Neville High School Football & Recruits

by Lee Brecheen

November 12, 2009 - This is the most talented team I’ve seen in a long time at Neville High School. This team has a big time QB Taylor Burch, big time skill players in RB Cedrico Pollard, WRS, Jeremy Runner, and Brandon Calhoun, a veteran offensive line and a great defense, that’s cat quick to the ball, lead by veteran LB Waderrious Sellers, DB Charles Blade, the veteran defensive line of DT Brandon Collins, .DE Duke Guillory, and DT Simeon Stevenson. Mattew Sguyres the K, has a cannon leg, and has been consistent for over three years kicking for the team. I put Neville in the same class for having weapons on offense at the skill positions like teams as West Monroe, Central, Lutcher, Breaux Bridge, and Edna Karr and John Curtis High School.

I really think it’s a shame that Lutcher and Neville are in the same side of the bracket for the playoffs. I think they’re the two best teams in 4A high school football for Louisiana. The game would be really be great to watch in the Superdome. These are two teams that could play anyone, any day in any classification and win a State Title.

Let’s take a look at the top players at Neville high school, and why they’re so good. Head Coach Mickey McCarty has done a tremendous job with this team, considering their always tough north Louisiana Schedule, where they almost beat 5A West Monroe during the regular season at West Monroe. Not bad considering this might be the West Monroe Rebels most talented team I’ve seen since the late 1990s.

QB Taylor Burch 6-3 220, with a cannon arm, reminds me in build and feet in the pocket of a Jevan Sneed of Ole Miss. I predict within two years of being in college, this kid will be starting and has a chance to be playing on Sundays one day. Burch is committed to Louisiana Tech, in Ruston to play for Head Coach Derrick Dooley. Taylor Burch played some of

Taylor Burch - Quarterback

the toughest teams in the state, when it comes to size and speed in the football tough Monroe, LA. Burch stats would be doubled if he was in an offense like Evangel Christian and Capital HS, but there’s so many weapons around him, it wasn’t needed to win football games, which usually also keeps your QB healthy in the long run for the playoffs. This kid has a big time football IQ, and a SEC arm. He can scramble in the pocket, but that’s not his game, he uses his feet well in the pocket when rushed, and has the strong arm, when rushed to chunk it down field.

Jeremy Runner - WR/RB

Jeremy Runner 5-10 190 is part WR, part RB, if you saw him play last three years, he runs like a RB in open field, and catches the ball with great hands, and runs great routes like a wideout. He always finds a way to get open. Reminds me of a kid I saw play in person a few years back Josh Reed, who played high school ball at Rayne HS, and later LSU, now currently Buffalo Bills. I don’t care if he’s a two star or no star, he’s a big time football player, that is very underrated, this kid can play the game. Looks 4.4 in the forty yard dash in a football game, but runs more like 4.5. He knows the angles of a football field, and it’s hard to catch him once he’s done field.

DB Charles Blade 5-11 180, 4.5/ forty , has so much potential for the next level as either a CB or SS, kid likes to hit, and has great football skills. Blade has DI ability, but might signed IAA also, and if that happens he will play right away. I predict if Blade gets stronger and little bigger in college he could play for a lot of DI schools.

Cedrico Pollard 5-11 215, could play RB or FB in college, just depends on what school takes him in DI or IAA. This kid runs like a true RB for college, shows a burst, vision, and strong in legs powerful, but not stiff runner. He also plays some FB for team, when not a RB, and makes a very athletic runner and blocker for QB Burch. I will say this, Pollard could play for most of the DI programs in Louisiana right now. This kid could weigh anywhere between 220 to 230 when done in college.

Brandon Calhoun - WR

WR Brandon Calhoun 6-1 195, has come a long way since his junior season, where he backed up Runner, and two other SR WRS. Brandon only weighed in the 170 range, last year, and has bulked up to 195, and runs really well. Brandon will do more in college than at Neville, and I predict he has a lot of untapped potential for the future. Brandon should sign IAA or DI, if he goes DI, he would redshirt, if he goes IAA, he could play right way possible. He’s a great kid to coach, and has only played football on varsity this year in 2009.

Waderrious Sellers - LB

LB Waderrious Sellers 5-10 210, is listed as a LB for Neville HS, which he plays, but he’s also a big time SS for college, who can run a true 4.5 forty, and hits like big time DI player. His height has hurt him with the DI schools, but this is a kid that has things you can’t coach, speed, hitting ability, leadership, and reads and reacts. Sellers could bulk up and be a LB if needed in college, could weigh in the 225 range or bigger, and keep his speed, or he can stay 210 pounds and be a great SS in the right defense.

IF Sellers goes IAA he would be an instant star player, if he goes DI might redshirt, depending on the team, and the need. I can see this kid playing a freshman in DI football hitting people on special teams. You see a lot of LBS in the NFL today in the 5-10 range, but most of them have to star at an IAA school. Georgia has a LB Curran who’s only 5-8, but he runs 4.5 in the forty.

Here are some other players that should sign for Neville HS

1.  Brandon Collins 6-0 270 DT IAA or DI
2.  Duke Guillory 6-0 245 DE/DT IAA
3.  Simeon Stevenson 6-0 265 DT IAA

4.  Mattew Sguyres 5-10 170 K IAA /D2/ D3