NXGN Young Gunz Camp Interviews

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

BRADENTON, Fla. – Young guns from across the nation descended upon the Sunshine State over the weekend to work on their craft in the pocket and compete gunslinger style in preset drills. From all the action at the NXGN Camp, the rising quarterbacks gave updates on their offseason workouts, camp experiences, and college camp plans.

INTERVIEWS

(78) Matthew Pangaro 6-1, 180 – 2029 Taft School (Watertown, CT)

What style of offense are you running at Taft?

“Taft is a shotgun only offense. They have a lot of RPO (run-pass option) plays; they rarely get under center unless it is a QB sneak. It should be a great offense to learn.”

What are your strengths as a QB?

“My strengths, I feel, are making the right reads and being the player my teammates can rely on.”

Which college or pro guys are you watching?

“I am a big Ohio State guy, I like Will Howard, Dwayne Haskins, and Justin Fields.”

Are you going to any college camps this summer?

“I’ve received multiple camp invites for college camps.”

*****

(69) Lord Malik Heru 6-0, 190 – 2029 Indiana River (Chesapeake, VA)

What kind of offense will you execute with Indiana River?

“We will be running an Air Raid offense.”

How are you preparing this offseason to run that offense?

“I’m working with my receivers, I’m going through the playbook, and I am preparing myself mentally for the next level.”

As a QB, what are you working on to fine-tune your craft?

“I try to work on every part of my game and as much as possible so I can do anything and everything on the field.”

Are you going to any college camps this summer?

“I know I am going to the Hampton camp in July.”

*****

(95) Jake Matsen 6-1, 145 – 2029 American Fork (UT)

What kind of offense are you running with American Fork?

“We run a Spread offense with doubles and trips.”

How are you preparing for the upcoming season?

“We have quarterback meetings every week as a team and we study QB Confidential, Kurt Warner’s program. I’m building chemistry with my receivers during spring practices. I’ve been working on my reads and trying my best to understand the offense so I can make quick and the right decisions at all times.”

What are you working on as QB this spring?

“I train four times a week lifting weights to get bigger and stronger, and I train with Dustin Smith at QB Elite and Danny Hernandez to make sure that I am there with the physical part of the game.”

Which college camps are you planning on competing at this summer?

“I am going to BYU, USC, Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon, UCLA, Utah – those schools in the west.”

*****

(61) Neev Bohlken 5-9, 152 – 2030 E.T. Booth Middle School (Alpharetta, GA)

What style of offense are you executing back home?

“We will be running an Air Raid offense with a lot of throws over the middle – a lot of deep throws. I am more of an Air Raid quarterback; we will be getting the ball out a lot.”

What are you working on with your game?

“I’m working on off-platform throws, because I know going into 6A it will be a lot faster. I will have to get out of the pocket a lot, that’s why I have been working on off-platform throws with my coach.”

Which camps might you attend this summer?

“I am going to the Boston College Prospect Camp, I was invited to that, and I am going to the App State Prospect Camp, I was also invited to that.”

*****

(59) Christian “CJ” Cypher – 6-1.5, 185 – 2029 Carrollton HS (GA)

Knowing you will be the starter this season with Carrollton, how are you preparing now for that role?

“I’ve been getting into the playbook and learn everything I can. I’ve been working with all the receivers to develop chemistry. I’ve been working with (WRs) Ryan Mosley and Peyton Zachary.”

Which parts of your skillset have you been working on this offseason?

“I’ve been working on my footwork, off-platform throws, and my arm strength.”

Which college camps are you looking to compete at this summer?

“I am going to six or seven college camps this summer – Alabama, I think I’m going to Michigan, Arkansas and a couple of others.”

Which schools have offered you?

“Delaware State, Sacramento State, and Arkansas.”

Which school was the first to offer you?

“Arkansas was the first to offer. It was great; that was my first offer too. It was a great experience.”

*****

(65) Jack Griffin 5-9, 175 – Northside Christian Varsity (Tampa, FL)

What have you been working on over the offseason?

“I’ve been working with my QB trainer, Jeff Carlson, more on what (brother) Will (Florida verbal) works on like my footwork, not bending my elbow back – keeping it straighter, and working on where the ball goes and how it flies.”

Did you play in 7-on-7 tournaments this spring?

“This offseason we did put together a 7-on-7 team. My friends and I, we made a team. That was fun. We ended two weeks ago; that was fun. The tournaments went well; we won about half of our games. We had a limited number of people, but we did well.”

What do you feel are the strengths to your game as a quarterback?

“My strengths are scrambling, being in the pocket, working under pressure, and my deep balls.”

Are you going to any college camps this summer?

“I don’t know yet, maybe Florida’s.”

*****

(52) Walker Mottley 5-10, 160 – 2030 The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.)

How have your offseason workouts gone?

