Rivals recap: Pomona at Valor Christian

HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. -- The state's top two prospects in the 2017 class faced off Friday night when Arvada (Colo.) Pomona visited Highlands Ranch (Colo.) Valor Christian. It was a tight battle but the scales eventually tilted in favor of Pomona, which featured a dominant lineman that's headed to Ohio State.

I was impressed with...

Jake Moretti, a four-star offensive tackle and Rivals250 member for the 2017 class, showed incredibly good feet and flexibility. The Pomona coaches didn't try disguising their plan of running through their star and things still clicked, which basically sums up how well Moretti performed. There were a few moments that particularly remarkable, but none more impressive than a run play that ended with Moretti some 35 yards down field looking to pick up blocks. He attacked the second level very well and just kept his feet moving, displaying great versatility as both a run blocker and pass protector.

Four-star quarterback Dylan McCaffrey didn't have the greatest night, getting picked off twice late, but there were more good moments than there were bad. He got the ball out quickly from the shotgun and should be labeled as a good game manager who doesn't try to do too much when the football is in his hands. The dual-threat prospect set his feet well on the zone read and also appeared to be very comfortable throwing on the run to either side. If there was a knock is that he took his share of those -- even when he pulled the ball back, he was left exposed but, to his credit, he stayed in there and took hits while trying to complete passes.

I was surprised by...

The sheer size of 2017 three-star defensive tackle Noah Elliss was noteworthy. This was our first look at the 6-foot-4, 315-pound lineman, and he looked every bit of that clogging up the middle. Elliss transferred to Valor Christian from Salt Lake City (Utah) Judge Memorial in the offseason and, given his physical attributes, has garnered looks from the likes of Colorado, TCU, UCLA, USC, Utah and Washington, among others.

There is another McCaffrey on the horizon at Valor, as 2019 quarterback Luke McCaffreyClick Valor Christian freshman wide receiver Joshia DavisClick VirginiaClick Other thoughts...Here to view this Link. offensive line commit Dillon ReinkensmeyerClick Other thoughts...Here to view this Link. of Valor Christian looked lean and athletic, with a frame that should take some good weight at the next level. If that happens, he should have a chance to develop into a solid offensive tackle down the road.Here to view this Link. showed some promising glimpses and should definitely be a prospect to monitor moving forward. He played an integral part in the offense and, despite his youth, also handled kickoff and punt returning duties.Here to view this Link. learns the tricks of the trade underneath his older brother. With Max at Duke, Christian at Stanford and Dylan being one of the most coveted quarterbacks in the 2017 class, the bar has certainly been raised.