Friedman’s Takeaways: Next Level Greats 7-on-7

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The Next Level Greats 7-on-7 tournament came to an end with Hustle Inc. coming away with the title. Outstanding prospects from all over the eastern half of the US were spread across all of the teams in attendance. Check out national recruiting analyst Adam Friedman’s five biggest takeaways from the event.

The pool of quarterbacks in Myrtle Beach this weekend was very talented. The tools 2026 top-40 prospect Jared Curtis brings to the field are tremendous. The Tennessee native has outstanding arm strength, a quick and compact release and showed the ability to throw with touch when necessary. Curtis brings a level of athleticism to the position that most quarterbacks his size do not possess. Ohio State, Georgia and South Carolina are doing well in his recruitment so far and look for him to schedule spring visits to each of those schools along with Oklahoma, Texas, Texas A&M and Alabama.

Rivals250 North Carolina commit Bryce Baker had an impressive showing at the National Combine earlier this year and showed off the same skill set this weekend that made him standout then. He was able to hit receivers in open windows and give them chances to make big plays down the field. Baker’s team had mixed results on the weekend but it wasn’t for a lack of a quality showing from him.

Samaj Beals, Zaid Lott and Ely Hamrick in the 2026 class are very promising prospects who should begin to generate more buzz as the spring progresses. Beals already has an impressive offer sheet and demonstrates the raw talent to compete at the Power Four level. Lott has developed nicely over the last nine months and has all the tools to be a dominant quarterback if he continues on this same track. Hamrick was at IMG Academy last season and seems poised to give defenses in North Carolina real trouble this upcoming season.

One name to remember is Neimann Lawrence. The 2028 prospect out of South Florida suited up for Hustle Inc. on Saturday and wowed everybody with his accuracy, quick throwing motion, and command of the offense. Miami and Nebraska have already extended offers and surely more are on the way.

There were a lot of receivers who had plenty of success this weekend but the big-bodied pass catchers really stood out. Marshall Pritchett does not have prototypical size for a tight end but he’s a little too big to be classified as a receiver. Regardless, he presents real problems for defenses because he is a mismatch against defensive backs and linebackers thanks to his combination of size and speed. Pritchett showed reliable hands, is a solid route runner, and has the quickness to create separation from defenders in coverage.

Auburn tight end commit Hollis Davidson is more of a true hand in the ground tight end who has the skills to line up in the slot. He is a massive target for his quarterback and should excel in the red zone once he gets to the next level.

Receivers Brody Keefe and Braswell Thomas are already highly-regarded by college coaches and they showed off in a big way this weekend. Keefe has really soft hands and was a reliable target down the field and on crossing routes. Thomas can excel in a similar fashion while also showing impressive explosiveness and run-after-the-catch abilities.

Quarterbacks didn’t challenge Samari Matthews much during pool play on Saturday but on Sunday things changed and Matthews lived up to his lofty ranking. The No. 15 prospect in the 2026 class got his hands on the ball a number of times on Sunday and even shadowed the other team’s top receiver at times. Matthews was able to bait quarterbacks who underestimated his length into bad throws and showed a great sense of timing by knocking the ball out of receivers’ hands at the exact right moment. At more than 6-feet tall, Matthews has a fairly unique skill set for a prospect his age and there is still plenty of time for him to improve before the end of the rankings cycle.

While Matthews’ dominance was impressive, there were a few other defensive backs who turned in excellent performances this weekend. Four-star Onis Konanbanny is extremely physical and has the footwork and loose hips to stick with nearly any receiver who comes his way. Julian Peterson, a 2026 prospect out of New Jersey, has a similar style. Jeffrey Overton was very active at his safety position and he’s done a good job of developing physically in the last six months. Four-star Zymear Smith is a technically raw defensive back but he has the size, speed and explosiveness to become a major asset at the next level.

Samuel Turner deserved his own section because there wasn’t a more consistently dominant receiver at the event. He appears significantly underrated but that should change as he gets more chances to shine this offseason. Turner is an excellent route runner who routinely found openings in coverage on crossing routes. He caught everything thrown his way and, if it were a real game, it seems like he would be very difficult to tackle in the open field. Defensive backs had a hard time slowing him down at the line of scrimmage or while he was in his routes because of how strong he is. Georgia was in good position for him but the departure of Bulldogs receivers coach Bryan McClendon for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could slow that momentum.

The NFL gene pool was well-represented this weekend with at least four sons of NFL standouts turning in impressive performances. At the top of the list is Rivals250 linebacker Thomas Davis Jr., who appears to have grown an inch or so since this time last year. The son of Carolina Panthers great Thomas Davis Sr. was very good in coverage, which is very difficult for a 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect in the 7-on-7 setting. Davis knocked down multiple passes, had at least one interception, and was quick to close on passes thrown in front of him.

Recent Notre Dame commit Elijah Burress made sure defensive backs were at their best on every play. The son of Plaxico Burress may not be the tallest, strongest, or fastest receiver but he is a good route runner, has good hands, and is very slippery when he has the ball in his hands.

Camdin Portis, the son of Clinton Portis, and Antonio Cromartie Jr., the son of Antonio Cromartie, are both defensive backs with fairly high ceilings. Portis has picked up offers from Colorado and Penn State in the last week or two and it’s easy to see why given his quickness, length and ability to anticipate the throw. Cromartie showed similar anticipation skills and a level of physicality that can disrupt a receiver’s timing with the quarterback.