Wright's Takeaways: Battle Miami 7v7 Tournament
Top skill players from around the country descended on Miami over the weekend for the Battle Miami 7v7 Tournament. Teams representing California, Michigan, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Utah, Florida and more were on hand to showcase their skills and prove who’s best. Through chilly and rainy conditions, there were several standout performers.
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CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | JUCO
CLASS OF 2023 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
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There was a two-way battle on the fields among top quarterbacks in attendance and Iamaleava lived up to the billing. The four-star 2023 gunslinger was smooth with his stroke and delivery throughout the tournament. Given the four seconds from snap to release, he does a fantastic job of scanning the field checking down from one receiver to the next. He picked teams apart for Team TOA.
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The third-ranked QB in the 2023 Rivals250 was impressive throughout the two-day event. Suiting up with Team Max Ex (Sound Mind, Sound Body), Moore showed he has a live Saturday arm capable of making all the throws. On a line, with touch, or into a tight window, the four-star put on a clinic showing off Detroit talent.
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If the Looney Tunes' Tasmanian Devil lined up on the outside, McClain would clamp him down. McClain showed bend, flexibility and fluidness in his hips shadowing top receivers. Because he gets low covering, watching him soar to high point the ball for a pass breakup or a pick, then you remember just how big a corner he really is. Off-man or press man, he’s got it down. McClain was one of the top performers during the tournament playing with South Florida Express.
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One of the disappointments about 7-on-7 is the no-pads factor. Without pads, the power in Miller’s game is not on full display. Regardless, Miller is that tall sure-handed target that kills in one-on-one matchups. Working defenders over with the Bootleggers, red zone opportunities are money opportunities for Miller. He can soar with the best of them coming down with the big play.
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Being a five-star, Inniss knows the spotlight is on him 100 percent of the time. On a South Florida Express team loaded with talent, Inniss showed up big routinely making plays with his athletic gifts. Working on the inside, there wasn’t a lot of room to get him going. When they got him out in space, those five-star talents came out.
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Athletic with speed and amazing hands, Trader was an attention getter for South Florida Express. The 2024 talent ended the 2021 season with a bang scoring three touchdowns in the state championship game, two receiving and one pick-six, and in his first big showing in the offseason kept the momentum going. The hours spent running routes and exploding out of his cuts show. All the big traits to a top receiver’s game are there, but it is the little nuances like setting up a route with a stutter step that help separate Trader from the rest.
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HONORABLE MENTION
Watching a defensive end of Hill’s size running routes and making shoe-string TD catches was a crowd pleaser.
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Elite speed. Defenders cannot give him room or he is gone.
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One of the best in the country; worthy of a top performer listing from the weekend.
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Even with bad field conditions due to the rain, Washington was able to use his speed to break off defenders to get open play after play.
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Playing running back on a 7-on-7 team can be no thrills, but Joseph was able to take over a game producing a game-winning touchdown for South Florida Express against Team Max Ex. His speed, balance and ability to cut on a dime are on an elite level.