Cochrane High Cobras quarterback Xavier Vaillancourt is starting to gain interest from north and south of the border. Vaillancourt, who is currently in his Grade 11 season with the Cobras, has been noticed by NextGen College Scouting and Recruiting based out of Kansas City, MO which is generating interest in Vaillancourt from National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 football teams. Vaillancourt has also been highlighted by NextGen's CEO Keith Smilie who is well known for promoting mostly American players through social media to help them get noticed by college scouts. The Cobras quarterback is also being noticed in his home country as Canada Football Chat, a Canadian football recruiting website and their writer Clint Uttley had Vaillancourt listed as one of his top three quarterback prospects from three different grad classes. "Vaillancourt was initially not on our radar, however, through the course of his junior season he has demonstrated that he has the ability to be one of the better pocket passers in southern Alberta," Uttley writes in his report. "He boasts impressive size and couples this with solid arm strength - demonstrating that ability to throw sideline routes and seam shots. He understands how to put the ball in area's where his receivers can get to it. He understands tough and timing as well as medium and long accuracy. There was little or no short throws on his film. He has had success with the Cochrane Cobras who have shown they can compete with just about anyone in Alberta when they gave perennial powerhouse CFC50 St. Francis all they could handle in a non-conference game earlier this season." The 6'3, 210-pound quarterback helped the Cobras to a perfect 6-0 record throughout the regular season and helped them win two playoff games to give them the Rocky View Sports Association (RVSA) league championship after a 35-2 victory over the Springbank Phoenix. Over those eight games, Vaillancourt averaged just over 250 yards per game through the air while throwing for 25 touchdowns and adding four rushing normally getting pulled at half time due to the Cobras having such a big lead on their opponents. Cochrane High scored a league high 321 points in large part due to their aerial attack. Vaillancourt is happy with his progression from the start of the season until now, but still said there are a few things for him to work on. "I think the things I've been working on (such as his foot work) have progressed well and myself along with the team have improved a ton since week one," Vaillancourt said. "I've noticed these improvements but there is always room to improve ... although I think I've played quite well this season. It feels good to get noticed and have all my hard work over the years rewarded. I hadn't really thought of it over the years, but becoming a quarterback at the next level is becoming more achievable every year." Vaillancourt's dad, Paul, who has previously coached Xavier throughout minor football echoed that his son has put in the work to get to the next level and that he is very proud of what he's accomplished. "I am very proud both as a dad and his former coach from atom to bantam and now as his wide receiver training partner. He throws the ball so hard now that I have to wear gloves," said the elder of the two Vaillancourt's.
