Prep Redzone WI Showcase: DL Standouts+Best Play in 1on1s

WAUKESHA-- We take a look at the eight defensive linemen that caught my eye at the Prep Redzone Wisconsin Showcase at Carroll University. It took over 1500 words to figure out who the top dogs were on the defensive side of the line! I also added who made the best play with the best technique of the afternoon in getting in the backfield from my eyes. [player_tooltip player_id="31372" first="Steven" last="Wauer"], Muskego (WI) (2023) Twitter: @StevenWauer Wauer was a defensive line prospect that had swift hands with a strong slap on Sunday, from what I saw in individual drills. Wauer logged some impressive shuttle numbers for his size at 4.68 and 4.73 and tapped in just under 8 seconds in both attempts in the L-Drill. I took a good look at Wauer’s film, and I really liked watching his posture in the trenches when he’s on the move. He moves quickly with his feet laterally, which I think is one of his best strengths in his game. In most of the clips I watched, he was one step ahead of the offensive linemen or had a solid flip in his hips to isolate himself from his defender and get to the ball carrier. Wauer is a high academic student (3.85 GPA, 32 ACT) that has gotten some looks at the D2 and D3 levels, including a visit to Concordia-St. Paul who seems to be one of a couple of Northern Sun programs showing interest in Wauer. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FCbjC">Jr. Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="118824" first="Ethan" last="Hendrickson"], Darlington (WI) (2022) Twitter: @ethanhendo2022 Hendrickson had some of the best lengths in his stretch from what I saw in 1on1s from Sunday at our Prep Redzone Wisconsin Showcase. He showed that athleticism in the broad jump jumping around the 9-foot range, which was one of the best averages I saw from this defensive linemen group. I took a glimpse of Hendrickson’s tape, and I saw a prospect that has some skills but still has some rawness to his game. I would say his shed-off speed looks to be his biggest strength, but I would like to see him work this summer on his take-off speed off the snap for a prospect his size as I think he has more in the tank. I did see how quick he can move in the trenches of the offensive line which I would love to see more of that speed transfer over to the defensive side of the ball. As far as physicality on his tackles, that would be another development he can work on this offseason as he’s a little light as far as the physicality I like in my defensive linemen. With that being said, I feel with those two developments more than likely in place this summer; this young man has a college football future. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2F1e0m">Jr. Tape</a> Isaac Chandler, Center Grove (IN) (2022) Twitter: @Isaachandler93 Chandler performed quite in a few testing areas, especially in the shuttle, and showed off some range in the broad jump being close to 9 feet in his first jump. Despite being slightly unsized, he had some sound footwork which kept him punching thru in 1on1 drills. Chandler shows quick get-off speed on his junior film and is a crasher in the backfield that maintains good balance when moving laterally between the linemen. He packs some strong, aggressive hands when finding the ball carrier for a tackle. Chandler also has strong reads between the tackles and uses his vision to find the ball carrier, even with some good depth perception on where he might be going. Chandler has, from my eyes, to be a solid small school prospect but could raise his ceiling up a level with a strong senior season for Center Grove as he’s close from what I can see with his skill set and measurables. [embed]https://twitter.com/Isaachandler93/status/1374115527250096135[/embed]   Mason South, Maple Grove (MN) (2022) Twitter: @MasonSouth003 The lone Minnesotan at the Prep Redzone Wisconsin Showcase made a strong impression on us PRZ scouts and the college coaches in attendance. South showed out to me most in 1on1s, where he got off to a hot start, quickly shedding off the offensive linemen pouncing into the backfield. South also placed inside the top 2-3 defensive linemen in the broad jump, jumping in the mid-8-foot range. South was one of the most consistent amongst DL in the early testing period. In Mason’s film, you see a kid that moves quickly around the line as barely has to shed off tackles because he has such a motor to get thru in space. He moves well in traffic and has a lot of energy when he does have to push defenders out of his way. South does a great job at flipping his hips to change directions when he sees the ball move and adjusts well on the fly. Every tackle he seems to make on film, he gets solid leverage to assure that ball carrier is not getting by him. South came in nearly 10 pounds heavier than his Hudl states, which makes me think this young man with be in the 220-225 range once the season starts, which will put him as one of the strongest defensive ends on the Crimson roster. I look forward to watching Mason South live this fall; being a nearby prospect, I can make a short drive to go watch. