Pierce County’s Top Returners For The 2021 Season

During the 2020 season, the Pierce County Bears had as successful of a season as they could have wanted to. As far as their overall record stands, they finished the season 13-1, with 4 of these wins coming within their region. This just scratches the surface of their success though, because they also managed to make a great playoff run that ultimately resulted in a State Championship win over Oconee County. In this game, the Bears won 13-7, and already began to look forward to what 2021 could hold. As the 2021 season approaches, plenty talented players for Pierce County will be returning, and you can expect them to continue to produce at a high rate, just as they did in 2020. Below, we noted a few players worth checking out before this upcoming season rolls around. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="33882" first="Donelius" last="Johnson"]-</strong> <em>LB / RB </em> At 6'0, 215 pounds, Johnson has already made a positive impact on his team's defense as a Junior. Off the snap of the ball, Johnson is a very fluid, athletic LB, who is able to use his burst, speed, and strength to be able to get to the ball quickly, and wrestle ball carriers to the ground. In a lack of words, Johnson can be seen to be a thumper on contact. This is due to the fact that he explodes on contact, uses his hands, and delivers a big pop, resulting in great tackles. Johnson moves very well both laterally, and vertically, as he does a decent job of dropping his hips, taking good angles, and exploding through contact. Johnson also does a good job of bending, getting out of his breaks, and playing with good discipline as the play develops. Not only do we expect each of these traits to translate well going into his senior year, but we also expect it to be what helps him to continue to stand out among his teammates. Look for him to pick up more offers as the season gets rolling. <strong>Daytin Baker- </strong><em>DB</em> On the defensive side of the ball, Baker has become a great role player, as he is not afraid to use his hands, and to dirty his jersey when making tackles. While we would like him to step up more on some tackles, overall, he does a decent job of taking angles, and making stops. In coverage, he may be a step behind sometimes, but we like the way he attempts to stay in the hip pocket of defenders, and runs with them. Baker turns and runs well, but at times, with the ball in the air, he can be a bit lost in space. In 2021, we would love to see him improve in this area, as well as his footwork, and overall speed. <strong>Ty Everson-</strong><em> DE / TE </em> Everson is a big bodied prospect that does a decent job of using his length, frame, and strength to his advantage. This helps him to make great plays in pursuit, as his length and reach are much longer than many players. Even though he can be a bit stiff at times, his ability to wrap up on ball carriers, and pressure the pocket is very consistent for his team, and ultimately contributes to the team's overall defensive success. When he gets off of the ball, Everson also does a decent job of rolling his hips at times, but can also get caught leaning, and using his hands inconsistently. Next season, we would like to see Everson work on his overall leverage, use of hands, and footwork. If he is able to do so, he will see his game improve in countless ways.