HS Football Hidden Gems: Greater Akron

With everything going in our great state of Ohio the season is still almost upon us. Because of state restrictions 7 on 7 season has been limited or eliminated completely. In spite of that, I have put together a comprehensive list of the areas top hidden gems. These outstanding student athletes are now officially on the radar! As the season progresses these are the top 6 hidden gems in the greater Akron area to keep your eye on as they further their high school careers. &nbsp; 6. Coming in at six we have linebacker <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34313" first="Luke" last="Bauer"]</strong> from Akron Archbishop Hoban. Luke is in the class of 2021 with the height and weight of 6’0 235lbs.  Luke is a true scholar athlete boasting a 4.0 GPA and a 22 ACT, one thing you know is Luke is a hard worker on and off the field. He plays inside and on the edge. Luke sticks out as a thumper really making ballcarriers feel his presence and he plays with amazing gap integrity. Luke’s junior season was somewhat ruined because he was limited to only playing a hand full of games due to injury. I expect Luke to have one of the best senior seasons in the area after not having the opportunity to play his entire junior season. Hoban opens their season against New Jersey power Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, New Jersey on August 28th. Here is some film from Luke’s junior and sophomore year https://www.hudl.com/profile/9804026/Luke-Bauer/videos &nbsp; 5. At number five we focus on the trenches with 6’4 315lbs class of 2021 defensive tackle <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="34288" first="Vincent" last="Carpenter"]</strong> from Akron East. Vincent started his career at Canton McKinley before transferring over to East. He is a force in the middle who is immovable without trying and unstoppable when motivated. At his size he has still flown under the radar mostly but I expect his senior year he will breakout and have his most dominant season yet. If you want to check Vincent out in person, August 14th he will be in action vs Austintown Fitch @ Austintown the scrimmage is slated to start at 7pm. In the meantime check out his film https://www.hudl.com/profile/9489686/Vincent-Carpenter/videos &nbsp; 4. Coming in at four we have<strong> Daemond Gibbons</strong> a 5’9 160lb DB/WR class of 2021 from Akron Buchtel. Daemond is small in stature but big on impact making first team all conference as a junior.  I expect even more out of him this upcoming season as he will see more of the offensive load and will be a focal point of the offense as a senior. He knows how to high point the ball and go get it, he also is a willing blocker even for his lack of weight. On the other side of the ball he is a physical tackler who runs through the defender. Daemond’s true strength is that he is all heart. The intensity and energy he plays with pops on film on defense and offense. Pay attention to him as his senior season is underway, I expect big things out of Mr. Gibbons. Akron Buchtel will have their first game against Mayfield @ Mayfield August 28th with kickoff being at 7. For now check out Daemond’s highlights from last season https://www.hudl.com/profile/9494182/Daemond-Gibbons/videos &nbsp; 3. <strong>Nate Amato</strong> from Tallmadge high school makes it into our top 3. Nate (C/O 2021) is a 6’1 220lbs hybrid type SS/LB who plays all over the field. Watching his film you will see the dude flat out makes plays. Blocking kicks, forcing fumbles, filling gaps and rushing the edge he is the epitome of a football player. Did I mention he plays well in space? Nate will no doubt explode on to everyone’s radar and gain interested suiters from the college level. What makes him special as well is that he plays with an obvious intensity that just oozes through his film. No doubt, one of the top defensive players in the area! Tallmadge opens the season @ Ravenna with a 7pm kickoff. Check out Nate’s film https://www.hudl.com/profile/10157426/Nate-Amato/videos &nbsp; 2. At number two I can not say enough about this elite athlete. I purposely use the word elite because he is a varsity star in wrestling, baseball and football. I’m talking about c/o 2021 linebacker from Copley high school<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="34335" first="Landon" last="Robinson"]</strong>. He comes in at 6’1 230lb running a 4.6 40 yard dash with a benchpress max of 315lbs, he is a stud! Landon may very well be the best linebacker in the area. Mr. Robinson plays the inside linebacker position how it’s written in textbooks. He has a nose for the ball and runs sideline to sideline. He fills the gaps with intensity and is a sure tackler which means he finishes the play well. Landon as a junior made first team all-conference and as a senior he is definitely a candidate for all-district and all-state recognition. Be on the lookout for this surprisingly under the radar rising star. Copley opens the season @ Twinsburg August 28th with kickoff being 7pm. Watch Landon’s junior tape ahead of his senior campaign https://www.hudl.com/profile/8234220/Landon-Robinson/videos &nbsp; <ol> <li>The number one spot belongs to the only underclassmen on the list. St Vincent St Mary’s ow<strong>n George Linberger.</strong> George (c/o 2022) stands at 5’11 205lbs and plays the running back position. The type of back George is, every football fan appreciates. He runs with so much strength and power and has a nose for the end zone. He is a hard nose runner that still has plenty of big time runs of 20 yards or more. Having decent enough speed to pull away most times, he also has great vision and punishes defenders as they attempt to tackle him. As a sophomore George rushed for 1,175 yards and 13 touchdowns in only 9 games earning him 2nd team all-district honors. George is only remotely under the radar because he is only going to be a junior. I expect him to build on last year and run for another 1,000 plus yards and to be the focal point of that Irish offense for the next couple of years to come. STVM opens the season @ Aurora September 4th with a 7pm kickoff. Be sure to check out greater Akron’s number one hidden gem of the 2020 season https://www.hudl.com/profile/11189781/George-Linberger</li> </ol> &nbsp; <strong>For frequent updates during the season follow me on twitter: @coachferrell3</strong>