Texas A&M football: Aggie prospects shine bright at 7-on-7 tournament

Texas A&M football played host to the Adidas State 7-on-7 Football Tournament and a few potential Aggie commits put on a show.

This weekend in College Station, I was able to spend some time at the Adidas State 7-on-7 Football Tournament. The tournament is home to some of the state’s best up and coming talent, alongside the kids who are there simply because they love football. I was able to witness some great plays by some young bucks who just might be Aggies one day, plus one who already is going to be.

Blake Smith, Tight End, Southlake Carroll

Not to toot my own horn, but my initial analysis of Aggie commit Blake Smith I got from film seemed to be correct. After watching Smith and the Dragons take apart Port Neches-Grove, I saw a few final products that he could turn out to be. Further performances from the tournament confirmed my thoughts.

Smith is going to be a large grown man one day. He’s wide between the hips and his legs contribute to most of his height. He told me he measures in at 6’5” and 245 lbs, and at 17 years old, he is still growing.

The main thing I took away from this weekend was his strength. It is apparent when you watch his highlights, but seeing him in person is different. The kid is solid as an oak tree and he knows how to use his strength as well. Going over the middle is no problem for him whether it be a curl behind the linebackers or a seam route. He is going to be the safety valve for the Dragons this year, and with a young quarterback, a set of sure hands is nice to have in the back of your mind.

My biggest critique of Smith is one that many young big men have: quickness and speed. At his age and size, he is still growing into himself. In other words, he may not be the most athletic right now, but once his growing starts to slow down, his body will become surer of itself.

Like many young tight ends, Smith is rather heavy footed and he’s not going to burn anyone down the sideline on a sprint. Thankfully for all of those developing athletes out there, he will only get quicker and faster. His eye-foot coordination will improve which will also help his route running.

The Aggie commit seems rock solid in his commitment to Texas A&M. He called College Station his “hometown” and he certainly seemed at home on the field. By the time Smith makes College Station his home again, his game will be even more developed and refined. But expect him to continue to play to his strengths. Using his big body and strength to secure catches and yards will be how he contributes to the Aggies. Plus, watching his film shows how impressive of a blocker he can be. There are still two seasons left before Smith trades his green for maroon, but look for him to only get better and better.