Bergen Catholic vs. Grayson: Woody's news, notes, videos

I spent last Friday taking in a double header in the Atlanta area as Loganville (Ga.) Grayson played Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic followed by Deerfield Beach, Fla. vs. Buford, Ga. Here are my thoughts on the players I saw in the first game, complete with some video highlights.

It was an up and down night for the five-star Tennessee commit, as he struggled at times with a few bumps and bruises as well as the heat and humidity. Morris was most effective as a pass blocker, using his length to hold defenders at bay. But Bergen threw a number of different players at Morris, including a pair of impressive underclassmen that managed to have success at stopping the Grayson offense. Morris has added weight to his frame over the past year and is still developing in terms of dominating on a play-to-play basis when facing talented competition. Nevertheless, his best days as a player are still ahead of him. Morris remains solidly committed to the Vols.

The five-star Auburn commit was all over the field, making a number of tackles and showing great sideline-to-sideline speed. Pappoe’s non-stop motor combined with his football IQ means he’s always around the ball and usually the first guy to meet the ball carrier. It was a long night for Grayson but Pappoe’s performance had nothing to do with that. The biggest knock on Pappoe has been his size, but he continues to dispel those concerns with excellent play. Pappoe remains solidly committed to the Tigers but may visit other programs this fall.

The Texas defensive back commit lined up at corner and didn’t see much action come his way, especially in the passing game. He locked down his side of the field while also managing to come up and make a few tackles in run support. Watson has good length and size and could play corner or safety at the next level. He remains solidly committed to the Longhorns.

It was a long night for Harris, who struggled to make much of an impact on the game while being locked up by the bigger Bergen offensive linemen. The Alabama commit will likely spend time playing standing up at the next level, so Tide fans can take solace in the fact that he plays more of a traditional defensive end role in the Grayson defense. A versatile athlete, Harris is still developing his game and games like Friday’s should serve as a valuable learning experience.

It was a pretty productive night for Jackson, who got the best of his battle 2020 four-star Jordan Morant. Jackson caught a deep pass down the middle and also caught a touchdown late in the game. He also flashed his ability as a willing blocker on the perimeter, something coaches at the next level will love. Jackson’s specialty is the deep ball and as mentioned he got loose for one, but he did struggle a bit with catching the ball cleanly on shorter routes. With his size and speed, he's a matchup nightmare and Aggies fans will hope he's the next big-bodied wide receiver to succeed in College Station.

The Nebraska running back commit showed why he was a prime target for Scott Frost and company, flashing his speed and also a fair bit of toughness for a player his size. Johnson isn't afraid to run between the tackles and is tough to bring down when he gets out in space. He broke a pair of long runs in the game and is similar to players Frost has featured in his offenses at Oregon and UCF in the past. He's listed as an all-purpose back and is likely to get the ball in his hands a variety of different ways at the next level.

The uncommitted outside linebacker/defensive end prospect played a little bit of both in the game, matching up with Morris at times and showing flashes of what he can do when coming off the edge. He also has the ability to play standing up and moved pretty well when doing so. Depending on how he develops, he could become a terror for quarterbacks at the next level. Stanford is believed to be the favorite for his services, but Michigan, Notre Dame, Clemson and Northwestern are also involved in his recruitment.

Much like Morris, the Michigan commit had his share of ups and downs in the game. He was tasked with blocking a smaller, quicker defensive end prospect from Bergen who gave him his share of problems coming off the edge. Jones did however look good on the hoof and also showed impressive finishing skills while run blocking. He plays tackle for his high school team but is likely to play inside at the next level, which should accentuate his best attributes as a blocker. Jones remains solidly committed to the Wolverines.

The Florida State defensive tackle commit had the most successful day of the Grayson defensive lineman, eating up multiple blockers and chipping in on his share of tackles. Thompson has a low center of gravity but that helps him with leverage, especially against interior offensive linemen. Seminoles fans have to hope that Thompson can play a role similar to Jordon Scott at Oregon, who thrived on Willie Taggart in 2017. Thompson remains solidly committed to the Noles.

