The Opening Day Two Top Performers
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. -- After kicking off The Opening on Friday with testing, one-on-one drilling, and a 7-on-7 jamboree, Saturday’s 7On tournament revealed yet even more elite talent. Quarterbacks had Friday evening to get a feel for the rhythm of their new teammates, and dividends were paid out on Saturday in the form of touchdowns.
Despite a defensive battle to cap off the 7-on tournament, quarterbacks looked more comfortable and were more often than not, on the same page as their receivers. Let's take a look at some of the best-skill players on the field today.
The Opening Day Two Top Performers
Xavier Nwankpa, a 2022 safety out of Iowa did not have the ball thrown his way much all day. At one point, he expressed playful frustration to his sideline after going two drives without having anything thrown his way. When they did test Nwankpa, he managed to pick off a well-thrown ball in the hook/curl after his cornerback funneled a receiver’s release inside.
Tetairoa McMillan was one of the most impressive wideouts of the tournament on Saturday, catching multiple touchdowns and displaying his elite ball skills throughout the event. Despite dropping a few balls in the championship, McMillan still scored the lone touchdown in that same game. McMillan used his size to his advantage and caught contested balls in double and even triple coverage. The west coast prospect will be one to watch this fall.
Texas A&M commit Bobby Taylor really stood out on Friday and Saturday and was one of the most impressive corners at the event. He dropped multiple interceptions at the event, but was also constantly around the ball and making plays. His head coach at the tournament, former NFL safety Ryan Clark, compared him to former Kentucky corner Kelvin Joseph. One spectator, during the final 7-on game, questioned the fairness of a Bobby Taylor and Domani Jackson-led grey team secondary.
Connor Weigman had a fantastic Saturday. He shined the brightest during crunch time in the championship game, completing several 3rd down passes. Wiegman threw several on-the-money deep balls throughout the day.
Uncommitted safety Kamari Ramsey was all over the field Sunday and came up with a big interception in one of the later games for the blue team. He was able to return that interception to the opposite end zone to get his team some much-needed points as competition intensified. He’s working from a top 5, and whoever ends up landing the Sierra Canyon prospect will be getting a baller.
This was our first week seeing Concord, California product Ezekiel "Zeke" Berry in person, but he was one of the most versatile athletes out there. Zeke showed out on offense and defense. Offensively, Berry scored a touchdown on a crafty 30-yard catch and run and was a nuisance to wide receivers on defense. He also hauled in multiple interceptions throughout the weekend and it would surprise nobody if he drummed up more interest from schools following his strong performance against the nation’s best.
Wide receiver AJ Jones was a force for the championship-winning blue team, and was their team's go-to receiver when they needed a conversion. He won a 50-50 ball against Bobby Taylor in crunch time of the championship game.
Jurrion Dickey is a class of 2023 wideout that stood out Saturday too, after a relatively quiet Friday. He showed off fantastic separation ability right off the line of scrimmage, and displayed his impressive catch radius, too. Dickey has the frame and explosiveness to be a force at the next level.