Four Down Daily: Sunday June 3
Austin Area 5A 2013 Sleeper Players
Taking a look at the Austin area 5A districts of 15-5A and 16-5A, the two big powers of Austin Westlake and Lake Travis will immediately standout amongst the attention getting crowds in terms of teams to watch and marvel at. Instead of looking at teams in general, we will take a grasp at the individual players themselves and more specifically players that are flying under the radar in the recruiting scene that we believe will be valuable commodities by season’s end.

1st Down
Isaiah Jones – WR (Austin High)
Austin High’s Isaiah Jones, the younger brother of Cayleb Jones, now at Texas, was a solid go-to guy for the Austin High Maroons in 2011 with 41 receptions and 396 yards while grabbing four touchdowns. Jones put up those numbers with his brother also in action. While we will consider him a sleeper, mainly because of a very deep wide receiver class of 2013 in Texas, he is getting plenty of looks from across the country. Look for Jones to see an increased role in the offense and on special teams. The 2012 season could be a very big year for the six-foot one receiver.

2nd Down
Sam Lawliss – ATH (Round Rock)
Sam Lawliss is probably one of the more versatile athletes in the Austin/Round Rock corridor and could be a very solid pick up for a wide variety of schools across the country. Lawliss has spent some time playing a number of positions including quarterback, punter, safety and outside linebacker. Wherever the 6-2, 210 pound Lawliss is placed on the field, there is a guarantee that he will be among the the more aggressive and determined athletes on each and every play. Taking his game up the next level will be key in 2012 after being injured for most of 2011.

3rd Down
Christian Ahrens – ATH (Round Rock Stony Point)
If the Stony Point Tigers intend the have a big bounce back season after a disappointing 2011 season, they will have to rely on the services of Christian Ahrens, who will be spending his time as the quarterback and may see some time on defense. Ahrens is a player that comes with a solid burst of speed and a very high football IQ. Learning how to be a leader in 2011 will be his biggest asset in 2012 and what he lacks in size, he makes up for it in his athleticism. He may be a steal for a D1 or D2 college program looking to fill some holes in their roster.

4th Down
Anthony Patino – DE (Austin Westlake)
Austin Westlake DE Anthony Patino is probably one of the more aggressive and talented defensive players in the entire state and his stock could rise fairly quickly. Once he gets into an opponent’s backfield, he can be very dangerous and will pick up speed once he gets out into the open aiming for his target. With a solid non-district slate, Patino will have a golden opportunity to prove his worth against some of the state’s top teams early. Closing out the regular season with Lake Travis and Austin High will also be a big test. If he performs well against the elite teams, he should have no problems landing a spot on a Division I roster.

Pool A
Lake Travis**
Belton
Georgetown
RR Cedar Ridge

Pool B
Copperas Cove
Austin Bowie
Leander Rouse
Elgin

Pool C
Austin High
Pflugerville Hendrickson
CP Vista Ridge
Hays Consolidated

Pool D
RR Stony Point
Cedar Park
Dripping Springs
Austin McCallum

** Lake Travis & RR Westwood cannot advance past pool play; already have qualified for State 7on7 Tournament 

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