.

Note: There is no definitive order to the following list of talented players beyond the very first, who earns Tournament MVP.

Key: Seven-on-seven team/high school.

ZyCarl “CJ” Lewis, Jr., WR, Prime Truth/Carrollwood Day School - 2024

While a number of players certainly deserve consideration for Tournament MVP, Lewis’s consistent big-play ability showed up on Saturday and Sunday and he left the crowd oohing and aahing at his incredibly quick feet, which caused defenders to grasp at air.

Lewis was spectacular; nobody could consistently defend him. That’s more important than anything else.

Lewis consistently controls drives because nobody stays in front of him for very long and creates windows for the quarterback to make easy throws. After the catch, that’s when Lewis is lightning in a bottle. Lewis had multiple receptions on Saturday and Sunday where he made multiple defenders miss. That’s hard to accomplish no matter the level of competition. Lewis makes it look easy and he’s a leading reason for Prime Truth winning the DR Sportz Tournament Championship.

It will be fun watching this man’s game grow. Lewis is outstanding and has two more years of high school remaining.

Eugene Wilson, WR, Team Tampa/Gaither - 2023

One of the fastest players in the country, Wilson was a blur on Saturday and Sunday. He’s just not a player that defensive backs found any luck staying with during one-on-one situations. With a frame that’s starting to fill out, Wilson could be a slot receiver, cornerback or nickel cornerback at the college level and excel at any of them.

What might keep Wilson on the offensive side of the football would be his hands. He catches the football away from his body and does so well. Those would be strong hands that Wilson possesses, too. He was hit a few times in traffic and still caught the football. He’s already earning numerous offers from many big-time programs and that will continue based on his Sunday performance.

Ladainian Ferrell, RB/Slot, Team Tampa/Hillsborough - 2024

Who is this guy? Ferrell is a reason seven-on-seven is so valuable as a scouting and recruiting tool. He’s now on the scene. As for him as a player, there’s much to like. Speed is one thing, but combining his speed with the hands that Ferrell possesses increases his value. He also plays like a running back once the football reaches his hands.

Ferrell made several outstanding moves in space that moved the chains and allowed Team Tampa’s 16U team (playing in the 18U division) to score points. This humble young man is one to watch moving forward.

Jerrick Gibson, RB, Prime Truth/IMG Academy - 2024

Relatively new to being a receiver or being a part of a top-notch seven-on-seven team, Gibson is adapting nicely. He’s incredibly explosive as a true running back; he transitioned much of that explosive nature and helped Prime Truth be a true big-play offense. This catch for a score being a great example:

Already a national recruit, seeing Gibson compete in the passing game just adds to his value. Once Gibson grasps the passing concepts and begins to play off of other routes that his teammates are running, he will be all but unstoppable.

Bryson Rodgers, WR, Team Tampa/Wiregrass Ranch HS - 2023

Much like during day one of the DR Sportz Plant City Tournament, Rodgers stood out.

READ ABOUT SATURDAY'S TOP PERFORMERS

He’s grown his overall game and made himself one of the most diversified receivers not only in Florida, but the entire country. Speed is a major reason why.

Rodgers consistently ran away from defenders during shallow crossing routes, seam routes, slants and any other route one can imagine. His explosiveness allows for chunk-yardage plays that most receivers simply do not have the capability of creating. That’s where the details come into play.

Rodger’s hands are impressive, as the above tweet demonstrates. Then there’s the fun stuff to talk about. Setting up defenders with shake moves or hesitate, then a stop-and-go route to beat a defensive back over the top of the defense. Rodgers is a really talented performer and one that will be big-time at the college level before too long. After seeing Rodgers yet again today, there’s no doubt that he’s a top 100 national talent.

Isaiah Bryant, CB, Gain Sports, Mount Dora Christian Academy - 2023

Although playing at a very small school, Bryant will end up being a FBS football player. Very quick feet, excellent change of direction, and the ability to create pass breakups with strong hands.

The final piece to Bryant’s game is speed like the majority of the young men on this list. This young man can run coming out of a break, in a straight line, or stop-and-go. With his overall athleticism, Bryant could also project to slot receiver or running back. Based on the following tweet, he’s also excellent off the gridiron, too.

Nick Trier, QB, Gain Sports, Braden River - 2024

With a powerful arm and a general understanding of how to methodically move his team down the field, Trier is an up-and-coming signal caller from the Sarasota area. Already 6’3”, Trier throws well during short, intermediate and deep passes.

Looking forward to watching him play again later this year. Good football player with a college football future.

Colin Hurley, QB, 24K/Trinity Christian - 2025

Hurley is all but an automatic to a top performers list during a seven-on-seven tournament. This weekend is no different. He’s already a national recruit. Watching him throw into tight windows yet again is a major reason why. Hurley not only finds the place to throw the football in traffic, he anticipates the throw. That’s a difference-making quality.

When there's wide receiver talent like but not limited to Darren "Goldie" Lawrence, Eddie Combs, and Aidan Mizzel, giving any one of them an extra chance to make a play will lead to big plays and touchdowns.

He’s also one of the rare players with the arm strength to power the football through the wind or throw an out pattern to the far side of the field. He’s one of the nation’s most intriguing prospects and still has plenty of time to improve.

Dijon Johnson, Cornerback, Team Tampa/Wharton - 2023

From this list, Johnson is the one that likely saw the least action. That’s because he does his job as a cornerback. Why throw at the really long and athletic cornerback, right? Exactly…

A player that does well in off coverage and breaks on the ball, Johnson is the definition of what college coaches seek in today’s game. His length and natural aggressiveness will allow a lucky college program to have a defensive back that can make plays in the secondary. He’s versatile enough to play nickel cornerback or free safety in addition to cornerback.

There are more players to discuss. There will be additional information, including a podcast regarding the tournament, coming up early next week. After the podcast is published, anyone will be able to find it at the following YouTube link: DR Sportz Plant City Tournament. Look for the podcast late Monday or Tuesday even after more film has been evaluated. It will also be posted to Twitter and Facebook.

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Brian Smith
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