On May 7th, free agent players from across the United States gathered at Helix High School in La Mesa, California, to show their talent in front of scouts and journalists like myself. The Camp by HUB Football has been a source of opportunity for many since its creation, and this event proved to be no different. Of the 20+ players in attendance, six of them caught my eye, and three of them will be highlighted here. All of these players are from the offensive side of the ball, and worked with coaches such as Norm Chow and Az-Zahir Hakim.
Luke Juriga, OL, Western Michigan
Offensive linemen never seem to get enough credit for their services nowadays, but Juriga made sure to change that. Every scout had their eyes on the former All-MAC first teamer, who appeared to be the most pro-ready candidate out of the group. Juriga spent time at both center and right guard in college, and eventually participated in the East-West Shrine Bowl game prior to the 2020 NFL draft. He went on to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles, and appeared in 13 games over the course of two seasons. Juriga had the chance to learn behind some very reputable players at his position(s), such as Brandon Brooks, Jason Kelce, Lane Johnson, and Jordan Mailata. Simply put, Juriga shouldn’t have much of a problem finding his next football-related opportunity.
Isiah Hennie, WR, Sacramento State
Just a week after showcasing his talent at HUB, Hennie signed a contract to play for the USFL’s Pittsburgh Maulers. It wasn’t hard to see why he was picked up so quickly, as his resume already looked pretty good coming in. Hennie was constantly towards the top of receiving leaderboards at Sacramento State, especially in his last two seasons. Additionally, he had a sizable role in the return game, which any team can appreciate for versatility reasons. The San Diego native looked very comfortable during each drill, and is yet another success story that HUB can get credit for.
Devin Childress, WR, North Park
Having played at a Division III program, nothing has been easy for Childress, but the HUB camp was a big step towards further recognition. After all, that’s why so many players have come from far and wide to participate. Childress may be a familiar name to fans of The Spring League, as he won a championship with the Linemen in 2021. The head coach of the Linemen at the time was Hal Mumme, founder of the Air Raid offense. Being in a pass-first system was beneficial to Childress, and helps explain why he performed so well in La Mesa. Having known Childress for some time now, his growth over the past year is unmatched when compared to most other players, and it was great to see him back in action.
The next HUB camp will take place on June 18th, and feature an even larger roster than last time. It will also mark a new era in the organization’s history, with a “portal” camp being added alongside the “pro” camp. The portal camp is designed to help collegiate players currently in the transfer portal, and just like the pro camp, does not discriminate against which level of football the player has experience with. All in all, HUB is continuing to make great strides and change the landscape of football for the better.
