Flex Zone 1on1 Challenge: Dallas (Tx.) July 2024 Big Uglies Edition

By Robert Jager (@RobertJager12)

I want to thank the coaches that took their time to teach and help

develop some straight dawgs in the trenches. Shout out to Coach Ish, Coach Goree and both sets of offensive and defensive line coaches who coached up these ballers. I love what you guys are doing! Now let's get to the hunt. There were some hungry dudes out there under the lights at Bishop Dunne. This article will feature several standouts in the trenches at the Flex Zone 1 on 1 Challenge in Dallas.

Remember the name Dwayne Benjamin. He will be wreaking havoc in the backfield on many Friday Nights in the near future from his defensive line position. I was super impressed with his explosion off the ball, he has a quick first step and he has violent hands in close quarters. Standing at 6-foot-2 and weighing 220 pounds, Benjamin may look like he is only about power but believe me his bag goes much deeper. He can run through, swim under, or spin away from blockers at the point of attack. The wild part to me is the kid is only going to be in 8th grade this upcoming season. He held more than his own, as he competed and won many 1 on 1s against older competition. Benjamin is going to be a problem for offenses when he gets to Waxahachie next year. College programs should get eyes on him now.

Armando Rodriguez, who is in the class of 2028, put on a show in the trenches along the offensive line under the lights in Dallas. Rodriguez controlled the line of scrimmage against the camp's top defensive linemen. At 5-foot-11 and 304 pounds, Armando uses a strong base with surprisingly nimble feet to use every bit of that 300 pounds to his advantage. The offensive line MVP impressed me with his ability to understand what he did wrong during one rep and he allowed himself be coached. Rodriguez made an adjustment on the next snap and utilized what he learned immediately. Armando has an active motor and he plays with high effort. Rodriguez has the skill set to eventually settle in center or guard as he heads in to high school at Waco University this season. If he isn't on college radars yet, he will be very soon.

The defensive line MVP Kingston Nelson put on a defensive clinic in Dallas. He is a player that coaches will want to get eyes on soon. The class of 2027 big man can play on both sides of the ball, but he has the skill set to dominate on the defensive side of the ball. At 6-foot-2 and weighing in at 300 pounds, Kingston has a frame that is difficult to move. He plays with excellent leverage and is a load to deal with inside. Nelson has a well put together, powerful lower half that enables him to hold his ground. He has nifty footwork combined with active, violent hands that allowed him to stun and punch his way to multiple wins during the 1 on 1s. He has quick, twitchy speed at the snap with explosive power and burst that he used to beat his opponents at the camp in Dallas. The class of 2027 standout from Jefferson, was a two-way starter in 2023 on both sides of the ball and is a name to know coming out of #bEastTx.

This latest edition of the Flex Zone 1 on 1 Challenge saw several notable performances come from the trenches. Shoutout to Coach Stephon Johnson, Marc Henry and the entire Flex Zone coaching staff for putting on another successful showcase. Follow me on Twitter: @RobertJager12. Stay tuned as we bring you more content, news and features here at Ondamarcsports.com