6 NC State scouting takeaways from Battle 7v7 nationals

Battle 7-on-7 opened its national tournament in Charlotte Saturday, hosting a round-robin series of games between some of the top squads in the nation. A pair of teams from the Carolinas stood out, featuring a few major NC State recruiting targets.

First, I will say the competition at this tournament was phenomenal. Teams from the DMV to California competed, and it was really interesting to see in-state prospects compete against some of the nation’s elite athletes.

Here are a few takeaways from the day:

6 NC State scouting takeaways from Battle 7v7 nationals

Alex Taylor was the best receiver I saw at the tournament. After playing last fall at 175, he has bulked up to 185 but clearly maintained all of the athleticism that makes him a special prospect. Whether he was beating defensive backs over the top or winning jump balls, he impressed throughout the afternoon. On one drive he caught a total of 5 passes, including a touchdown and an extra-point conversion.

Cedrick Bailey showed up to the camp in the afternoon, making the trip up from Florida, and he looks legitimately 6-6 tall. His size translates into some serious velocity on his throws that helps him thread the needle through tight spaces. Throughout his afternoon, it was clear his team’s coaching staff did not mind letting the signal-caller improvise and make plays. He forced a couple of throws , but his arm talent is impressive enough that it usually worked out. I counted at least 4 touchdown passes and just one interception for the Wolfpack quarterback commit. Some signal-callers have great velocity but struggle to put touch on the ball when needed. I did not get that impression from what I saw out of Bailey. He is a powerful and accurate quarterback who will be fun to watch at NC State.

Jerel Bolder was the first athlete I saw, and he absolutely dominated his 15U competition. He looks a bit taller than his listed 5-11 height and showed off some great speed and athleticism. I saw him score 2 touchdowns— one where he out-ran his opponent and another where he won a 50/50 jump ball. After watching him make some big plays last fall as a sophomore, it is clear Bolder has taken a strong step forward in his route running.

Jordan Shipp, Trey Horne and Keenan Jackson all play for the Carolina Stars 7-on-7 team. All three receivers are 6-2 or taller, and they impressed. Shipp made a great one-hand catch with a defender clearly interfering with him, and Jackson made big plays all afternoon.

Jackson, who transferred to Weddington High this offseason, caught a game-winning touchdown at one point, and he has tremendous hands that hauled in nearly every ball thrown in his direction. Shipp has a combination of size, speed and a ridiculous wingspan that makes him a very intriguing prospects. This was Horne’s first tournament back after an injury, and he made some plays. He told me he previously ran a 4.3 40-yard-dash at a camp, which helped him decide to make the switch from high school quarterback to receiver, leading to the surge in his recruitment over the past year.

Samari Matthews, a class of 2026 cornerback from Hough High, really impressed me during the playoffs last year and did so again Saturday. He already has great size at 6-0, and he excelled in press coverage. Taylor was the only receiver I saw beat him all day, and he made at least one impressive pass breakup on his four-star opponent as well. I expect Matthews will be a four or five star recruit within the next couple of years.

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