On Thursday, May 9th, Saguaro hosted a showcase that featured prospects from the host school, as well as Chandler and Higley. College coaches from all over the country were in attendance, and several players received offers in the ensuing days. Below are a few photos I was able to take at the showcase, as well as some of the notes I jotted down about the players in attendance.

Saguaro is definitely making a push for the largest collection of recruitable talent on a single roster, right up there with Chandler and Higley, which made this a very entertaining event. The player that stood out amongst the giants? I'd have to say WR Matt Polk, who has the advantage of practicing against the best possible talent day in and day out.

It was fun to see QB Tyler Beverett embrace a leadership role and help his young challengers find their footing. Beverett's accuracy on intermediate throws is increasing, and if he can be a surgical passer while Israel Benjamin handles the rushing duties, it's hard to imagine the punting unit seeing much time on the field this year. Watching Ivy League coaches drooling at the chance to lure Benjamin to their schools is something I really get a kick out of, but I enjoyed talking with Benjamin about how blown away and humbled he is to have Ivy and HBCU opportunities.

Defensively, you could pick a name out of a hat and I'd have plenty to say, but the thing that stood out above all other things was Jacobe Covington's sheer size at the safety position. He looks like he's three years deep into a college weightlifting program right now. It was nice to seek Kelee Ringo and Damian Sellers back on the gridiron, and I'm sure they're as hungry as ever to see some live action.

I spent the majority of my time observing Chandler's offensive line warm up and go through drills. As a high schooler, you only know what you know, so it might surprise the Chandler High big men to hear that I've never seen anything as clean, efficient, and college ready as their process. The whole point of the showcase was to show college coaches what these kids can do, and the Wolves' balance, footwork, and agility was all on display. Kudos to OL coach Chris Chick on running a well-oiled machine

I've seen what Eli Sanders and Jaheim Brown-Taylor are capable of on a football field, and I'm excited to see them split duties as Chandler's feature backs this year, but what I hadn't seen before this showcase was Quaron Adams' first step. The 2022 RB is incredibly smooth, light on his feet, and carries the ball with a controlled aggression that will make a nice weapon in the Wolves arsenal this year.

Defensively, I spent some time talking to other writers, scouts and coaches about linebackers Tate Romney and Malik Reed. Many seem to prefer Romney as an all-around player who can play on the inside, while others complimented Reed's potential as an attacking outside linebacker and pass rushing specialist. While college coaches play the either/or game, Chandler's coaches get to enjoy their unique skill-sets as complimentary of each other.

At last year's Saguaro showcase, it become evident that Coleman Owen was going to be an absolute monster for the Knights in 2018. I went to observe Higley with the intent of finding the next Owen, and didn't have to look very far. The Knights' bakout player in 2019 is likely going to be Perry transfer Peyton Hill. The 6-1, 190 RB moved well and looks like he'd be rested and ready to carry the ball 25 times per game starting in week 6. As one FCS-level coach said to me while watching him go through drills, "That five games off is about the only giving me a shot at this kid."

Always a pleasure to see and speak with 2020 QB Matthew Purnell. While many quarterbacks would be frustrated by the fact that they went from sitting behind one high level recruit to trying to fend off another in Kai Millner, Purnell recently told Chilly that he's out to make sure both he and Millner get better, for the sake of the team.

I'm rooting for Jason Harris to go off this season. He's been able to rely on his natural talent and length for the bulk of his prep career at Desert Ridge and Higley, and as a senior, I expect nothing short of consistent excellence. I don't know if he'll end up playing football like his older brother Jalen (who was in attendance and looks ready to compete to start at Arizona), or basketball, but I do know that if this is his gridiron swan song, I hope he can do some big things and leave the game on a good note.