Top Performers from OT7: Day Two
LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Overtime’s OT7 7-on-7 continued on Friday, with dozens of blue-chip prospects hitting the fields in Sin City for the second day of action.
Friday’s pool play featured the weekend debuts of several top prospects who were absent on Friday, primarily due to travel issues. Top quarterbacks five-star Tennessee commit Nico Iamaleava, On300 signal caller Jaden Rashada, and 2024 four-star Jadyn Davis were all on hand after missing Thursday, as was Five-Star Plus+ cornerback Cormani McClain.
Here’s On3’s Top Performers from a busy session on Friday, headlined by On3’s top-ranked pass-catcher from the state of California.
On3 MVP: WR Jurrion Dickey – Oregon
Jurrion Dickey has made a strong case as the top wide receiver at OT7 through two days of action. The 6-foot-3 210-pounder looks the most physically-developed wideout on hand (even though he’s still 16 years-old), while also being among the best route-runners in Las Vegas. We noted Dickey as a top performer on Monday despite his relative lack of targets. He saw more looks from fellow Bay Area product Jaden Rashada while playing for the Miami Immortals on Friday and took advantage.
Dickey’s multi-faceted skill set manifested in several dominant moments. He consistently bodies defensive backs both at the catch point and off the line of scrimmage. The ball skills were on display in his second game of the day, as he made an impressive adjustment in the end zone on a vertical route. On one occasion, he bowled over a defensive back who tried to slow him down, resulting in an easy score. Dickey pairs the physicality with a play speed and change of direction that takes his overall skill set to another level. He runs with outstanding pace within his routes and makes sharp cuts. Every route is run with effort and precision. He’s typically open, even when the ball isn’t going his way. We also saw the athleticism and playmaking ability after the catch. Dickey gets upfield quickly with high-end burst after the catch. The No. 35 prospect in the On300 has had a strong offseason to date and continues to showcase skills that translate to padded football games. Dickey committed to Oregon on May 2.
2. QB Nico Iamaleava – Tennessee
Nico Iamaleava was in Vegas after missing the action on Thursday and made his presence felt. The 6-foot-5.5, 190-pounder was our pick as the top quarterback on Friday after out-dueling fellow touted signal callers Malachi Nelson and Jaden Rashada – who are both playing with loaded supporting casts. Iamaleava’s arm talent is well established at this point. He has one of, if not the strongest arm in the 2023 cycle. But it was his poise and balance of decision-making and aggression that led to success on Friday. Iamaleava was comfortable going through his progressions, often going through multiple reads and scanning the whole field for open receivers. He did a nice job of quickly setting his feet to fire passes. Iamaleava was also not shy in taking shots downfield and used his arm strength to stretch opposing secondaries. This is a setting that’s comfortable for the On300’s No. 5 overall prospect.
3. WR Noah Rogers
Noah Rogers lived up to his status as of the top vertical threats in the 2023 cycle, scoring on several deep balls on Friday. Rogers took advantage of 2024 quarterback Jadyn Davis‘ arrival in Las Vegas by consistently stretching the field for the Carolina Stars. The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder blew by opposing defensive backs off the line of scrimmage, including a full-field touchdown on the Carolina Stars’ first play of the day. He later beat Clemson cornerback commit Branden Strozier deep for another long touchdown down the left boundary. Ohio State is the leader in Rogers’ On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
4. TE Ethan Davis – Tennessee
Ethan Davis had a number of flash moments on Friday and looks like the biggest mismatch among tight ends on hand through two days. The Tennessee pledge elevated to come down with a touchdown in the back of the end zone and later came down with an impressive grab on a back shoulder route. Davis’ play was a highlight for the Trillion Boys squad. His basketball background is apparent in the movement and ball skills. Davis has some shake within his routes and is a natural at the catch point. The Suwannee (Ga.) Collins Hill standout ranks at the No. 99 overall prospect in the On300.
5. CB Desmond Ricks, 2024
It can be difficult to parse top defensive backs in this setting, as some teams avoid testing blue-chip cover corners. With that said, we thought five-star 2024 corner Desmond Ricks had a strong day in coverage while playing for the Miami Immortals. Ricks certainly passes the eye test with his stature and reactive quickness in coverage. He consistently stayed in-phase with receivers and we didn’t see him surrender catches in man coverage. Ricks made a high-level play on the ball while covering a two-point attempt from Nico Iamaleava. The five-star corner was in the receiver’s hip pocket through the corner of the end zone and showed good technique in elevating for the pass breakup. Ricks ranks as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2024 On300. Alabama currently leads in his On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
6. QB Malachi Nelson – USC
Malachi Nelson had another steady day at the dials for South Florida Express. Nelson led SFE to a blowout win in Friday’s opener before losing a tight game to Nico Iamaleava and Team Toa. The USC commit continued to show a good feel for the passing game. He got the ball out quick and made some high-level passes, including a tight-window throw to Carnell Tate for a touchdown. Nelson’s play has been consistent and we’ve seen very few overt mistakes from his end over two days.
