Barre and Ross Lead More Trojan Talent

JENKS, Okla. - It's not news to anyone that year after year the Jenks Trojans put out division one talent like very few programs from coast to coast. It's also not news that Oklahoma commitment Alex Ross might be one of the most physically gifted prospects to ever wear the maroon and white.

What isn't well known is that Ross may not even be the best pure runner in his own backfield.

"Trey'Vonne Barre is hard to count on; he has some things to get together but you look around at the players here, and he's the best football player in our camp," one incredibly versed Trojan onlooker. "In fact, he has a chance to be one of the best we've ever had."

Last year Barre missed a lot of time due to grade issues and will have to cover that base before he is ready to gather the recruiting attention he undoubtedly seeks. But that being said his ability as an open field player is nearly unparalleled across the state.

"I'd say there are about three guys in the state who can tackle him one-on-one," Jenks head coach Allan Trimble said.

If there are three who can handle it, one of them might be his backfield mate, Ross. Unfortunately for Jenks opponents Ross has no plans of taking his talents anywhere else and even more unfortunately the skilled back continues to grow as a prospect.

Last year when watching Ross there was a definite inkling that the talented sprinter, who was recently crowned as 6A's 200-meter state champion, was wonderful at full speed but struggled sometimes when he wasn't at full stride and forced to make some decisions behind the line of scrimmage. In essence, could Ross quickly change direction and see the lanes as they open?

Watching him on Tuesday he showed that kind of ability as his feet continue to get better and his long strides become more and more under control through traffic.

The other aspect that really seems to be coming along for Ross is his ability to catch and quickly make something happen after the reception. It seems that he has just become more comfortable as a receiver - he shows a great ability to high-point passes and is a quality route runner who works well in the flat.

Aside from the talented backfield duo the Trojans also boast a pair of defensive tackles in Ashton Henderson and Orion Jones. Henderson is still carrying some bad weight but he has great feet and if he can become more consistent with his play on every snap he can really move up the ranks of Big 12 region defensive tackles.

Meanwhile Jones has the prototypical size that so many look for at the position and while he is a better athlete than most realize sometimes his skillset doesn't translate when you watch him on film and things weren't all that different when watching him play. Jones has a lot of potential and should garner some attention this fall when schools start believing they can be the one to turn his talent into more consistent production.

NOTES:

*An intriguing prospect for the Trojans is rising junior offensive guard Nick Daniels. He stands just a hair under 6-foot-3, and probably 275-pounds but has the look of another great Trojan offensive lineman with good feet and seems to be a natural knee-bender who moves well in space - a trait he showed off leading Ross and Barre on screens.

*Another Jenks junior that shows real promise is receiver Jordan Smallwood. The long receiver has decent speed but is a great leaper and has a great knack for finding the ball and high-pointing it. Another talent worth noting is Smallwood's ability as a blocker, he has long arms and does a good job of getting to defensive backs and locking on to the block.