recruitNoVA Top 30 Seniors - #21 - Anthony Eaton (T.C. Williams)

Heading into the regular season, we recognize the top 30 senior prospects in and around Northern Virginia. Continuing our countdown at number 21 is T.C. Williams running back Anthony Eaton.

#21 Anthony Eaton (2020 RB 6-0 190) – T.C. Williams High School

It is unlikely that Anthony Eaton will perform better at the beginning of this season, but even coming close should strike fear into the hearts of Titan opponents.

Last season, in the opening game, against Osbourn Park, Eaton sliced and diced his way through the Yellow Jacket defense for 233 total yards and a team-record tying six touchdowns as the
Titans trounced their Prince William opponent 65-32. The speedy back, along with teammate and friendly rival Robert Longerbeam were the top two cogs on a Titan offense that found the end zone with regularity. Eaton averaged over 90 yards rushing per game and an eye-popping 21 yards per catch, showing his propensity as a receiver out of the backfield.

However, T.C., under coach Jimmy Longerbeam stumbled to a 4-6 record, and it’s a sticking point for Eaton, who nevertheless professes hope for the 2019 campaign.

“We’re looking good on both sides of the ball, said Eaton, who has drawn interest from a host of schools, including VMI, Buffalo, Georgetown, Holy Cross, and most recently, Old Dominion and Massachusetts.

In Eaton, college teams are going to see a fast and deceptive back. He has also lent his talents to the T.C. track team, running on a sturdy 4×100 relay team with Longerbeam, Ibrahim Bangura, and Daniel Fox to run a 41.89 at the Legard Relays. His specialty event is the 400, where he has posted a time of 50.46. At March’s Sparta Showcase, he clocked a 4.45 in the 40 yards.

The Titans open the 2019 season on August 30 at Herndon High.

RecruitNoVA.com Top 30 Seniors - #22- Quest Powell (Freedom)

Heading into the regular season, we recognize the top 30 senior prospects in and around
Northern Virginia. Continuing our countdown at number 22 is Freedom quarterback Quest Powell.

#22 Quest Powell (2020 QB 6-1 175) – Freedom (Woodbridge) High School

As the song goes, sometimes you get one shot, one opportunity to get everything you ever wanted.

Last season, Quest Powell stepped up as A.J. Felton’s understudy, grabbed his one shot and flourished.

Powell had huge shoes to fill, as Felton accounted for over 3,900 yards of offense and 48 touchdowns in his senior year with the Eagles. Yet even Felton couldn’t match his successor in one category – reaching the Class 6 state championship.

Even though Powell and the Eagles dropped a decision to a record-setting Manchester team, the quarterback left his own mark in Freedom football history. Powell threw for over 2,000 yards and 26 touchdowns, while the Eagle offense rebounded from an opening-game 42-28 loss to Lake Taylor to run off 13 straight wins before the disappointing 49-7 defeat at the hands of the Lancers.

Powell has grown into his role and helped Freedom average just over 40 points per game last year. Physically, he also appears to be fitting into his position, with a senior roster listing considerably larger than last season’s 5-10 and 145.

However, Powell has lost two key cogs in his offense – lineman Josh Fuga (Virginia Tech) and running back Tyquan Brown, who left Darryl Overton’s squad as the single leading rusher in Prince William County history, with over 6,600 yards on the ground.

Still, some key players will be at his disposal, including junior wide receiver Umari Hatcher, who’s diving late-game touchdown sealed the Region 6D final for the Eagles last November. It also served as a key moment in Powell’s maturation process behind center as the touchdown came on his audibled play.

Freedom opens its season on August 30 with a home tilt against Hayfield, and its standout QB, Chase Soper.

recruitNoVA Top 30 (2019) - #25 Romy MIner - Broad Run

recruitNoVA Fab 30: Romello Miner WR #25
by Jim McGrath, recruitNoVA

It is the rare football player who stands out equally well on both sides of the ball. Over the past years, several have made their mark as offensive and defensive standouts – most notably Eugene Asante and Taylor Morin of Westfield, and South Lakes’ Spencer Alston.