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2EcjcD">Jr. Tape</a> George Cook, Sun Prairie (WI) (2022) Twitter: @georgecookj Cook was one of the prospects from Sunday’s camp that showed off his craft in 1on1 drills. My colleague Mark Johnson and I were amazed at just how many times George went after the offensive line in 1on1s and won every single battle we witnessed. Cook was the definition on Sunday at our Prep Redzone Wisconsin Showcase as a workhorse, a kid that had average testing numbers and undersized measurables but made his reps count in every 1on1 showing PRZ scouts and college coaches that numbers are not everything; it’s how you get in done on the field in live reps. Cook did not play for the Cardinals last year, so I was able to dive into his sophomore film at Sun Prairie to see the progression from then thru today. Cook’s film from junior varsity was solid, as he looked like a nose tackle that filled in the gaps and stuffed the run well. George showed off a motor in his film, but I think his motor is even more impressive today than it was on tape, as well as his technique despite not playing next year. I believe this young man is deserving of a college football opportunity and could be a solid small school prospect from Sun Prairie, as he’s one of the biggest sleepers on the Cardinals roster from what I have watched. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2D0ZYq">So. Tape</a> [player_tooltip player_id="31425" first="Sam" last="Coufal"], Kettle Moraine (WI) (2023) Twitter: @sam_coufal If I had to hand out a couple of MVPs from the defensive line from Saturday, one would go to [player_tooltip player_id="31425" first="Sam" last="Coufal"] of Kettle Moraine. I saw Coufal as a prospect with the quickest hands in the group, which was impressive as he was one of the younger prospects in this DL group I watched heavily. I think this young man’s stock was raised in the individual drills and 1on1s as he finished more in the middle of the pack in the testing stations with his best tests in the L drill and broad jump. When I got my hands on Coufal’s film, I saw a kid with even better field speed than what I saw in testing. Sam’s game on both sides of the line is explosive, and you can tell offensively he goes the extra mile with his punching ability and makes sure that defender goes nowhere after he’s done with them. Defensively, Coufal works well in tight windows finding just enough push to get into the backfield and cause some trouble. I am a huge fan of this kid’s foot speed as he’s probably one of the best athletes I have watched on both sides of the line recently based on the 4-5 states I scout for Prep Redzone. Coufal will need to fill out significantly to play offensive line at the next level, so I feel confident he will be a defensive end or edge rusher at the next level due to his footwork. Excited to see where this young man takes his college football career after high school. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Efwxe">So. Tape</a> Johnny Orrico, Lincoln-Way West (IL) (2022) Twitter: @Jmorrico2437 Orrico was in the top 2 for the fastest hands in this defensive line group in individual drills. Orrico logged the fast 40-yard dash in the group at 4.88 and 4.96 and in the shuttle at 4.45 and 4.46. He did come in as the lightest on the defensive line at 177 pounds, but his speed was well seen by us PRZ scouts. When I watched Orrico’s tape from this recent Spring season, the first thing that stood out is just how long this kid can stretch. He checked in at 6’4 at our Prep Redzone Wisconsin Showcase, so I sought out his height, but I loved his reach on film, too, as it created a few turnovers within the first minute or so of film. Orrico is one of the most under-the-radar prospects from my list from Waukesha as he has generated much college interest via social media. I believe Orrico could be another solid small school prospect coming out of New Lenox, IL, where if he can add 15-20 pounds in the weight room, he could play linebacker at the college level. Orrico carries a 3.75 GPA, which is another strength about him off the field. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2FPkmL">Jr. Tape</a> BEST PLAY IN 1ON1’S [player_tooltip player_id="31293" first="Percy" last="Robertson"], Wawautosa East (2022) Robertson caught my eye in the clip below as he used his hands really well and was able to shed off a tough defender and get to the ball carrier quickly. [embed]https://twitter.com/thebrickwahl87/status/1396680099777466368[/embed] <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2EhBh4">Junior Tape</a>