Nebraska's Top Prep Football players for 2016 - Part 7

Posted Tuesday, July 12, 2016, at 1:10 AM

Moses Bryant (#7), Elkhorn South's fabulous running back, skirts by a couple of Omaha Gross defenders. *(photo courtesy of the very fine DC Gazette)

Here we are, deeply entrenched in the dog days of July and all I can think about is 45 days until the first high school football game. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Today we salute my favorite running back in all of Nebraska high school football. We also spotlight the dude that distributes the ball to him, one of the most versatile wide receiver/corner backs in the state, and a big old guy in the trenches that's a whole lot quicker than you think.

Drum roll for these gentlemen, please.

*Moses Bryant-Elkhorn South - 5-11, 186, Junior - RB/WR/OLB (#7)

Moses, the man that parts the Green Sea under those Friday Night Lights. Last season Moses and his Elkhorn South cohorts took it all the way to the Class B promised land, winning the Class B title over Aurora at Memorial Stadium. In my humble opinion, Moses Bryant is probably the best runner in all of Nebraska, but his rushing stats may never reflect that.

You see, Elkhorn South has one of the very finest coaches in the state in Guy Rosenberg. This man has utilized Moses Bryant and his talents as well as any college coach could have done the past 2 seasons.

Bryant is a special player who had incredible talent coming in as freshman, but Coach Rosenberg apparently made it crystal clear that the entire Storm football team is not centered around Moses. #7 knows it, his teammates know it and all are good with it. No "I" in that team, baby. That's what wins State Championships.

The multi-talented Moses Bryant does so many things well, and most importantly possesses terrific football intelligence. He displayed that even as a freshman. Always knowing down and distance, what the scoreboard clock and score read. Some Division One college players are not even that aware.

Last season, Moses ran for 1,181 yards on 173 carries, scoring 18 touchdowns. Bryant also caught 16 passes for 193 yards, some out of the backfield, some as a wide out, and occasionally in the flat. The kid played all over the offensive sets last season, as well as his freshman campaign.

His 2014 freshman statistics are nearly a mirror image of last year. 1,186 yards on 131 carries and 17 TDs. 17 receptions for 260 yards and 2 scores. That was in 10 games. Remember, Moses missed 2 complete games last season, one coming in the Storm's opening round road win over Sidney.

Haven't seem Moses Bryant play? Here's the scoop.

The lad isn't a 4.4 forty man. More like 4.7 and change but his football speed and instinct makes up for that raw stat. The kid can jump straight up in the air 35", and has a 4.4 shuttle time. Now for the stuff that matters the most.

Moses is a fluid runner, almost like "smoke curling through a keyhole" as Barry Switzer would say. A "Houdini" runner if you will. Bryant can nearly come to a complete stop, spin if he must, or make a one-foot plant and ignite the afterburners, pulling away from defenders as he picks up speed heading toward the end zone. He uses the stiff arm if he must, and can spin and regain that high gear in the blink of an eye.

#7 is always running away from the pursuit. And block? He can. I saw him reverse his field and send an Elkhorn linebacker airborne on a Braden Wright run, then immediately help him up once Wright was clear. If he happens to miss an assignment, which I may have witnessed in the Omaha Gross season opener a year ago, he is summoned to the sidelines and "sits out" a few. That's Guy Rosenberg/Elkhorn South football.

So, will Moses part the Green Seas to the tune of 5,000+ yards in his career? Maybe, maybe not. He certainly could and much more, but state championships are more important than 5,000 career yards in the Elkhorn South scheme of things.

But one thing to remember is that Moses Bryant is a breed of runner you do not see every day, and considering the fact the young man came from Africa and never played the sport prior to that..........is truly amazing.

*Braden Wright-Elkhorn South - 6-2, 185, Senior - Quarterback/CB (#2)

One hyphenated word describes this quarterback. Dual-Threat. 1,167 yards through the air (14 TDs) and 834 yards on the ground (10 scores) makes that perfectly clear. And another little tidbit to remember is that Wright was not even the starting quarterback last year until Connor Ebeling went down with a season ending injury in game 5 vs. Ralston. Prior to that, Ebeling completed 62% of his tosses for 809 yards and 11 TDS with only 1 INT. So, all Braden Wright did was step in and and complete 52% of his 124 passes for 1,045 yards and 13 TDs. In the first 5 games, Wright passed only 11 times in reserve duty, connecting on 6 for 122 yards.

So, how dangerous is Braden Wright? Consider this and keep in mind what Moses Bryant's forty and shuttle times are.

Wright runs a 4.59 forty and has posted a 4.1 in that shuttle. What makes #2 even more lethal is that he lines up only 5 yards deep in the "Gun". The kid is always close to that scrimmage line, making it difficult for the defense to react.