As mentioned above, Morant took on Jackson head-to-head and won his share of battles, even though Jackson did get past him once early in the game. The future safety was lined up at corner on Friday and has the look of high Power Five prospect. His versatility and willingness as a cover man will only help at at the next level and could open to the door to other possibilities on the recruiting trail. Penn State, Florida, Rutgers and Michigan are some of the school involved in his recruitment.

Felter's future is at guard but he really impressed while playing tackle, essentially taking Harris out of the game when they were matched up against one another. Felter plays with a mean streak and plays through the whistle and his aggressive nature definitely got under the skin of some of the Grayson defenders. He walks a fine line with his aggressiveness but has the type of ability that college offensive line coaches will love, especially in a scheme that is run-heavy. So far, Rutgers, Army, Boston College and Cincinnati are his only offers, but that should change in the coming months.

The 2020 wide receiver played a big role in the Grayson offense, making several catches on short and intermediate routes. He’s a good route runner and can change direction in a hurry without losing speed. He did let a few passes slip through his hands, but atoned for any drops when given opportunities later in the game. Texas A&M, Arkansas and Washington State are among his early offers.

Gist is a versatile player who got the ball in his hands a few different ways in Friday's game and showed good hands as well as the ability to break tackles. He broke loose and scored a touchdown after snagging the ball away from a defensive back and breaking a tackle in what was his best moment of the night. He also scored a special teams touchdown off a block punt, further demonstrating his all-around game. He will need to add weight to his frame to play at the next level but Marshall has already offered and he has the look of a future FBS player.

The Georgia Tech commit was the second most effective tackler on the Grayson defense, right behind Pappoe. Smith has good length and isn’t afraid to get into the mix and put his body on the line to make stops. He also showed a willingness to cover in space and did a pretty good job, save for one play where he was lined up against a receiver down the field. He's listed as a safety now, but he could also grow into a linebacker in college. Smith is solidly committed to the Jackets.

Clark recently de-committed from Auburn but should have his share of options if he can continue to play like he did on Friday night. A true center, Clark showed good athleticism and an ability to get to the second level to deliver blocks. It’s relatively rare for college prospects to commit to playing center in high school and stick at the position, but that should only ease his transition to the next level. Boston College is among the schools Clark is looking at now that he’s back on the market.

The Duke commit impressed onlookers with his coverage ability and while he saw some balls come his way, he didn't allow much in the way of completions. Alexander is the type of prospect who looks like his best days are ahead of him, especially once he bulks up his long, lean frame. Alexander made an early commitment to Duke and it's easy to see why the Blue Devils pushed to get him in the fold.

The one-time Rutgers commit made his share of plays in the game, including a catch and some key blocks that helped in the running game. His willingness as a blocker is probably his best attribute along with his size and his well-rounded game is why several Group of Five programs like UMass and Western Michigan are involved in his recruitment.

Booker came into the game without a Rivals profile but left onlookers buzzing following his performance. Just a freshman, Booker gave Morris and the rest of the Grayson offensive line all they could handle. He also has a nose for the ball and that was on display when he made a key fumble recovery. Even with his impressive showing, Booker's best days are ahead of him and once he adds muscle to go with his natural abilities, he's going to be tough to stop.

Just a freshman, some might have expected Gould to have his share of jitters when matching up with the Grayson receivers, all three of which are slated to play at the FBS level next season. But that wasn't the case as Gould more than held his own. The Rutgers legacy showed no signs of backing down and even battled with Jackson when given the opportunity. He doesn't have any offers yet, but it's a matter of when, not if, coaches catch wind of him.

Malone is a huge body for a player just starting his sophomore year and a name to watch going forward. He didn't light up the stat sheet in terms of tackles, but was a disruptive force all game long. Malone is still raw and in need of some refinement, but in a game full of future college players, his ability flashed. Malone doesn't have any offers yet, but with his size and athleticism he will likely have a Power Five future.

Grant was in the backfield all night long and gave Jones his share of fits while lining up at defensive end. Grant can also play linebacker and depending on how he grows, that could be his position of the future. Nevertheless, he is surprisingly strong and was able to shake off blocks even when the opposing offensive lineman was bigger and seemed to have the edge. His non-stop motor made him probably the most productive member of the Bergen defense and should help him catch the eye of schools going forward.