Alexander Cougars’ Top Returners For The 2021 Season

The Alexander Cougars play in one of the most competitive regions in Georgia High School Football. They play in Region 5, of 6A football, and face teams such as Carrollton, Dalton, Douglas County, South Paulding, and Rome. Despite the stiff competition, the Cougars managed to finish the 2020 season with a 7-4 record, including an overall 5-2 record in their region. The only losses in their region came to Rome and Douglas County. Regardless, the Cougars found themselves in the playoffs. In the playoffs they fell a bit short though, as they lost to Dacula. Due to the large amount of talent they still have on their roster, they still have a good chance of making a run in 2021. Below, feel free to check out some of their top returners who will certainly help them play up to par. <strong>Elijah Casey- </strong><em>MLB</em> Elijah Casey is a bit of an underrated player for the Cougars, but is very instrumental to the defense. While he can be a bit stiff, he does a good job of using his length and frame to his advantage. He rips through blocks well with his arms, and is able to use his length to make tackles that are seemingly out of reach. Paired with this, he also uses his quickness to work the sidelines, and make big stops. This results in tackles in pursuit, as well as stops in the backfield. One thing Casey will need to work on moving forward is the way he uses his leverage, and transitions his burst and speed out of his breaks. If he is able to do this effectively, he can manage to become an even better player over time. <strong>Shaun Parker- </strong><em>CB</em> One of the first things that stands out about Parker is his knack for the football, and ball skills when the ball is in the air. He proves to track the ball well, as this results in interceptions pretty often, as well as pass break ups. To go along with this, Parker also finishes plays, when playing the pass, and shows a good amount of discipline in his technique. While he can be a bit raw out of his breaks, we do like the way he moves fluidly and shows that he can sink and bend. In coverage, he does a good job of playing to the receivers hip pocket, and using his hands effectively. As a tackler though, he is not as productive, as Parker shows the tendency to be a bit timid. Next season, to take a step forward in his development, he will need to become more aggressive in all levels of his game. <strong>Donovan Hoskins- </strong><em>QB</em> Hoskins is a raw QB prospect, but he does enough to lead the Cougars to success. He has decent arm strength, but he has very raw and inconsistent mechanics. This can be seen in the rise and fall in his shoulders when he throws the ball, as well as the way he transitions weight in his throws from his lower body, through his fingertips. Regardless, he does show the ability to be accurate at different levels of the field, as well as decent ball placement when passing directly to his receivers. Hoskins also has decent arm strength, but we like the way he uses his dual threat ability to be a game changer. The way he uses his legs to escape the pocket, threaten defenses, and even gash them for plenty of yards is what sets him apart. He has a great burst, speed, and finishing ability. His twitch, and quick feet also help him to be able to put defenders off balance, while also opening up big plays for his offense. Next season, look for him to work on his mechanics and to continue to be a force on the ground.