HIGH SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT: TREJAN BRIDGES

via scout.com

Our Shareef Alnachoukati chats with ascending star WR Trejan Bridges. 

By Shareef Alnachoukati

Note from the editor: Our Shareef Alnachoukati currently lives in the Dallas area of Texas and will be checking in on some Texas area high school stars.

Recently I've been studying film on high school prospects. One prospect that has jumped out to me is Trejan Bridges. Trejan plays wideout for Hebron High School in Carrollton,Tx. One thing that stands out when you watch the 16 year old is his athletic ability and ball skills. Trejan’s ability to go get the ball in the air is mind blowing for his age. He can position his body for the right moment to get the ball, or he can just flat out over power defenders to get his hands on the ball. As some would call it "Mossing". He reminds me of a Dez Bryant or an Allen Robinson as far as the jump ball ability. Trejan also refers to himself as "The Joker", so you know the kid has a confidence in his game. 

I was very entertained when watching some of his film. So, I reached out to Trejan and asked a few questions regarding football and his career moving forward.

Shareef Alnachoukati: You are a highly touted high school talent that has received many offers from big name schools, can you give me a rundown of what it’s like and how the process has been over the last few months?

Trejan Bridges: Yeah you know it's been really busy. No days off what so ever and in my free time I study film. Whether it’s on my route running or how to move on my feet quicker. Anything really to work on my game. Talking to coaches on the daily, keeping in touch with them, really just to build a better relationship with them.

SA: As I said, you've received offers from big name schools like Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Oklahoma, Oregon, Wisconsin, Baylor, Tennessee and many more. What's the experience like to have such interest from schools that have produced countless amount talented football players in the pros. Are you leaning towards a certain school or are you just spectating and waiting to field more offers from other big schools?

TB: It’s a great experience to see how much work that I put in is actually starting to pay off. All the stuff I dreamed of as a kid I'm actually living. But I still have more to strive for. Right now I am just taking my time so that I pick the right school for my future.

SA: Which player in the NFL do you model yourself after. A player that you believe plays similar to you?

TB: Amari Cooper (Oakland Raiders) or Laquon Treadwell (Minnesota Vikings .

SA: Is there a part of your game that you're not satisfied with, and how can you work to improve it?

TB: Yeah most definitely. Probably my yards after catch. I want to be able to catch and take off. 

SA: How important is your relationship with the quarterback?

TB: Very important. He has to be able to trust you in any situation you get put into.

SA: Why do you refer to yourself as The Joker?

TB: Because you can't take anybody too serious. (mic drop)

As stated earlier the kid has no lack of confidence in his ability.

Here are some stats and accolades for the talented young prospect:

2016: 55 catches, 900 yards, 11 TDs (16.4 YPC). 2nd team All-District. 3rd ranked WR in Texas and 63 ranked player in the nation.

As I said earlier, Trejan’s ability to go after the ball is an astonishing sight. Listed at 6’2'' (and still growing) it's hard to match up with a wideout that combines speed, strength, and length. Trejan still has time to show he can be the best wide receiver in the entire nation. Right now he is preparing to enter his junior year of high school and already has 20 offers. He’s attending the same school that Jet's safety Jamal Adams attended. Adams was drafted 6th in this years NFL Draft.

​Now, I can sit back and rave about Trejan all day, but I did notice some areas where he can stand to improve on tape. Trejan mentioned in the interview that he would have to improve on his game after he gets the ball in his hands. I'd agree with that, but there's another aspect of his game that he stands to improve on. Route Running. Don't get me wrong, Trejan is a good route runner but he does lack ability to get consistently get big time separation on corners. Whether it's on slants, curls, or go routes, he'll have some subpar breaks and sometimes can't create separation  Again, Trejan is a freakish athlete and can make up for a lack of space with his aggressive catches. He still has time to improve and polish his route running.

My Player Comparison: Allen Robinson 

When I first saw Trejan’s tape I thought of one thing and one thing only, his game is so similar to my beloved A Rob that it's shocking. Trejans ability to be a deep threat and to out jump and overpower any defender is just like A Rob’s. A Rob also had separation issues when he first came into the league but completely fixed it by his second season and managed to haul in 14 Tds. They are almost the same height. They are both ball hawking players that can get to the ball with ease. It's just a really easy comparison. 

If Trejan keeps his game up, I can totally see a year in year out All Pro players but he's got a long way to go before he lines up on Sundays. The talent is there. The love for the game is there. He just needs to guide it in the right direction.