Area Standouts Complete High School Careers
by Marshall Levenson
It is now the time six DFW prospects are bittersweet over: The end of their high school football careers. All six players including Marcel Brooks, Trejan Bridges, EJ Ndoma-Ogar, Austin Stogner, Nana Osafo-Mensah, and Tyler Owens all participated in the All American Bowl along with the festivities and practices that took place in the week leading up to this afternoon. The entire group of DFW products were teammates on Team West for today’s matchup between the best of the best in the nation. Team West was not victorious today, losing to Team East 48-14, however that was not the most important thing on everybody’s mind, as Flower Mound Marcus High School standout Marcel Brooks said after the game, “It’s just an honor to be here in the first place.”
Marcel Brooks running out of tunnel during pregame player announcements
Photo credit: Marshall Levenson
Coming into the game, Brooks was ranked as a 4 star prospect on the verge of earning his 5th star. He convincingly made his case for that last star by leading all players in the game with 7 tackles with 1 for loss, earning himself a game ball, rewarded to the top 3 performers. Brooks, an LSU signee, showed why he is tabbed to be the school’s next great linebacker, showcasing his elite sideline to sideline speed and unrelenting hustle to the ball. I asked Marcel after the game on why he picked LSU as his future home and he immediately responded with “Because I’m a savage, and LSU is for savages only.” For those wondering, Marcel’s personality off the field is that same one you see on the field: Electric, fast paced, and confident. These three terms are some great descriptors of how Brooks lives his life and it will soon be the driving factors of his success in the SEC.
EJ Ndoma-Ogar is another guy who was paying more attention to the position he was in and the honor he had been given instead of the scoreboard. Throughout the week I caught up with EJ and discussed what the All American Bowl has been like and what he has gotten out of it. “Man I love being around the guys here and just hanging out. Adidas treating us right with all this gear, it’s a lot of fun here”, EJ says while holding up his brand new Adidas shoes shown below:
Picture Credit: Marshall Levenson
Joining in on the fun and games throughout the bowl week were two of Ndoma-Ogar’s future teammates, Austin Stogner (TE-83) and Trejan Bridges (WR-81) both pictured here
Picture Credit: Marshall Levenson
Both Trejan and Austin were used extensively during the bowl game today. Trejan specializing at kick returner and Austin at the receiving tight end spot, respectively.
Trejan showed his fearlessness by running head on into contact during his returns displaying physical toughness and his willingness to risk his body to make a big play for his team. Both players are an explosive waiting to happen causing defenses to play them tightly with double coverages occuring often. Both weapons on the same offense along with several other very highly skilled recruits heading to the University of Oklahoma will be a dangerous matchup for defenses to cover for years to come.
Austin Stogner (83) catches a pass and evades a defender early in the second quarter
Picture Credit: Marshall Levenson
Trejan Bridges immediately after getting tackled out bounds after a long kick return in the fourth quarter
Picture Credit: Marshall Levenson
Tyler Owens (19) flexing after causing a missed extra point in the third quarter
Picture Credit: Marshall Levenson
Owens flexing his bicep while listening to music blaring pregame in the Alamodome
Picture Credit: Marshall Levenson
Tyler Owens made sure to feel his strength was shown before heading off to University of Texas. Throughout the entirety of the game Owens was a force at safety as well as on special teams contributing in a few key stops to give his offense another crack at scoring. The Plano East product used all of his 6’2” frame to matchup with the likes of 6’5” Kyle Biliodeau, 6’3” Cornelius Johnson, and 6’2.5” Jadon Haselwood, the top receiver in the nation, which shows the challenge Owens faced today. Owens now looks forward to starting his career at the University of Texas and earning a spot on their stout defense early and often.
Nana Osafo-Mensah posing for a pic during pregame warmup
Picture Credit: Marshall Levenson
Nana Osafo-Mensah proved why he belongs to be among the best defensive lineman in the country, showcasing his speed coming off the edge and using his 6’4”, 231 lb body to stuff runners from getting through or around him. Osafo-Mensah told me after the game that he is eager to “get up to Notre Dame and become the best I can be to make it to the next level in a few years.”
