JuniorRank Honored at Maxwell Football Club Awards Dinner

Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton looked down and around him for a little kid when I asked him to meet and pose with Erik Swenson, JuniorRank's junior high honoree, at last night's 74th Annual Maxwell Football Club Awards Dinner at Harrah's in Atlantic City.

"You are 12 years old?" asked the quarterback shockingly as he looked the 6'5", 250 pound left tackle out of Downers Grove, IL eye-to-eye.

"Yes I am sir!" replied the mammoth seventh grader as both smiled ear-to-ear.

And as exciting as it was to meet the signal-caller of the national champion Auburn Tigers, Erik's highlight was getting to spend quality time with New Jersey Congressman Jon Runyan, the greatest left tackle in Philadelphia Eagles' history.

Ruyan, looking fit at 6'8", 300 pounds, gave the young Swenson advice about what it was like for him to be enormous physically at a young age and using it to his advantage on the gridiron.

On a night when Joe Paterno, the oldest MFC honoree at 84, was presenting Virginia Tech's Frank Beamer the inaugural award named for him, Erik Swenson (at 12) became the youngest participant ever honored in the history of football's most prestigious organization.

Jeremy Tabuyo spent 11 hours on connecting flights coming to New Jersey from Honolulu, HI. The winner of JuniorRank's Fastest Man Competition at Tempe's Academic All-American showcase in December also got to meet Cam Newton. 

In addition, the 16-year-old sophomore speedster got to mingle with Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, Bert Bell Award winner Michael Vick, Hall of Famers Tommy McDonald (who grabbed and shook his head when he found out the powerfully built wide receiver recently ran a 4.36) and Chuck Bednarik, former Eagles standout Brian Westbrook, four-time Super Bowl champion Matt Millen, Miami Dolphins' All-Pro defensive end Cameron Wake, NFL executives Carl Peterson, Joe Banner and Jeffrey Lurie, etc.

But the highlight of the evening for Tabuyo was getting to spend one-on-one time with LSU's All-American cornerback Patrick Peterson, at the poolside pre-party.

Peterson, fresh off his staggering NFL combine performance, flattered the young Hawaiian by telling him that with his size and speed, he'd be guarding him in the pros in six years.

A precious moment in a magical evening for the soft-spoken Tabuyo.

"This is the highlight of my football career so far. I am so flattered to have been selected for this opportunity. To meet these amazing heroes of mine. It is almost beyond words. I'll never forget this night. I hope to return some day and be on this stage again. I am so psyched, I can hardly wait for our football season to begin this Fall."

On a night when there was a All-Star lineup of dream sports figures. The Oscar equivalent for organized football. From Paterno to Beamer.  From LSU's Les Miles to Delaware's K.C. Keeler. From Vick to Newton. From Peterson to Blair Thomas.

For JuniorRank, the proudest moment was when Maxwell Football Club president and ESPN personality Ron Jaworski introduced Erik Swenson and Jeremy Tabuyo to the overflow crowd.  They both received a thunderous ovation.

JuniorRank CEO Shaon Berry recapped the glorious event by saying, "It was an immense honor for JuniorRank and the Maxwell Football Club to be partnered off. The MFC stands for everything that we do: the development of the student/athlete to become all he can become at the next level and beyond. I could not be any prouder of Erik and Jeremy tonight. They are amazing football players, but more importantly, they are amazing young men."