Putnam County sent nearly a dozen football players to compete at The MVP Camp on Sunday, March 29.
The event was hosted at Milton High School by Rusty Mansell and Chad Simmons, both of whom are from On3, a national recruiting network. They organized it to give high school football players an opportunity to compete against one another. The participants were coached through various drills, and the top performers received awards.
The MVP Camp is also used to help the high school players who participate get recruited by colleges.
The War Eagles who made the trip were Christian Farley, Blake Williams, Jayson Smith, Elijah Dunn, Johnny Bishop, RJ Hines, Jabius Farley, Steven Grandt, Japheth Nelson, Brandon Jackson, and Caleb Reeves.
Putnam County head coach Joel Harvin believed it was an excellent opportunity to get his players recognized.
“It’s a camp I’ve sent many of my players to over the years,” Harvin said. “I believe it’s a great opportunity for our kids to gain valuable exposure, particularly because [Mansell and Simmons] are thought of highly in the recruiting world. The competition level at the camp is also good.”
In the past, some of the best players in Georgia and throughout the Southeast have attended the MVP Camp. It has several notable alumni, including current NFL players Mecole Hardman, Derrick Henry, and David Andrews.
The War Eagles who attended faced tough competition at their respective positions. They also worked with position coaches, who taught them different techniques and provided helpful tips.
Harvin stated his players learned a great deal about themselves and can apply the skills they acquired next season.
“It gave our guys a good idea of how they can compare to people their age, and some things they may need to work on or areas they can improve in,” Harvin said. “They can also see guys who are going to the next level.”
Harvin mentioned a surprise guest also visited the camp.
“We were also very fortunate that Coach Kirby Smart made an appearance,” Harvin revealed. “A lot of our guys were able to get directly in front of him, especially our younger players, and that’s pretty exciting for them.”
The War Eagles had several players perform well and earn recognition.
Overall, Harvin felt his players performed well and was pleased they had the opportunity to establish their reputations. He believed every player enjoyed the MVP Camp, and he wanted to return with more participants next year.
“I thought the older guys did a good job competing,” Harvin said. “We had some offensive linemen finish in the top 10 and defensive linemen in the top 15. Our receivers competed well. It was just a really good experience. Our guys held their own against the top recruits in the state. As a head coach, that was pleasing to see.”