The Football Hotbed 7v7 Classic has been around for seven years and annually features elite prospects from local South Florida teams like South Florida Express, DEFCON, Florida Fire and many others.

This season featured a dozen teams at the varsity division that produced a competitive tournament that featured several strong performances from the best in not only Broward and Miami-Dade County, but the country.

The best player in the entire tournament was five-star Jeremiah Smith. The kid is the full package. "JJ" has a massive frame that is imposing on his adversaries and possesses speed with a stride that eats up ground quickly. He scored five or more times in the knockout rounds alone.

It did not matter who was covering Smith. He was going to make plays - whether that was the first play of the drive on a vertical shot or as a red zone weapon that has a strong understanding of finding the soft spots in zone coverage. Truly an elite prospect.

The quarterback duo of Glasser and Noland could do no wrong and were a huge reason why South Florida Express won their fourth straight title in this tournament. Both players took what the defenses gave them, not forcing big throws, but instead picking defenses apart underneath. Eventually opening up up-top opportunities to the likes of Smith, Chance Robinson, Joshisa Trader, and more.

Noland is a major target for Miami, but is also hearing from Ohio State, Texas A&M, and even Alabama. He showed the poise and accuracy that puts him among the nation's best.

Glasser is still criminally underrated. He has yet to pick up recruiting steam but he is showing that he can elevate even elite talent around him. He is in the conversation for the top quarterback in 7v7 early in the off-season.

McCoy made a guest appearance for South Florida Express this weekend and played both offense and defense. Many talk about his talents on the offense side of the ball, but he showed the hype might be as high as a ball-hawking safety.

He patrolled the backend of the defense at times and even came down with a one-handed interception in the back of the end zone. He has so much length to go with smooth hips and a knack for finding the football.

In 7v7, Ewald usually plays safety for DEFCON, but he made the transition back to his Friday night home at cornerback on Saturday and he put on a show. There was nothing that could be completed on his side of the field. He forced half-field reads for quarterbacks that were timid after he had three pass breakups and a beautiful interception where he broke on a short throw.

Despite his early commitment to Michigan, Ewald is still a focus for Miami. He took a visit right before the dead period and defensive analyst DeMarcus Van Dyke is using his strong relationship with the four-star and his family to keep his foot in the door.

Brady could be the next Jeremiah Smith-type player in South Florida. Still just a freshman, he physically looks like a man among boys on the perimeter. He had a nearly flawless day, providing a red zone presence on 50/50 throws and fades but also showed some route running prowess, getting open on underneath to intermediate plays.

One of the newest additions for the perennial champion Miami Central Rockets is not a known commodity just yet but among a group of blue-chip wide receivers, he is the slot that makes huge plays as a move player in this offense for South Florida Express.

He is explosive in and out of his breaks with natural hands when throws get tight inside the hashes. He will be the replacement for Louisville signee Cataurus Hicks this season, opening the door for a huge year.

It was my first time seeing Randle in person and he is everything the Homestead coaches and Mainland community raved about. He looked the part for GhostRiders and has a stride of a receiver that is 6'3" or bigger. He pushes vertically and bites on defensive back's toes. That ability to freeze corners in coverage made him a matchup nightmare all day.

Randle made a tough contested grab for a score that had fans and coaches making some noise in the playoffs. The duo of Randle and Miami 2025 target Cortez Mills will be big time as Homestead pushes to make a second consecutive state championship appearance.

Miami recently offered Frederique and they will not be the only ones calling over the next ten months. The versatile defender played underneath in more of a strong safety/linebacker role and snagged two interceptions on the day.

He is on a roll through the first few tournaments of the year and is taking advantage of teams being leery of the blue-chip prospects that make up the corner spots for South Florida Express. His future may just be at safety as he continues to grow (already 6'1" 175).

Miami Booker T. Washington brought out their own 7v7 squad this weekend and the star of the team was Ben Hanks Jr. The Florida legacy played both sides of the ball and looks like he is starting to grow into his 6'1" frame and develop more and more speed. He was patient and smooth in coverage on the outside and even grabbed an interception against national power DEFCON.

Due to his dad's connection with Florida, they sit on top as the favorite for Hanks, but the local talent has visited Coral Gables and Hard Rock Stadium several times, keeping Miami in the race.

The elite cornerback tandem of Lester and Brown is the prototype for the next level. Both players are 6'1" or taller, which eliminates wideouts on any quick reads or contested catch situations. The technique for both players is special, especially with Brown who looked like teach-tape all weekend.

His footwork, ability to track the ball and mirror receivers with fluid hips were maybe the best of anybody out there. Lester is the better athlete of the two blue-chip cover corners. He is fast, strong, and physical. He was running routes for receivers at times. He realistically could transition to safety because of his size and aggressive nature on Friday nights.

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