STG: Underclassmen standout in Virgin Valley vs Del Sol
The Virgin Valley Bulldogs pulled away from the Del Sol Dragons in a contest that could have major playoff implications.
Playing in the rural town of Mesquite, the Bulldogs are looking to get back the to the level of being state title contenders. With some strong senior football players, they are off to a 6-1 start.
A physically talented team built around young underclassmen, the Del Sol Dragon look as though they are a year away from being one of the top teams in the state.
Here is a breakdown of the top prospects on either team:
OL/DT Chase Henderson Virgin Valley 6’3 295
The top returning player for the Bulldogs, Henderson is a talented lineman that shows a tendency to leave effort on the field.
A big man, Henderson is a physical player that can control the line of scrimmage. He plays with good power and athleticism that displays major upside. That said, Henderson showed a knack for playing in 2-3 second burst with little effort in pursuit defensively or sustained blocking on offense.
He is a player that has the frame and the physical skills to garner options but his lack of motor is a major question mark that could make teams shy away from offers.
DE Reid Jensen Virgin Valley 6’5 215
Playing opposite of Henderson on defense, Jensen was impressive on the field with great burst off the snap. He brings energy on the field with great effort in pursuit with good raw skills as a penetrator.
He has to gain more strength and develop his body but Jensen can be an excellent D2 or NAIA prospect that can develop into a very productive player.
Underclassmen
RB/LB Jayden Perkins Virgin Valley 6’0 185 (2018)
161 car 848 yards 5.2 avg 11 tds (4 rec 14 yards 1 td)
One of the state’s leading rushers, Perkins is a very physical player that attacks downhill as a runner showing good feet and solid speed. With good vision, he has the ability to create in the openfield and has the ability to break tackles.
Defensively, he is a solid tackler that has the ability to track down the ball. He looks comfortable in space but needs become more consistent with his read and react time.
RB Taariq Flowers Del Sol 5’9 185 (2018)
127 car 1020 yards 8.0 avg 9 tds (5 rec 29 yards 0 tds)
Potentially Nevada’s top running back prospect in the 2018 class, Flowers has great speed and quickness with a great lower body. He has outstanding acceleration that allows him to gain yards and chunks with the speed to score from long range. Flower has to learn to be more disciplined attacking to hole but he has the ability to bounce to the edge for big plays.
OG Alex Naea Del Sol 6’3 285 (2018)
A well proportioned offensive guard, Neaa showed good overall blocking skills in the trenches. He has the good lower body power and strong hands. He has to learn to play with better knee bend to maintain leverage and has to be more consistent down-for-down but he has to physical talent to garner strong attention this spring.
CB Eman Lowoya Del Sol 6’0 170 (2018)
38 tackles 2 int
Impressing on the edge in coverage, Lowoya stood out in the defensive backfield as a good tackler with strong ball skills. With good speed and leaping skills, he displays potential that should make him a standout in the 2018 class.
QB Maalik Flowers Del Sol 6’0 165 (2020)
38/75 50% 485 yards 7 tds 7 int (41 yards rushing)
A freshman and the brother of Taariq, Maalik is a player that has the athleticism and physical upside to be a star in the near future. He has good skill managing the game and can make plays in space with his legs. With a young team that should be among the area’s elite next season, Flowers can be a top 15 player as a senior.
Others to Watch
DB Cesar Zarate Virgin Valley 6’1 180
8 rec 201 yards 25.1 avg 2 tds
Playing corner and wide receiver for the Bulldogs, Zerate was highly effective on the defensive side of the ball as a tackler and pass defender. He has good football instincts along with solid speed that could attract programs at the NAIA level.
Ath Hogan Fowles Virgin Valley 6’0 175
26/51 50% 379 yards 5 tds 1 int (27 car 172 yards 6.3 avg 3 tds)
A strong leader on the field, Fowles shows the ability to be physical and has a fearlessness in his game. With solid speed, he has development potential in the defensive backfield or on the offensive side of the ball.
WR/DB Jonathon Spearman Del Sol 6’3 185
36 tackles 1 int (8 rec 133 yards 16.6 avg 3 tds)
With a great frame and overall athletic skills, Spearman has upside on either side of the ball. He is an All-Nevada leaper in track with long arms and good speed. He is a high quality developmental walkon prospects at the FBS or FCS level that can also garner D2 attention.