Memorial Day Standouts at ESPFC Pooler

By Southern Pigskin Staff
SouthernPigskin.com

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After a number of Memorial Day football players competed in Pooler’s Explosive Southern Pigskin Football Camp, it seems as though they aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

The Blue Thunder of Memorial Day have dominated GISA-AA ranks over the past 9 years and to do that, you have to collect and develop great players. Memorial Day has won 5 state championships since 2008, building a consistently good program and sending athletes to the next level every year. This trend continued last year with Brian Miller signing to play at Georgia Southern and Mekhi Cooper signing with Savannah State.

After a number of Memorial Day football players competed in Pooler’s Explosive Southern Pigskin Football Camp, it seems as though this new found tradition isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Winston Wright, Jr. is the most recognizable and talked about prospect at Memorial Day right now. He is a 2019 prospect that can play basically any position on the field well.

Wright, Jr. is an absolute spark plug that covers ground on the football field in an instant. His athleticism was on full display at the camp, as he clocked in at 4.49 on the 40-yard dash and made a host of defenders look silly when he ran routes at wide receiver. The good news for Memorial Day, and for universities that should be watching Blue Thunder tape, is that today showed that he is not the only one who has a bright future.

Delvecchio Powell: RB/WR/SS

Powell is actually very similar to Winston, although he differs in certain aspects. Delvecchio is another class of 2019 prospect who is extremely quick, but has a more thick, and cut, body type than Wright, Jr. He played the majority of the camp’s snaps at RB and slot WR. At 5’8″, 173 pounds, Powell seems to be a perfect fit multiple/spread attack at the next level. He looked extremely comfortable and crisp running routes out of the slot and only failed to catch one pass. When asked to describe what his best attribute was, he confirmed everything that scouts’ eyes will tell them. “I would say my best attribute is being able to be so versatile. I can catch out of the backfield, line up in the slot and all of it feels natural,” Powell explained. With two years left before his high school career is over, he knows he still has work to do.

“I’m really working on improving my acceleration and patience.” Powell said.

Delvecchio is already very fast, clocking in at 4.7 in the 40 yard dash, but that extra burst of acceleration could be the icing on the cake that universities are looking for.

Derry Pinkston: LB

Pinkston is another rising Junior who has an extremely high ceiling. At 5’11” and 223 pounds, Derry has the potential to be a monster against the run if he is able to grow a few inches over the next few years. The toughness and muscle is already there for Pinkston. Even with the body of a MLB, Derry showed great athleticism and mobility during drills and covered well during man-coverage drills. He ran a 5 flat on the 40 yard dash and closed quickly on the ball when the offense had the chance to catch a pass.

According to Pinkston, he’s good for more than just a tackle or pass breakup, though. “My best attribute is showing leadership and giving good advice to my teammates, encouraging them,” Pinkston explained. “I have played an ILB role in the past, but I am more comfortable at MLB. This offseason, I’m trying to improve my speed and covering ability.”

Pinkston was already impressive in pass-coverage situations for his size. If he is able to develop into his body even more, gain some speed and progress his coverage skills, Pinkston could be a scary good find for a program.

Troy Thompson: OL/DL

Thompson is a young lineman that shows real signs of promise if he keeps progressing in his craft. A class of 2020 prospect, Thompson is a young gun that already has a 5’10”, 220 pound frame. Troy also displayed good speed for a lineman, running a 5.3 40 yard dash. He showed good instincts at ESPFC and has decent mechanics, as they are still in development. With the proper weight training and coaching, which he will find at Memorial Day, Thompson has the opportunity to make quite the name for himself in a year or two.

 

Written by: PJ Zucco