5 of Iowa’s 1A C/O 2022 Tackling Machines: Linebackers Part IV

Good play at the linebacker position requires a unique athletic skill set, precise instincts, and a willingness to lay it all on the line. Take a look at 5 of the best in Iowa’s 1A C/O 2022 and their distinctive qualities to find out what makes these linebackers verified tackling machines. [player_tooltip player_id="24020" first="Dallas" last="Westhoff"], Columbus Catholic, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11765732/Dallas-Westhoff/highlights">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/dallaswesthoff2">Twitter</a> MLB, 6’1, 210 Westhoff dominates at the Middle Linebacker position and collects tackle after tackle with excellent fundamentals and a strong understanding of how to fill and flow. At the snap Westhoff trusts his keys and flies to his responsibility knowing it will take him to the ball. When his keys take him to an inside gap he bursts downhill into open windows with square shoulders and good pad level. He is so quick in between the tackles that it makes it difficult for climbing offensive linemen to get hands on him. Westhoff, though, has very violent hands and can strike and shed blockers as well as anyone at the position. At the point of attack Westhoff shows off impressive tackling mechanics; he maintains posture while driving the leverage of his upper body down with very active feet. He is a secure tackler and if he doesn’t bring his opponent down right away he prevents extra yards from being gained while his teammates get to the ball in support. When his keys take him out of the box Westhoff displays swift and nimble sideline to sideline speed and attacks inside out tracking the hip. Westhoff is all over the field and has a nose for the ball. Ethan Shever, OABCIG, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11901889/Ethan-Shever/highlights">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/shever_ethan">Twitter</a> MLB, 6’2, 190 Shever is outstanding on inside gap fits and is very active in the box. He often lines up in a 10 technique just a few yards back from the line of scrimmage. His ability to operate in limited space highlights some impressive features. The first is his ability to react immediately and plug gaps. When your alignment brings you closer to the trenches it can give blockers the upper hand because they operate more effectively in confined space. Shever, in his case, proves that wrong as he has all the conviction in the world and works right to his assignment at the snap. He has very quick hands and superior athleticism that keep blockers off and, when he needs to, he can strike violently and separate fast to stay clean as he works downhill. Shever demonstrates top-tier physical strength and understanding of leverage when taking on blocks. He defeats much larger opponents on a regular basis on his way to the ball. The impact and collisions of Shever’s tackles are big. He overpowers ball carriers when he can square them up and throws them around when he can get his hands on, but contact isn’t exactly clean. [player_tooltip player_id="23988" first="Jayden" last="Soard"], South Central Calhoun, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Edha7">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/jsoard55">Twitter</a> LB, 6’1, 215 Soard gets after it on the edge; he is an exceptional edge blitzer, speed rusher, and off-tackle presence. He is very fast off the edge and incredibly disruptive in the back field when blitzing. Soard identifies what is happening as he takes his first step and reacts accordingly. He can get as flat as he needs to be to get to the ball before it hits the line of scrimmage or go straight to the mesh and blow it up. Soard has also shown a knack for speed rushing and does an impressive job getting after the upfield shoulder of the quarterback; he’s just too quick for most tackles to be able to get to in pass protection. He bends impressively and maintains speed through changes of direction. Soard is just as effective from the outside against the run. He sets a very hard edge with square shoulders and violent hands. He also knows how to identify plays like jet and toss and trigger to shut the offense down before they can really even get going. Soard is versatile in alignment and is very capable of playing in the box. He is fast and has sideline to sideline speed. He also makes a lot of tackles patrolling the flat in coverage. [player_tooltip player_id="100846" first="Gavin" last="Cornelison"], ACGC, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2EpLWW">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealGavin21">Twitter</a> MLB, 5’11, 210 Cornelison gets so low at the point of making a tackle through an inside gap and absolutely launches into the body of his opponent. His leverage is outstanding and if he squares a ball carrier up they don’t stand a chance. As he makes contact he sinks his hooks in and runs his feet right through the ball carrier’s momentum. The fundamentals of the way Cornelison tackles gives him the ability to stop a play dead at the line of scrimmage. He also has top notch hip mobility and it shows up very clearly in the way he moves. Cornelison can fit a window rapidly and own the inside gaps. He is an impressive inside gap blitzer who times his attack really well and causes a lot of chaos in the backfield. Cornelison also shows a high aptitude for taking on blocks; he shocks with violent hands and sheds by throwing his opponent to the ground as he passes and gets eyes on the ball carrier. Cornelison can contribute just as much when the play goes off-tackle. He takes exact angles that will get him to the ball carrier and leverages the run inside out to make sure he prevents the play from cutting back into the middle of the field. Cade Molyneux, Sigourney Keota, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/8334983/Cade-Molyneux/highlights">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/CadeMolyneux">Twitter</a> LB, 5’9, 177 Molyneux’s ability to maneuver around offensive linemen between the tackles and navigate his way to the ball is very impressive. He is exceptionally fast and has very quick feet; Molyneux takes a great read step at the snap and is so twitchy in keeping the feet active as he reads. He bounces rapidly and explosively as he diagnoses the play and then bursts towards his responsibility. On his way downhill, especially between the tackles, Molyneux strikes blockers and knocks hands away as he passes. At the depth he comes from at the snap it is exceedingly difficult for much less athletic linemen to try and block him in space. He is elusive and really difficult to put hands on. When his keys take Molyneux out of the box he can kick it into high gear and go. There isn’t much that he can’t run down when opposing offenses try to spread the defense out. Molyneux identifies where the play is headed, takes a great angle, and gets there suddenly with elite closing speed. He has a nose for the ball and, whether it is in the box or off-tackle, Molyneux disengages and beats blocks in position to make a tackle.