Richmond Hill Football’s Top Returners For The 2021 Season
Even though most high school football fans in Georgia may be unfamiliar with Richmond Hill, we wanted to take some time to recognize the fact that they are very much up and coming. Not only do they have their own…
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Continue ReadingEven though most high school football fans in Georgia may be unfamiliar with Richmond Hill, we wanted to take some time to recognize the fact that they are very much up and coming. Not only do they have their own share of talent, but the Wildcats finished off last season with a 9-3 record. In their region, they finished with a 5-1 record, which was second place overall. While they made a run in the regular season and found themselves in the playoffs, this was unfortunately cut short in the second round by Westlake High School, who had a great 2020 season in their own right as well. Going into the 2021 season, we are expecting them to capitalize on their strengths from last season, and to continue to develop as a team. If they can continue to do this, and to mold their young talent, the sky is the limit.
Ben Hethcoat- QB
While there is not a large amount of film on Hethcoat, it can be expected that he will step up as the QB for the team next season. He has a tall, and long frame, which assists him in being able to see over the line, and make reads on the defense. While he is a bit raw and slow in his throwing mechanics, he has decent arm strength and ball placement. Hethcoat also displays a small bit of athleticism outside of the pocket due to his slight burst and speed with the ball in his hands, but he still needs some work in his overall footwork and the way he steps up in the pocket and attacks the play with his arm. If he can continue to work on his throwing mechanics as well, he can take the necessary steps to grow in his craft, and to be a big time player for his team at the QB position.
Hayden McCullough- LB
Standing at 6’4, 190, McCullough is one of the bigger LB’s in the state of Georgia. His length is one of the things that proves to generate success for him, as he is able to make tackles from seemingly out of reach positions. This can be seen as he does a good job of grabbing hold of ball carriers in pursuit. While he can be a bit raw at times as well, we do like his overall ability to use his feet and speed to allow him to be in place to make tackles all over the field. McCullough also does a decent job of allowing his power to translate through in his tackles, which results in a pop on contact at times. Moving forward, we want to see him work on his fluidity, bend, and the way he gets out of some of his breaks.
Ryan Dekl- RB
Even though Dekl is a bit of a smaller running back, we do like his overall burst with the football in his hands, and how he also allows his vision to help him pick up good yards. He can be seen to be a bit of a short yardage back due to his initial twitch and ability to make defenders miss. Dekl does not display great long speed, but we like the way he runs with power behind his pads, and is able to run through contact and keep his legs moving on contact. Paired with this, he also shows the ability to run with good change of direction and feet, which ultimately contributes to his success. Next season, look for him to continue to be a key factor for the Wildcats ground game.
Christian Hubbard- OL
Even though Hubbard is a bit of a shorter OL prospect, this does not stop him from using good leverage against defenders. He rolls his hips well on contact and uses his feet to allow him to work the field well and pull if needed. Hubbard also does a good job of finishing the play, and using his hands to maneuver his blocks well. In his stance, he also displays good bend, which translates to power as he makes blocks off of the ball. As he continues to grow in strength and ability, we would like to see him improve in the way he leans at the waist at times, and allows himself to be off balance. If he can find a way to play with balance, he will see more consistency in his overall output.