Area standouts make impact in exhibition

Top senior football prospects from across the country gathered in Orlando on Sunday afternoon to bring in the new year with one final high school game in the Under Armour All-America Game.

While receiver Jeff Thomas from East St. Louis stole the show with a pair of long touchdowns as Team Armour defeated Team Highlight, 24-21, a pair of Broward standouts who are committed to Alabama — as well as prospects pledged to Miami and Florida State — made plays in the exhibition nationally televised on ESPN.

In the middle of the second quarter, Boyd Anderson safety Daniel Wright nearly had an interception on backto-back plays. First, he was under a pass to the end zone but a receiver coming over on a post route was able to swat it away from him. On the next play, he came up to jump a short route to the left side, but the high throw was just out of his reach.

Deerfield Beach receiver Jerry Jeudy drew a pass interference on a deep go route late in the first half. A defender was holding his left arm and he still nearly caught the pass one-handed. He later made a first-down reception and got out of bounds two seconds before halftime to set up a 46-yard field goal for his team.

Jeudy, a five-star recruit, and Wright are both committed to Alabama. They had four-star safety Xavier McKinney from Georgia join them in the Crimson Tide’s recruiting class, as he was one of five recruits to announce a commitment Sunday at the game.

Flanagan cornerback Stanford Samuels III, an FSU commit, and American Heritage four-star offensive tackle Kai-Leon Herbert, a Michigan pledge, made the All-America Game but did not play due to shoulder injuries. St. Thomas Aquinas receiver Trevon Grimes was also selected but has been out since midseason, recovering from a torn ACL.

Miami four-star defensive end commit D.J. Johnson, out of Sacramento, Calif., had a third-down sack in the third quarter. Navaughn Donaldson, the Hurricanes’ four-star offensive tackle commit out of Miami Central, was impressive winning battles at the line of scrimmage, especially in a few isolated instances against fivestar FSU defensive end commit Joshua Kaindoh of Bradenton IMG Academy.

Kaindoh did, however, use his long 6-6 frame to get up and bat a pass down at the line of scrimmage in the final minutes.

The game’s first touchdown came from Florida State running back commit Khalan Laborn on a 21-yard scamper. Laborn won Team Highlight MVP honors while Thomas won it for the victorious Team Armour.

Thomas, whose 79-yard touchdown put his team up two scores early in the second half, is uncommitted and has a visit to Miami set for Jan. 20, according to 247 Sports.

Miami four-star defensive end commit D.J. Johnson, out of Sacramento, Calif., had a thirddown sack in the third quarter.