7. QB Dante Moore
Dante Moore continued to show the accuracy, quick release and processing ability that earned him the On3 MVP nod from Thursday. The 6-foot-2, 210-pounder plays in rhythm and consistently locates the football in catchable areas, typically hitting his receivers in stride. Moore has a loose arm, capable of quick flips to shorter routes. While he wasn’t as white hot as Thursday night, the overall skill set was still evident while leading Cam Newton’s C1N team on Friday.
8. ATH Mike Matthews, 2024
Mike Matthews is one of the more versatile prospects in the 2024 cycle. The 6-foot-0.5, 180-pounder is being recruited as a safety and receiver and has shown some high-level skills at each spot. Matthews is working at receiver this weekend for Hustle Inc. and had a handful of impressive plays on Friday. We saw Matthews lock horns with fellow touted 2024 cornerback Charles Lester III and come away with the upper hand in that matchup. Matthews has plus length with a 6-foot-6.5 wing-span. He’s coordinated with ball skills. That skill package, when paired with his length, results in a considerable catch radius. It remains to be seen what side of the ball Matthews end up playing long-term, but he’s shown the skill set to be a top receiver while in Las Vegas. Clemson, Georgia and Notre Dame are in the mix per his On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
9. RB Rueben Owens
Rueben Owens was the top pass-catching running back we saw on Friday. The top 50 prospect was a bright spot for Premium LA’s offense. Owens’ skills as a pass-catcher are refined enough to the point where he could play receiver if he wanted. The El Campo (Texas) High standout made an extended grab on a back shoulder route at the pylon for a score – play that required considerable technical skill. Owens is a productive rusher on Friday nights for the El Campo Ricebirds, but he’s also showcased the skills to be a considerable receiving threat as an every-down back in this setting. His On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine is split between in-state programs Texas A&M and Texas.
10. QB Jadyn Davis, 2024
2024 quarterback Jadyn Davis gets the nod at No. 10 after making some impressive throws over the course of his first day of action. Davis has a thick, powerful base that he uses to generate velocity. While Davis may not have had the throw-to-throw consistency of Iamaleava, Nelson or Moore, his arm did not look out of place playing alongside the highly-touted 2023 prospects. As noted above, we saw Davis connect with top 50 wide receiver Noah Rogers on several deep touchdowns throughout the day. Clemson, Michigan, LSU and Georgia are the leaders in Davis’ On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
Additional Notes
+ Jaden Rashada arrived after a whirlwind tour of official visits. It took the On300 quarterback a bit to settle in, but we saw him make some impressive throws over the course of the night. Rashada has an effortless arm with the ability to drive the ball downfield with little strain. He had one of the throws of the day, dropping a beautiful deep ball in a bucket to Miami athlete commit Robby Washington.
+ 24K out of Florida continued to show as one of the more talented teams on hand. We highlighted the secondary on Thursday, but a few pass catchers also had strong showings on day two. DayDay Farmer continued to play like one of the top 2024 receivers on hand. Ohio State commit Bryson Rodgers also had a productive day, scoring multiple touchdowns.
+ Cayden Lee continues to look like Dante Moore‘s top target for Cam Newton’s C1N team. Lee is a good route-runner and reliable in working across the middle of the field He had several touchdowns on Friday. South Carolina, Ole Miss and Oklahoma are in the mix according to his On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
+ Malik Muhammad had some strong moments in coverage for South Florida Express. The top 30 prospect had good coverage on touted 2024 receiver Ryan Wingo in the day’s first game. We also saw Muhammad use his length and good technique to jam receivers. He’s primarily been covering the slot for SFE, but also worked outside some on Friday, as well. Texas A&M is the leader in Muhammad’s On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.
+ Five-Star Plus+ cornerback Cormani McClain arrived on Friday after missing day one of OT7 with travel issues. Opposing teams largely avoided testing McClain. The 6-foot-1.5 corner moved well in coverage, but there was just little coming in his direction by way of targets.
+ UCLA wide receiver commit Grant Gray made a strong case for catch of the day and perhaps the best catch of the weekend. Gray came down with a leaping catch on a low throw, plucking the ball over a defensive back. The catch also came at a key moment, right as the clock expired.
+ Gray’s biggest competition for catch of the day would come from 2024 wide receiver Jordan Shipp, who made a similar play, nabbing the ball from the clutches of a defensive back. Shipp looks to be establishing a nice rapport with his high school teammate, Jadyn Davis.
+ South Florida Express’ loaded wide receiver corps continued to have its moments on Friday. Carnell Tate came down with some nice extended catches. Brandon Inniss continued to show his skills as a high-volume target on underneath routes while also playing with a palpabe competitive edge. 2024 targets Joshisa Trader and Jeremiah Smith also made plays. Trader showed a nice catch radius while Smith vertical down the seam on a few occasions.