Heading into the regular season, we recognize the top 30 senior prospects in and around Northern Virginia. Continuing our countdown at number 25 is Broad Run High School wide receiver Romello Miner.

#25 Romello Miner (2020 WR 6-2 186) – Broad Run High School

Yet as the Broad Run Spartans aim to avenge last year’s painful home playoff loss to Stone Bridge, they will be looking closely at their star wide receiver and cornerback to help them to get over the hump and into the state semifinals. In Romy Miner, they have that player.

Miner, who transferred into the Ashburn school from the Bullis School in Maryland (same
school which produced new Redskins QB Dwayne Haskins, Jr.), made an immediate impact on the Spartans. At wide receiver he shared first-team all-Potomac District and Region 5C honors with Tai Felton of Stone Bridge and Tyler Savage from John Champe. Miner, whose full first name is Romello, also snatched up second-team All-District honors at cornerback.

Look for more this year. Miner has filled out, carrying 186 pounds on his six-foot-one frame, yet his 4.54 40-yard speed should not be affected, allowing for his speed game to take over as he catches passes, either from Mitch Griffis, his quarterback with the Spartans, or another opposing quarterback. In Miner’s perfect world, he will catch a pass from most of the QB’s in Loudoun County.

Last year, the senior picked off three balls, but his strength was in his ability to get in the way of oncoming passes, as noted by his 13 breakups, which tied a Broad Run team record. Offensively, Miner led the Spartans with 54 receptions, which totaled 619 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns.

His contributions helped both ways as Broad Run ran off to an 11-2 record, with the defense allowing only ten points per game. However, the season came to an abrupt and shocking end as Stone Bridge toppled the Spartans 35-6 in an all-Ashburn region final.

To date, Central Michigan and Fordham have been the leading two suitors for Miner, but with the loss of Tim Baldwin, who transferred, Miner should be the focal point of Griffis’ receiving corps, with big numbers to follow. The Spartans open play at home on August 29 against Tuscarora.

Recruit NoVA Top 30 Seniors - #30 - Jared Cole (Stone Bridge)

As Stone Bridge prepares to make yet another state championship run at the Class 5 level, their
star running back is ready to cap his successful prep career before heading north to don the dark red, gray, and black of the Massachusetts Minutemen.

But Jared Cole knows there is still unfinished business to take care of in Ashburn.

On the heels of last year’s disheartening 37-26 state final loss to four-time defending champion Highland Springs, the rising senior and his teammates are ready for the challenge of winning states.

“I think we have a good shot. Obviously we need to grow as a team over the season but we have play makers all over field on offense, and a strong defense this year,” said Cole, who will return to his tailback position this year as the featured back. “I think we also have a lot more experience from the season last year and know what it takes to get to the (state final) game and to win it.”

Last season saw the emergence of the 5-9, 180-pound Cole as a quick threat and added weapon to a backfield that also included Nick Mell and his 1,200 yards of rushing. Cole, however, made his own mark, rushing for over 1,000 yards on just 87 carries for an eye-popping 12-yard per carry average. His hands were also a benefit for the Bulldogs out of the backfield as the junior grabbed 20 catches for 306 yards. In all, Cole accounted for 1,426 total yards and 18 touchdowns, as Stone Bridge marched to a 12-3 record, stunning Broad Run in the 5C Region championship before falling to the Springers in the Class 5 state championship.

In the Broad Run game, it was Cole’s 30-yard rushing touchdown that gave the Bulldogs a 21-6 lead just before halftime and took all of the home field momentum away from the Spartans.

Cole’s versatility captured the eye of several schools, including Maryland and Georgetown. Yet in the end, it was running back Coach Fredi Knighten from UMass who made the winning pitch to earn the services of the Minutemen’s new running back. In fact, UMass may have extra plans for Cole, who has also returned a few punts and kickoffs for Coach Mickey Thompson.

Says Cole, “They (UMass) want me at running back, but see me able to catch balls out of the backfield, play in the slot a little, but primarily running back.”

In other words, a role similar to another favorite football son from New England – one Julian Edelman.

The Bulldogs will launch their regular season on August 30, with an away opener against Centreville.