Survey: Recruits weigh in on 7-on-7
The start of spring is also the heart of the 7-on-7 season. Top prospects from all over the country spend their weekends on the road competing at 7-on-7 events, but there is still a bit of mystery when it comes to why players participate and what they get out of it. Over the past month, we asked some of the nation’s top prospects about 7-on-7 and why they think it’s an important part of their offseason training.
The Participants
Anthony White Jr. - The three-star wide receiver is considering LSU, South Carolina and others.
Ahman Ross - Ross, a three-star defensive back, is committed to Miami.
Mac Jones - Jones, a four-star quarterback, is committed to Kentucky.
Trey Blount - The four-star wide receiver is considering Alabama, Georgia, Miami and others.
Breon Dixon - Dixon, a four-star linebacker, is committed to Georgia.
Jimmy Jaggers - The four-star tight end is considering USC, Washington and others.
Elijah Gates - The three-star defensive back is considering UCLA, Notre Dame, Oregon and others.
Al Blades - Blades, a 2018 defensive back, holds offers from programs such as Miami, Florida and others.
Elijah Blades - The three-star defensive back has been offered by Florida, Arizona and others.
Chaz Ah You - The four-star defensive back holds offers from Notre Dame, Stanford and others.
Why did you start playing 7-on-7?
“It’s just work. It’s all work. It makes you better as a player. As a receiver it makes you recognize zones and knowing when to throttle down on certain routes. Different, little tiny things that can help you in your game.” - Anthony White, Jr.
“7-on-7 gets you a chance to go against the best of the best. You play everyone from around the country and there’s no hiding. You’re going to get exposed if you're not ready for it. Me and Mac (Jones) and all the other guys from Pro Impact go out and just compete and look to be the No. 1 team in the country.” - Ahman Ross
“I play with Pro Impact and it’s good to get all the kids from Jacksonville together on one team and compete with other kids. We just like winning and we try to win every tournament and hopefully win the national championship.” - Mac Jones
“To help get my name out there. My coaches help me a lot with recruiting and getting my name to different college coaches and it was just a great chance to compete with some of the best people out there.” - Trey Blount
“To help with my coverage skills. There was a time where I was in between where I was going to play linebacker or safety so that’s when I got into it.” - Breon Dixon
“Well, sophomore year I had three catches for the regular football season, so I felt I needed to find a way to demonstrate whether I could catch and run routes or not and also get better at that. So we found B2G and they win and we’re one of the top teams in the West Coast, so that kind of fit in.” - Jimmy Jaggers
“I started 7-on-7 in eighth grade; a lot of kids were just doing it so it’s like may as well take a shot at it. What can it hurt?” - Elijah Gates
What is one misconception about 7-on-7?
“They don't think it’s a lot of competition. But you have some of the best players in America on different teams and it only makes you better when you go against them.” - Blount
“That it’s like AAU. That teams are just thrown together. I think that’s why people don't do it if they don’t -- either that or they’re just lazy.” - Dixon
“People think it will get you hurt. A lot of people think it’s unnecessary, that the only thing that comes out is getting hurt. It helped me a lot coming off my freshman year. Yeah, you can train by yourself a lot, but when you get in competition, it’s way better.” - Al Blades
“I don’t know exactly. I think, honestly, it’s just like another practice. It’s one more way to get more work in in the offseason and things like that. It’s better than sitting at home and doing nothing, to me.” - Jaggers
“A lot of it’s like, 'It’s not real pads, kids can’t do a lot of stuff in a real football game.' I get that a lot, but that’s pretty much it.” - Gates
“Some people say that 7-on-7 doesn’t help you, it doesn’t do nothing for you, but it gets you out there. It helps you a lot in your game and stuff like that.” - Elijah Blades
“It’s a lot more physical than people think it is. There’s a lot more thinking to it as well. People think you just go out there and run around, but there’s schemes and everything to it.” - Chaz Ah You
Why do you think certain players don’t participate?
“I think they’re lazy or they just feel like it’s unnecessary or an unnecessary chance at getting injured.” - Dixon
“Yeah, I’ve seen all that. Like I said, it’s just one of those things that if you don’t think it’s for you, then don’t do it. I think it’s helped me a lot with recruiting, whether coaches say they look at it or not - that’s another thing. But it’s helped me get on Rivals and other sites, so I think it’s helped me a lot.” - Jaggers
“I don’t know but they should. Just be open-minded. What can you lose from doing 7-on-7? It’s just the competition level. Always try something. If it’s something new, just try it.” - Gates
“I think they don’t play because they’re probably scared, some people say they’re scared to get hurt or exposed.” - Elijah Blades
Do you feel like 7-on-7 has helped you in real football?
“I feel like it helped with my coverage skills, just my hips and stuff like that. You’re going against the best of the best so you’re going one-on-one with whoever you’re against, so it’s just making you better overall.” - Dixon
“The athleticism, it helps. Especially footwork, it’s basically just all footwork, that’s all it is.” - Al Blades
“I definitely saw a huge jump in my route running skills. Obviously just catching all those balls help with the hands and things like that.” - Jaggers
“It made me better just to compete during the offseason, just compete all around. 7- on-7 is great, just keep that competition level and never settle for less.” - Gates