“They’ve been going great. I have been training with my guys and coach Baylin Trujillo; they’ve been getting me ready for the fall season and for high school overall.”

What have you been working on to take your skills to the next level?

“A lot of people have said I need to get faster, so that is what I have been working on. I’ve been working on throwing on the run as well and getting more power on the ball.”

With the NFL Draft going on over the last few days, how does that motivate you?

“It is really inspiring to be honest because these guys have been in the same shoes I’ve been in. To see them go through their journey and get better is really cool.”

Which college camps are you going to this summer?

“I’m definitely going to the Florida Gators, I’m going to Notre Dame, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.”

*****

(96) Ty Snell 2029 QB Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, TN)

Ty, how are you preparing for high school ball this fall?

“I started four games last year as an eighth grader; it is me getting more depth in the playbook, having more flexibility, and learning how to make the correct audibles and checks.”

How are you further developing chemistry with your receiving corps?

“Having more signals to change the route if we see something, working against the coverages, and breaking everything down to find that open window.”

What are you working on with your game?

“Rolling out, staying balanced, and learning coverages. My coach, TK, he has been helping me learn more on the board going over coverages.

Which college camps might you attend?

“I’m going to Vandy, Tennessee, and Penn State.”

With recruiting, how many offers do you have?

“I have three offers right now, Southern Miss, Marshall, and Arkansas State.”

Which program was first to offer you?

“Marshall. It was fun. I was training with my coach, and he told me the good news afterwards.”

*****

(56) Bryson Burns 6-0 – 2029 Lanier Middle School (Jackson, MKoS)

How did the NXGN Camp go for you?

“It went very well. I feel that I did well on the competition side and on the learning side as well.”

What were you able to showcase of your skills?

“I showcased my arm talent, accuracy, and ball placement.”

What are you working on to improve your skills as a QB?

“My footwork and reading coverages. I’ve been working hard getting ready for next season.”

*****

(106) Kobe Towns 6-3, 200 – St. Joseph’s Prep (PA)

Kobe, what did you showcase during the camp?

“I showcased my arm talent, my footwork was exceptional at this camp, and I feel like I did well with the mental stuff in the classroom; that is important to showcase.

What have you been working on?

“I’ve pretty much been working on everything. I have a day-to-day schedule where I am doing something proactive every day. I also have quarterback meetings for the neck up to better learn the mental part of football.”

What did you learn at this camp that you will take with you?

“Something new I learned was fasting up my front foot stride. Doing that, it brings my hips through easier.

Which camps are you going to this summer?

“I’m going to Syracuse and Penn State.”

Did you take any recruiting visits this offseason?

“I went to spring practices taking visits. I went to Boston College, UAB, and last year I went to Syracuse and Penn State.”

Getting to see BC practice, what was that like for you?

“It was really-really nice. It was a great experience. The campus looks amazing, the practice facility was great, and I love how the coaches coach, especially the quarterback coaches. Coach Dibs (Jonathan DiBiaso – QB) is a really nice guy.”

*****

(70) Gavin Pritzkau 5-10, 150 – 20230 CFCA-FLVS (Winter Garden, FL)

How did the Young Gunz camp go for you?

“It was great. I felt like I did what I was supposed to do as a QB; go out there and perform at a high level, not back down, and not let the nerves get to you. When the nerves get to you, that is when you miss a throw. When you start overthinking everything, that is when you make a mistake.

“The coaches were great, the talent there was great. I was soaking up everything like a sponge. Coaches, they will teach you what they are good at, and each coach is great at talking about what they were good at. I was just soaking it up like a sponge.”

What did you showcase best during the camp?

“I’m not going to have the deepest ball, I’m not going out there at 6-2, 195 with a rocket arm. I can control the difference I will make when I am out there; I can throw with accuracy, touch, have the right mechanics, and make the right throw at the right time. If it was just about throwing the ball, everyone would be good at it. It is about your mechanics.

“At the camp it was great, going over game sessions and learning more of the football IQ. Tom Brady, he is the main example of a smart quarterback; you will be defined mentally as a quarterback. You have to be vocal and be yourself.”

Which areas of your game have you focused on this offseason?

“I have focused on the intangibles like I am an authentic leader. I am not an “I” person. I let my teammates know I believe in them. I strive to make my work ethic unbeatable. I also work on the tangibles; quarterback IQ, accuracy, arm strength, and pocket work. It goes down to the deep details you work on. I’ve been working on all that.”

Which college camps will you attend this summer?

“I definitely want to hit the local camps. I did go to a USF camp. I was there with the high school kids; I love working with older kids. UCF, USF, Florida – I will see which others I go to out of state. I will definitely go to a lot of local ones.”

Photo credit: RNG/Ryan Wright – (103) Tyson Douglas-Brown, (102) Brooks Herman, (19) Jason O’Neal Jr., (69) Lord Malik Heru, and (95) Jake Matsen