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CBS4 Nat Moore Trophy Profile: St. Thomas Aquinas Quarterback Zion Turner

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- This week's CBS4 Nat Moore Trophy nominee features dynamic quarterback Zion Turner from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Turner likes to talk smack with one of his assistant coaches, who happens to be NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor.

"Yea we go at it every day at practice, literally sometimes we have to tone it down. That's how intense it gets you know. Me and coach Taylor have a great relationship, you know I love coach Taylor, as well as his son Mason. We get along very well," Turner told CBS4's Mike Cugno.

Zion Turner Nat Moore Trophy
St. Thomas Aquinas High School quarterback Zion Turner. (CBS4)

One of Zion's favorite targets is tight end Mason Taylor who is just one of the many talented guys suiting up for the Raiders. But the weapons don't make the man in this situation. Zion earned the starting job as a sophomore and for the last three years has been leading St. Thomas Aquinas to title after title.

"Worked really hard for this and I made a lot of sacrifices to get to the point where I'm at now. I just thank God for putting me in this position to be as successful as I am," he said.

When asked whether it was harder to keep the starting QB job or earning it, he answered, "Earning, definitely earning the starting job. I had to beat out three seniors and two juniors. Yea so that was definitely difficult," he explained. "Coming in spring I was last string quarterback and stepping up into the role and being a leader, being more vocal, you know coming out of the shell I was in as a freshman turning into a sophomore."

Zion didn't just come into his own as a leader, but also as a player.

He's also very good at keeping plays alive.

"I definitely extend plays very well. I like to get my receivers the ball down field. I definitely incorporate my run game into it. I can run. I'm not just a quarterback that can sit in the pocket and make the throws. I actually can do that as well. I have pretty good legs and footwork. I can get it done in all phases of the game," he said.

If you'd like to nominate a high school football player for the CBS4 Nat Moore Trophy, click here.

The CBS4 Nat Moore Trophy recognizes the top high school football player in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe Counties.

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