Football: QB Trae Smith is intriguing prospect

Birmingham participated in its first seven-on-seven passing competition of the spring on Saturday, and returning quarterback Trae Smith had his share of touchdown passes against Fairfax and Sylmar.

He passed for nearly 1,000 yards as a junior and had a 262-yard performance against El Camino Real. He's almost 6-foot-3, weighs 185 pounds and Coach Jim Rose said, "He definitely passes the eyeball test, and it's a question how much he progresses. Last year was his first year playing quarterback."

Birmingham returns running back Isaiah Hastings, a 1,000-yard rusher, so running the ball will be a priority for the Patriots, but Smith's athleticism figures to be a big plus.

-- Eric Sondheimer