2023 Athletes That Will Amaze: Part 1

While the term athlete can be applied to any great football player, it takes something special to be given that distinction for your position. It takes being the main playmaker; the guy that coaches give the ball to and just let him create something. The athlete position is reserved for the prospects who are capable of making something special happen every time they touch the ball. While those requirements may not be for everybody, Indiana’s Class of 2023 certainly produces several players who fit that billing. Today, we will take a look at five outstanding Junior-to-be athletes who are ready to make their presence felt on every snap this season. [player_tooltip player_id="106955" first="Aycen" last="Stevens"], 6’4 200 pounds, Decatur Central [player_tooltip player_id="106955" first="Aycen" last="Stevens"] is an all-around playmaker. Stevens contributes in all three phases. First, he is an outstanding quarterback. He is more than just a situational quarterback, he is their main quarterback and he does very well there. Stevens has good pocket presence, makes all the read and delivers a good throw. He is a very accurate passer. As a quarterback Stevens can be the dual-threat quarterback that now fits most college offenses. He can run the read-option and run-pass-option plays effectively. Stevens can extend the play and pick up yardage with his legs. Defensively, Stevens is a terrific outside linebacker. He plays with tenacity. Stevens gets after the quarterback and he also sets the edge in the running game. Stevens can also play on the punt return unit. [player_tooltip player_id="39072" first="Sam" last="West"], 6’4, 200 pounds, Greensburg Community [player_tooltip player_id="39072" first="Sam" last="West"] is an elite playmaker for Greensburg Community. West lines up primarily at receiver. He is the kind of wide out that can put pressure on a defensive backfield on every play. He runs all of the routes well and he can either stretch the field vertically or run routes underneath. West can also excel when running the intermediate routes. He is a sure-handed receiver that also has the vital ability to turn a short gain into a big play. West immediately looks to turn up field and he can make defenders miss in the open field. West brings that same ability to special teams. He is a great kickoff returner and can flip field position. [player_tooltip player_id="107082" first="Devaon" last="Holman"], 6’0, 170 pounds, Warren Central [player_tooltip player_id="107082" first="Devaon" last="Holman"] is an extremely valuable player both offensively and defensively. On the defensive side of the ball, Holman is a shut-down corner, capable of taking on the toughest assignments each week. Holman has great ball skills and he can make life difficult on receivers and quarterbacks. Offensively, Holman is an electrifying receiver. Holman can run every route at a high level. What sticks out to me the most on film, though, is Holman’s ability to make difficult catches. He has a great catch radius and he can come up with every throw even if it is a low throw or a high throw. [player_tooltip player_id="107082" first="Devaon" last="Holman"] also possesses the critical ability to make contested catches. This will serve him very well at the next level as he will be able to deal with tight coverage. [player_tooltip player_id="107236" first="Da’Von" last="Doughty"], 5’10, 190 pounds, Bishop Luers [player_tooltip player_id="107236" first="Da’Von" last="Doughty"] is an outstanding defensive lineman and running back for the Bishop Luers Knights. On defense, Doughty dominates the line-of-scrimmage. Doughty gets off the ball quickly and uses his hands well. He can shed and defeat any block and quickly get into the opposing backfield. Doughty is also a threat at running back. He has good vision and can hit the hole hard. Doughty does a good job of putting his foot in the ground and attacking when he sees an opening. [player_tooltip player_id="107236" first="Da’Von" last="Doughty"] can make an explosive play happen at any time. [player_tooltip player_id="107292" first="Evan" last="Sherrill"], 6’1, 210 pounds, Hamilton Southeastern [player_tooltip player_id="107292" first="Evan" last="Sherrill"] is a playmaker in all three phases. Offensively, Sherrill is terrific when coming out of the backfield. He is a physical runner who frequently requires more than one defender to get him down. He is a north-south type of runner, which is the kind of ball carrier that would do well against defenses that are faster at the college level. On defense, Sherrill flies to the football. He is a good tackler and he has the ability to force fumbles. [player_tooltip player_id="107292" first="Evan" last="Sherrill"] also does well on special teams. He covers punts and makes plays that will put the offense in poor field position. Each of these five amazing student-athletes has the ability to take any program to the next level. All of these players are on the cusp of big things this season. Tomorrow, I will break down the remaining five athletes who are currently ranked in the Class of 2023 state rankings. These prospects can be the centerpiece of an entire program. College coaching staffs who are looking to provide a jolt of energy in their team, should start by taking a look at these outstanding players.