Polk County Talent Performs at 863 Showcase
Article photo of Fort Meade's Joshua Porter - @fbscout_florida
During the winter and spring, high school football combines have been a major part of prospects getting ready for the next season and learning about the recruiting process.
With that in mind, on Jan. 18, Mulberry High School was the spot for the 863 Showcase operated by several good people in and around the Polk County community. For any coach that wants more detailed information, it’s suggested that you contact Hasani Harper (H2_Recruiting).
Here are a few thoughts that derived from the event including the following players that stood out, among many. Just to note, I spent the vast majority of my time watching wide receivers and running backs. Thus, that would be what this list concentrated upon.
No specific order to the following list.
Jamar Taylor, Jr., WR/DB, Lakeland (Fla.) High School - 2024
Taylor looked the part of a Power 5 athlete. Long arms that went with a frame that’s 6-foot-1 and 185 pounds. During the competition, he “snatched” the football during the gauntlet drill.
He waited his turn to be a starting wide receiver for the Dreadnaughts, and he’ll likely play some defensive back this next fall as well. He’s already received a few offers from the FBS level. Because Taylor should be one of the featured players for Lakeland this next fall, he has a great opportunity to earn several more offers.
Rashad Orr, RB, Lakeland (Fla.) Victory Christian - 2024
Solid build on his 5-foot-10 and 185-pound frme; looked like a young man that knew his way to the weight room. Quick feet in the ladder drill accentuated his performance prior to catching passes out of the backfield and once again he provided a good performance of catching the football away from his body.
Victory Christian does not receive much attention, but Orr will be a player that moves on to play college football. Looking forward to seeing him during the seven-on-seven circuit and this next fall when the pads come back on. He ran for 1,030 yards and 10 touchdowns last season.
Here’s what Orr had to say about the 863 Showcase.
“I enjoyed the event and felt good,” Orr said. “Also found out some things to better my game.”
Darian Kirkland, DB/WR, Avon Park (Fla.) High School - 2025
Kirkland actually drove up a good distance to come to the 863 Showcase. He was happy he made the trip.
“It was a good experience to be able to compete with some of the best athletes in Polk (County). And I got to learn from my peers and some of the best coaches around. I’m very grateful.”
Watching the fluid Kirkland run through wide receiver drills caught the attention of many people. He’s about as “loose” an athlete as one will find as it relates to his bend and overall flexibility.
He’s only a class of 2025 prospect, but look for Kirkland to be a heavily recruited player with all of his potential as either a wide receiver or defensive back. He’s 6-foot-1 and 155 pounds.
Joshua Porter, WR, Fort Meade (Fla.) High School - 2024
Having seen him before, it was not surprising to watch Porter’s smooth gate. He broke down and changed directions much better than most 6-foot and 170-pound receivers do. He’s long legged and still showed great knee bend and stop and start ability. Here are a few video clips of Porter in action.
Overall, Porter was the most natural wide receiver at simply catching the football. It looked effortless. Those were the same skills that helped him catch 38 passes for 635 yards and 11 touchdowns this past season.
“Overall it was good,” Porter said of the 863 Showcase. “It was good to see Polk County guys I don’t normally see.”
D’marius Rucker, RB, Lakeland (Fla.) High School - 2024
Rucker has always possessed the “wheels'' to hit the corner and go the distance. That was a prime reason Rucker was Lakeland’s starting running back for the 2022 state title team. He also showed the ability to cut and dart between the tackles during this past season.
The 863 Showcase was an opportunity for Rucker to show more of what he could do as a receiver. He actually looked quite natural. That will add to his recruiting profile. At 5-foot-8 and 181 pounds, Rucker can play in the backfield or in the slot.
The latter position could eventually be a primary place he plays at the college level if he chooses to continue to work on that part of his game.
Now, a few final thoughts. It’s great that guys like Harper, and all the people that helped to organize and work the event made this happen. Not enough college football programs come through Polk County because they prefer to fly into a major city and only hit the local talent.
This event provided film, photos, and feedback for players and college coaches to utilize moving forward. Glad that I was a part of it and look forward to many more like it. There were over 100 prospects in attendance and the 863 Showcase was a great starting point for many of their recruiting journeys.
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