Many times Braden drops back only 3 steps and launches his throws. And if Wright isn't passing, he executes a sweet fake handoff into the line then follows that RB with the football. And I guarantee you do not want to let this kid get a step behind your defense....He Gone.

The witty Storm signal caller has an uncanny ability to weave his way through defenses and once he's in the clear, Wright has one the the prettiest 400 meter strides you would ever want to see....unless you are in his rear view and wearing the opposite color uniform.

In that Class B championship a year ago, the fabulous Aurora Huskies had to be sick to death of seeing Braden Wright. The junior magician completed 10 of his 21 passes for 236 yards including a picture perfect 51 yard TD strike to Brayton Haley just 46 seconds before halftime. The real killer applied by Wright was the fact he opened and closed the scoring for Elkhorn South.

Wright escaped for a 9 yard TD scamper just 5:52 into the contest. But the real dagger came when the nimble footed, long striding Wright broke loose down the left sideline for the winning 28 yard TD gallop with just 2:38 left. Can you say MVP.

Elkhorn South loses some heavy duty cats from last years championship squad but with Wright, Moses and leading stopper Coleman Anderson returning, the Storm won't be too shabby.

Oh, have a calendar handy? Circle Friday, August 26th. Elkhorn South at York.

Nuff said.

*Chris Finn-Bellevue West - 5-8, 165, Senior - WR/CB (#7)

Oh, now let us not be fooled by this gentleman's size. The 2nd team All-Metro Conference defensive back at 155 pounds was knocking some helmets back in 2015 while also catching 42 passses for 652 yards and 8 TDs on offense. And never mind the fact Christian Finn runs a 4.5 forty, :10.9 hundred and 50 Flat 400 meters. Faaaaaast.

The WR/CB for the Fabulous Thunderbirds can bench 240 and squat 380. That's a lot of weight for a 165 pound kid. Tough as nails dude.

High school football fans to recall that Bell West had TWO 1000 yard receivers last fall in Trystn Ducker and Cade Johnson, so Finn was basically playing 3rd fiddle a year ago for Michael Huffman's T-Birds. Jeez Louise, how would you like to have a 3rd fiddle guy like Chris Finn? Wow.

On defense, the hard crunching blocker made many folks pay on successful Jadyn Kowalski TD passes. Against Omaha South, Finn came back and absolutely laid out a 175 pound backer, breaking Trystn Ducker free on on of the most beautiful 61 yard cutback against the grain TD receptions you ever saw. BANG. I'll bet that dude was still seeing green stars at bedtime on September 11th.

Last season as a defender, Finn made 38 stops from his CB slot. #7 also pirated 2 passes, broke up SIX others and recovered a fumble.

On offense, this little guy was money out of so many different formations. Finn would line up in the backfield and catch a little flare from Kowalski, run a motion play and catch another flare pass, or line up in a triplets formation and take off down field. Another trick the Thunderbirds would pull would be to have Chris line up as part of that Trip formation and simply back up when the others would take off downfield. Either that of run full bore for 6 yards, put the brakes on, then turn around and haul in another Kowalski aerial.

The thing defenses will have to be concerned about this season will be if Coach Huffman decides to put Finn back as a kick or punt return man. Good grief, as if there isn't enough to worry about when #7 is on that field.

Sure-fire Super-State selection in 2016.

*Dominic Simpson-Papillion La Vista South - 6-5, 285, Senior (#76)

Here is a guy to keep an eye on big time in 2016. Obviously, South Dakota State already has done that, given the fact big Dom has given the Jackrabbits a verbal commit. Older bro Luke Sellers is already up there in Brookings playing for SDS.

Last year, venerable head coach Walt Olsen played Simpson more on offense then on the defensive side of the football. The hulking Simpson played only 6 games on "D" for the Titans, but showed outstanding movement and the ability to fight off blockers. One thing I really like about this kid has quick enough feet for him to play basketball at Papio South. That means a ton to college scouts.

Running a 5.5 forty, Simpson can move a heck of alot faster than you think and never, ever gives up on the play. And obviously on offense he must have been efficient enough to open holes for Tristan Fairchild, who ran for 1,300 big ones a year ago.

Simpson admits he is trying to work on technique on both sides of the ball, but the surprising thing to me is the fact he said he needed work on remembering the plays. Ya think Big Dom might be pulling our leg?

Papio South's line was awfully young a year ago, so if Olsen can find a running back (Finest Hampton-#40 maybe?), and a QB, the Titans will be formidable. But regardless of those outcomes, the ever improving Dom Simpson will be a force for Papillion LaVista South.