Twitter tag mid-season tape review: Part 1

Getting the chance to meet some of these up-and-coming athletes has been a highlight of my time with PrepRed Zone. My goal from day 1 has been to be a resource for them and help in any way possible. Due to my schedule, I was unable to get to any games this weekend, but I still wanted to give the young men as much exposure as I could. With that said, plenty of them have either tagged me on Twitter or sent me their highlights into my direct messages and I have reviewed their tape, halfway through the 2021 spring season. Here is the first part of my mid-season film review. 2022 Deerfield safety Luke Woodson (5’11” and 190lbs) @LukeWoodson2 Even though Woodson plays linebacker, the skills he uses there will help him at the next level when he moves back and plays safety. So far this year, he’s shown the ability to attack the LOS and make plays in the backfield, his read and recognition skills standing out. Woodson has a knack for making TFL’s while getting his hands on the football. In limited duty, Woodson still made made a huge impact for his team. 2023 Montini quarterback Cole Teschner (6’2” and 189lbs) @ColeTeschner After seeing Teschner multiple times over the offseason, all I needed to see was him do it with some duress in the pocket. He’s done that plus more so far, showing off an absolute cannon for an arm, using his quick decision making to get the ball into receivers hands to get YAC. Teschner has all the tools to be a major player at quarterback. 2022 Buffalo Grove defensive end Eli Shereshovech (6’4” and 235lbs) @ShereshovechEli If there was an all-effort team, Shereshovich would be on it. A tireless worker who makes plays due to his nons-top motor, he’d be a boon to any team. Not the biggest, not the fastest, but what Shereshovich does is the dirty work. A great young man, who gets it done with his tenacity. 2022 Warren Township Defensive back [player_tooltip player_id="119134" first="Benjamin" last="Wilson"] (6’1” and 190lbs) @Benji_Wilson Wilson posses great size and skills set for a cornerback. He’s got great recovery speed, solid hips and good enough hands to make plays when the ball is thrown his way. He’s got great vision and anticipation, often coming up and making tackles on run plays. Wilson is strong at the point of attack, able to put receivers on the ground or altering their routes. Really like what I’ve seen so far this year from Wilson. 2022 Willowbrook running back Joshua Brown (5’9 and 200lbs) @Joshua74748359 The camp season never does backs justice and although you could see glimpses of what Brown was, until he put the pads on you really weren’t sure. I am sure now, Brown has been unstopable. Arm tackles won’t bring him down, he can get to the second level of a defense and take it to the house. Brown can put his head down and get the tough yards. Very impressed with his mid-season tape. 2022 Glenbard South defensive end [player_tooltip player_id="20912" first="Connor" last="Murphy"] (6’3” and 235lbs) @ConnorM42407009 After seeing Murphy dominate the camp competition, I didn’t expect anything else but a high level output during the real season. That’s exactly what has happened so far this year, he’s a game wrecker on the line. Offenses need to know where Murphy lines up, as he moves from end to tackle on occasions and still makes big plays. Active hands lead to forced fumbles, and his motor never stops so seeing him chase down plays from the backside isn’t out of the ordinary. Very good early showing by Murphy. 2022 Tuscola offensive guard Haven Hatfield (6’3” and 235lbs) @HavenHatfield1 Even though Hatfield plays tackle for his team, he’ll likely slide down a play guard at the next level. He’s got a good frame that can add on weight, but what I really liked seeing was his leg drive on run plays. Hatfield consistently pushes around his opponents, driving them down the field. I do need to see more of his pass protection, but as a run blocker Hatfield has been impressive early on. 2024 St. Francis quarterback Alessio Milivojovec (6’ and 195lbs) @alessiomilivoj1 Getting a taste of varsity as a freshman is impressive, but at the quarterback position it’s even more so. Milivojovec doesn’t look out of place at all for such a young player, showing good arm strength for his age. There’s room to grow, but the base is there for a productive quarterback in the near future. 2022 St. Rita cornerback Brayden “BJ” Hall (5’10” and 180lbs) @Upnextbjay A big time difference maker on special teams, Hall has to be accounted for when teams kickoff. Already he’s taken one to the house, and more will come if teams continue to challenge him. On defense, Hall is strong enough to press bigger receivers, with speed to catch up if needed. He’s not afraid to come up and make tackles in the run game either. So far so good for Hall in his junior year. 2022 Benton quarterback [player_tooltip player_id="65707" first="Keegan" last="Glover"] (6’ and 160lbs) @GloverKeegan Over the offseason Glover improved immensely, but again, with shorts and t-shirts the game is much different. Once the pads get back on, you really see the improvements and with the Benton quarterback it’s obvious. Glover is a good decision maker, reading the defense pre-snap and already knowing what his first read is, that’s why he’s able to get the ball out of his hands quickly. The accuracy is very good, often getting the ball in places his receivers can get YAC. He a good athlete who can pick up yards with his feet, but the most impressive thing I saw was his willingness to stand in the pocket to buy the extra second for his receiver to get open while taking a hit. Glover still needs to add weight to take those shots on a more regular basis, but showing that he’s willing to do so now is a great sign.