USNFT Denver Regional Top DL & OL

The U.S. National Team Denver Regional was an opportunity for so many athletes from within the state, and some from other states, to showcase their skills in front of college and high school coaches. One player from each position was awarded a silver chain that dubbed them as the best performer in their position throughout the entire event. For the defensive line, [player_tooltip player_id="22717" first="Justis" last="Laulu"] (2022) stood out from the minute he stepped onto the field during the first day. The silver chain for the offensive linemen went to [player_tooltip player_id="22775" first="Ethan" last="Thomason"] (2023) whose development over the course of the two-day event was nothing less than outstanding. Offensive lineman and Michigan commit [player_tooltip player_id="22675" first="Connor" last="Jones"] (2022) took home the high school MVP award at the end of the national event. For a more in-depth look into the other award-winners, check out <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/05/the-top-players-from-the-u-s-national-team-denver-regional/">The Top Players from the USNFT Denver Regional</a>. Not everyone gets to be named the top player, but that does not mean that there was a shortage of amazingly talented athletes in attendance. Below is a list of the high school defensive and offensive linemen who stood out during the event. <div class="mceTemp"></div> [caption id="attachment_140040" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-140040 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/1630EF40-CDA0-4A2C-851E-672F74FD5DDF.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> [player_tooltip player_id="22678" first="Jareb" last="Ramos"][/caption][player_tooltip player_id="22678" first="Jareb" last="Ramos"] | Arapahoe | 6’4”, 260lbs | 2022 DE Ramos is a big athlete with an impressive frame. He is a defensive end with the versatility to line up inside and bring pressure. Over the course of the two-day event, he showed vast improvements in his ability to defeat offensive blocking. Especially when it came to attacking the offensive lineman’s inside shoulder, allowing him to parry the inside hand and rip past for immediate pressure. Once settled in, Ramos displayed dominating strength and speed with each rep he would take. [caption id="attachment_140033" align="alignright" width="217"]<img class="wp-image-140033" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/85D48880-3485-4495-8248-5260B54FF748-300x300.jpeg" alt="" width="217" height="217" /> Chase Brackney[/caption] Chase Brackney | Palmer Ridge | 6’4”, 230lbs | 2023 DE Brackney is a defensive end with solid size and impressive speed. He is a young player with a very bright future ahead of him. His strength brings him success when using the bull rush technique, while his agility enables him to dip and rip past would-be blockers. Brackney draws attention off of his size alone, but his attributes during drills and competition make him a spotlight-stealer. Matthew Jennings | Pine Creek | 6’1”, 230lbs | 2024 OL [embed]https://twitter.com/coachwes_23/status/1390372129909190658?s=20[/embed] Jennings stood out early during the first drills on day one. A few things that helped him to take the spotlight were his quick feet, fast hands, vocal communication, and his ability to take coaching and instantly apply it to his game. He also adjusts well when having to switch on crossing defensive linemen, showing great awareness and eye discipline. Jennings has the leadership qualities needed for a reliable center who can be trusted to make necessary adjustments at the line. He has the potential to be another great Colorado offensive lineman. [caption id="attachment_140034" align="alignright" width="203"]<img class="wp-image-140034" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/CEB33A9F-D49F-4D04-B18A-9F29DB221BBF-300x300.jpeg" alt="" width="203" height="203" /> [player_tooltip player_id="22670" first="Travis" last="Gray"][/caption][player_tooltip player_id="22670" first="Travis" last="Gray"] | Cherokee Trail | 6’8”, 305lbs | 2022 OT Gray checks off all of the eye-test boxes immediately. He is tall, big, and has an exceptionally wide wingspan. One thing that really stands out about Gray is his ability to force would be rushers to look for extremely creative ways to get pressure on the quarterback, something that is a lot harder to do than it may sound. From the tackle position, he does a good job of forcing the edge rusher to take a wider angle and sealing the outside edge.   [caption id="attachment_140035" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-140035 size-medium" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/4E97A8C1-A7F0-4C1F-BF84-C3D94BB0D0A9.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> Gunner Schoepflin[/caption] Gunner Schoepflin | Ralston Valley | 6’0”, 220lbs | 2023 DL Schoepflin is a three-technique with explosive power and a relentless motor. What he lacks in size, he makes up for with his quickness and hand-fighting abilities. He also uses his size and speed to his advantage when going up against bigger offensive linemen by exploiting the leverage mismatch. Schoepflin is a hard-working player who puts everything he has in every rep with a “yes, Coach” mentality. Auston Nash | Vista Ridge | 6’0”, 220lbs | 2023 DL Nash is a player who popped up on the radar during a few of his reps during the weekend’s event. What really stood out about him was his ability to take coaching tips after one rep and immediately apply that to his next rep. He also possesses the aggressive mentality needed to compete on the defensive line. Once he started to add the teachings to his game and improve on the little things, his stock quickly went up and made him a name to look out for heading into the fall season. Stephen Del Giudice II | Grant (OR) | 6’3”, 225lbs | 2024 OL Giudice II is a very young player with a very high ceiling. He quietly stood out by correcting and improving on the little aspects of his game. His first kick step is quick, allowing for him to cut off the rusher’s path while using his base and strong initial strike to hold his ground. When competing against older and stronger talent, Giudice II impressively held his own and showed his true potential. [embed]https://twitter.com/coachwes_23/status/1390373571894128645?s=20[/embed]