On Sunday March 5, 2023, the Under Armour Next Football Camp circuit made its way to West Orange Highschool in Orlando. Many of the top athletes from the region attended the invite only combine to test their skills in a variety of individual drills and one on one matchups. The camp started with testing similar to the NFL Combine where the athletes measured in and then tested their verticals, 40-yard dash times, shuttle run times and broad jump. After running through drills, the competition really heated up as players moved on to one on ones. The quarterbacks, wide receivers, and defensive backs stole the show in the afternoon with a few that stood out clearly above the rest.
Top Performers:
Korey Duff Jr
Most of the participants at the camp were from the southeast, but it was a New York product that flew in and took over. At 6’6-210, 2024 WR/TE KJ Duff Jr was literally and figuratively head and shoulders above much of the competition he faced. Duff flew in from Long Island for the event and immediately turned heads with his size and athleticism as he torched the testing and individual drills. In one on ones, Duff was a mismatch nightmare and won nearly ever rep he took as defenders struggled against his blend of size and speed. The three star prospect from St. Anthonys showed off his ball skills and ability to adjust and make tough catches extremely well for a pass catcher of his size. Duff walked away from the camp with the MVP award and will certainly be a hot commodity on the recruiting trail as he continues to develop.
Fred Gaskin
While KJ Duff made one of the longest trips down to Orlando on Sunday, Fred Gaskin had one of the shorter commutes. The 2024 safety took the short drive over from Ocala and made a big impression. Gaskin put up impressive numbers in the testing portion which put more eyes on him when it came time for one on ones and he did not disappoint. Gaskin, ranked as a consensus four-star prospect, showed off his coverage skills and moved very well throughout the day. His agility and closing speed was on full display in both individual drills and one on ones. Gaskin tracked down multiple receivers that appeared to have a step on him and was able to break up the pass attempts. He is currently being heavily recruited by Florida State, Alabama, and Auburn.
Colin Hurley
There were quite a few quarterbacks that were spinning the ball very well, but LSU commit Colin Hurley was deadly accurate all day. In individual drills, the four-star prospect put on a show with his arm strength and accuracy to all levels of the field. Hurley’s timing on short and intermediate routes and his ability to drop the ball in a bucket on deep balls caught the eye of everyone watching. As the one on ones got going, Hurley continued to impress with his ball placement and his knack for putting the ball where only his receiver could go get it, even in tight coverage. Hurley has taken big strides as a passer over the last year or two and will look to have a big season for Jacksonville Trinity before heading to Baton Rouge to play for the Tigers.
Lawayne McCoy
There weren’t many players taking the field on Sunday that looked anywhere near as smooth as Miami Central athlete Lawayne McCoy. At 6’2-180, McCoy possesses elite speed, change of direction and athleticism to go with good size. The four star prospect from South Florida was the slipperiest wide receiver out there and was virtually uncoverable in one on ones. McCoy consistently left defenders looking lost with his route running and change of direction and had extremely reliable hands once he got open. There was only one route in one on ones where McCoy didn’t come away with the catch and it was due to a poor throw after the DB was already beat. McCoy plays both ways for powerhouse Miami Central, but looked incredibly smooth and comfortable at receiver all day. Florida State, Miami and Auburn are three schools that stand out so far in McCoy’s recruitment and he seemed to be a big fan of new Miami WR coach Kevin Beard, who he spoke with at UM the day before the event.