Saguaro football ready to unleash multi-faceted Dajon Hinton as next big thing to hit Arizona

D.J. Foster. Christian Kirk. Byron Murphy. Denzel Burke. Jacobe Covington. Kelee Ringo.

Is sophomore Dajon Hinton the next big thing to hit Scottsdale Saguaro's football field?

Those who know will tell you yes. Get ready.

Ask Saguaro cornerbacks coach Bryant Westbrook, a former Texas standout who played in the NFL and coached all those guys in high school.

"He might be one of the best to come through here," Westbrook said, ticking off the names of some of the past greats who have come through Saguaro. "Offensive- and defensive-wise, his IQ right now is unbelievable. Ball skills, speed, that's tough to say.

"He has a chance to be up there with the greats."

Saguaro got a glimpse of that during its Open Division state championship season, with Hinton starting, and showing what he can do.

It should come more to light this season when the Sabercats play one of the toughest schedules in the state, a nationally ranked program that is sure to make waves across the country with their season opener on Sept. 2 at home against New Jersey champion Bergen Catholic, and later in the season against Chandler in a battle of top-10 nationally ranked teams and the rematch of last year's Open final.

Hinton, to head coach Jason Mohns, is a cross between Kirk and Murphy, who a year ago were NFL teammates with the Arizona Cardinals. Kirk, a wide receiver, is now with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Murphy is a starting cornerback for the Cardinals.

Hinton likely won't ever leave the field this season. He's that good. He'll play wide receiver, cornerback and return kicks.

"Dajon is an unbelievable player, an explosive athlete, a great kid," Mohns said. "He's going to be a household name here pretty soon.

"What he's doing on both sides of the ball for us right now is special. I don't know. We haven't had too many guys doing what he's doing right now, at the young age that he is."

Hinton is embracing the spotlight in his sophomore year.

"I wasn't a student of the game," Hinton said. "This offseason I learned that you've got to study the game."

As a kid, Hinton knew of Kirk and Murphy as they were helping the Sabercats stack state championships.

"I feel blessed to be in that position for (Mohns) to say that," Hinton said. "You just keep that as motivation.

"I feel I'm dangerous on both sides of the ball. And I'm a dangerous returner."

The Republic ranked Hinton as the No. 1 Arizona high school football player expected to have a breakout season this year.

But he's just one part of an arsenal that has national outlets ranking Saguaro as high as No. 8 in the nation in the preseason.

The Sabercats started the first day of official football practice Monday in helmets with an underlying feeling that they can repeat last year's magic.

Quarterback Devon Dampier is now ready for a full season, after having to sit out the first half of last season due to his transfer from Phoenix Pinnacle.

"I'm more into a rhythm with football," Dampier said. "Just dialed in on film, being a student of the game.

"Yeah, we have tons of talent around me this year."

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What Dampier did in the playoffs was remarkable, and had the Arizona Interscholastic Association given out an Open playoffs MVP, he would have been the runaway winner.

"How much further along now to what he was in the playoffs is almost a scary proposition," Mohns said. "Devon didn't really get a chance to get a lot of reps the first five weeks. The second five games, when he was eligible, (Ridge Docekal and Dampier) were still splitting time.

"Getting a full spring, getting a full summer, 7-on-7s of being the guy, and getting comfortable with the system, he's at a different level. He's scary good. He's got more weapons around him, too. That's just going to set him up to do whatever he wants to do."

Back are wide receiver Deric English and running back Zaccheus Cooper, who played only a couple of series last season after they had become eligible midway through the season, only to suffer season-ending knee surgeries. Both required surgery.

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English, one of the top 2023 recruits in the country, will be kept out of contact stuff the first couple of weeks of practice. But he should be ready to start the Sept. 2 opener.

"I feel better than ever," English said. "I'm going to have the best season of my life.

"Stronger, all of that."

English said he also noticed improvement from Damier running the offense.

"He's at his best, too," English said about being at his best. "We all are in our senior class. It's crazy."

For subscribers: Arizona high school football 2022: 10 questions entering first official practices for 4A-6A schools | Top 10 rivalry games to see

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Saguaro football ready to unleash multi-faceted talent Dajon Hinton