Smaller Than the College Prototype, These IN Prospects Have Big Time Talent

Prospect measurables have become such a big part of the recruiting process over the years. As a result of this, many top HS players fly under the recruiting radar due to their lack of prototypical size. Many college football teams, especially at the D1 level, have a certain physical profile for each position and they will not stray from it unless a player is an anomaly when it comes to their skill-set. For every Rondale Moore (Purdue), there are hundreds of undersized prospects with a D1 skill-set who never get a chance to play at that level. This is the same reason that you often see NFL players who are small for their position come from the FCS/DII/DIII level, as those teams are more likely to take a chance on a player that doesn’t fit the typical size profile. Current NFL standout Tarik Coen (North Carolina A&T/Chicago Bears) is a great example of this coming in at 5’6" 179 pounds out of college. Here is my list of Indiana prospects that may be smaller than the prototype for their position in college, but have big enough talent to play at a high level. <ul> <li>OL/DL Romel Williams - Ben Davis, 2021</li> </ul> Listed at 5’9" 262 on his Hudl, Romel is not small by any means, but he is small for a position where the average prospect typically comes in well over 6 feet tall. His size does not prevent him from having a major impact on the game though. Whether it be his strong punch that derails defensive lineman when he’s on offense, or his explosive first step that disrupts the line of scrimmage on defense, Williams sets the tone for Ben Davis in the trenches. What he lacks in size he certainly makes up for in ability, and he is a one that college coaches will be watching closely this coming season. <ul> <li>WR [player_tooltip player_id="38960" first="Armani" last="Glass"] - Merrillville, 2021</li> </ul> Armani was also on our list of 7 2021’s to Keep an Eye on This Fall. He had to make this list as well, because he is the definition of a player that is considered smaller but has big time talent. When I talk about a prospect being an anomaly with their skill-set, Armani is a player that falls in that category. Here is his write-up from the last article... When it comes to having the ball in his hands, Armani is one of the most talented kids in the state of Indiana. He lacks the size that Power 5 teams covet, but he has a Power 5 skill-set in that frame. He can lineup in the slot, or the backfield, and is a threat every time he touches the ball. Along with being a great offensive player, he is one of the best punt and kick returners in the state as well… I would not want to kick the ball his way if I were an opposing coach. There is a ton to like about him as a prospect, and someone is going to get a steal with him a year from now. <ul> <li>ATH Asante Anglin - Saint Joseph, 2021</li> </ul> Listed at 5’9" 169 on his Hudl, Asante is a great example of a player whose game is much bigger than his frame. When you turn on the film and see his playmaking ability, you get excited! As a home run threat out of the backfield and as a returner, Saint Joseph finds plenty of ways to get the ball in his hands. He is explosive, has good speed, great cutting ability, and vision. Some traits I like most about Asante are his balance, ability to make defenders miss in the open field, and ability to get yards after initial contact. There are many times that you see him turn a play that should have gone for minimal gain into a first down or more. The ability to make yards out of nothing is a trait that college coaches are looking for, and Asante definitely checks that box. <ul> <li>LB [player_tooltip player_id="38970" first="Clayton" last="Peters"] - Avon, 2021</li> </ul> Listed at 5’10" 215 pounds Clayton isn’t a small LB prospect, but tends to be on the shorter side when you compare him to other D1 scholarship LB prospects. I compare his size to D1 linebackers because he is that level of prospect. Clayton is a monster on the field with a tremendous motor, great play recognition, good block destruction, and he is very physical. He does have an FCS offer from Valparaiso right now, but would likely have more had there been a Spring Eval Period and college camps like usual. I imagine coaches at the FCS scholarship level and higher will be taking a close look at him this coming season... He is that good of a player! <ul> <li>QB Ethan Brawdy - Evansville North, 2022</li> </ul> Listed at 6’ 185 on his Hudl, Ethan would only be considered on the smaller side for a couple of positions and QB is one of them. Since he is only a 2022, he will continue to grow and would probably be off this list in a year from now. Due to the success of players like Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson, we have started to see more and more QB’s that are in the 6’ range get a chance to play big time college football. Although shorter QB’s have been normalized at the high levels, a QB that is 6’ or shorter still has to be an anomaly in their skill-set to get recruited by D1 teams...Ethan may just have that skill-set. A true duel-threat, Ethan passed for 1789 yards / 17 TD’s and ran for 376 yards / 7 TD’s as a sophomore. He does his best work on the move, has a quick release, strong arm, and is an accurate thrower. The type of QB that can drive defensive coordinators crazy. Do not be surprised if you see Brawdy pick up offers sooner rather than later. <ul> <li>QB Max Milton - Heritage Christian, 2021</li> </ul> Listed at 5’10" 170 on his Hudl, Max has a great skill-set, but doesn’t possess the size of most pro style QB recruits. He had a monster Jr year passing for 2,426 yards and 32 TD’s. One of the worries with smaller QB prospects is that they will struggle seeing the field behind the tall OL/DL players and/or get balls batted down at the line of scrimmage. With great field vision and a calm pocket presence, that does not appear to be an issue for Milton. He excels with the deep ball among other things, and will be another guys for coaches to keep a close eye on this upcoming season. <ul> <li>OL RJ Brooks - Lawrence North, 2022</li> </ul> Listed at 6’1" 255 on his Hudl, RJ is far from small for a 2022 prospect that will continue to grow. Being that he is a D1 prospect, Brooks is only on the smaller side when you start comparing him to other D1 OL that currently have offers. He is extremely athletic, can bend, is explosive, has great feet, and really good lateral movement. Put him in a 6’4" body and he would probably have D1 offers right now. He is only a rising Jr so he will likely continue to grow, but I wanted to put him on this list in the meantime. RJ has a chance to become a well known prospect over the next year, and he is one that college coaches need to be taking a close look at. <ul> <li>RB Blake Huffman - Columbus North, 2021</li> </ul> Listed at 5’7" 168 on His Hudl, Blake has been a big weapon for North over the past 2 seasons. Having amassed 2,768 yards and 26 TD’s in his varsity career, the rising Sr is threat as a runner, receiver, and return man. His versatility, ability to be a great special teams performer, and production are all things certain to grab college coaches attention in the coming year. I expect him to have another big season with well over 1,000 yards.  