2021 South Dakota Team Preview: Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers
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SIOUX FALLS, SD– There is a new era of high school football in the 605 area code in the upcoming 2021 season, and it belongs to the new kids on the block, the Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers. Although the Cavaliers are…
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Continue ReadingSIOUX FALLS, SD– There is a new era of high school football in the 605 area code in the upcoming 2021 season, and it belongs to the new kids on the block, the Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers. Although the Cavaliers are entering their inaugural season in 11AAA, when you take a look at their new roster, you will see plenty of familiar prospects, especially when you look at Quarterback, the wide receiving core, and the secondary. With Jefferson being built on Sioux Falls’s northwest side, it tapped heavily into the 2020 roster from Sioux Falls Roosevelt and lightly tapped into Sioux Falls Lincoln as well. Although in their first year and having a roster with not a lot of senior leadership, Sioux Falls Jefferson head coach Vince Benedetto has a loaded junior class. We will evaluate his Class of 2023 very heavily in this team preview of the Sioux Falls Jefferson Cavaliers. Enjoy!
2023 PROSPECTS
Taylen Ashley Taylen Ashley 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State | Quarterback | Twitter
There is no denying that Ashley is the most dominant athlete in the Class of 2023 across the Dakotas. His ability to create plays with his legs makes him such a weapon when he evades the pocket. He also shows a quick release even under duress and recorded some of the best numbers in the 40-yard dash amongst Quarterbacks at the Augie prospect camp I attended a month ago. I think if this young man can dial in with some improved throwing mechanics this summer and beyond, he will have plenty of options when it comes to both on hardwood and the gridiron as far as college-level suitors. Ashley still holds the torch as our #1 prospect in the 2023 Class throughout the Dakotas going into the fall season.
Griffin Wilde Griffin Wilde 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State | Wide Receiver/Defensive Back | Twitter
Wilde made the biggest splash on rankings update day, picking up one of the earliest Divison I offers we had seen on the books in the Dakotas since site launch last fall. In the next rankings update, Wilde will crash into becoming one of the top 5s prospects throughout the entire Dakotas, so 100% ignore where he’s at now. Why did SDSU and USD offer this young man so early? Wilde is a prospect that was a burner at the SDSU prospect camp running in the mid 4.6s consistently as just an incoming junior. This kid has a big burst out the gates and is one that continues his speed even 15-20 yards upfield as he has terrific stamina as well. Wilde also showed at the Augie Prospect camp how effective he is on his turns, as I thought live looked even more fluid than what I found on tape. With two FCS offers on his recruiting board, do not be surprised to see FBS programs take notice once the season gets started, as I think Wilde is going to have a breakout year, especially since he will keep the same QB1 at Jefferson, in Taylen Ashley Taylen Ashley 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State .
Robert Hutchinson | Wide Receiver/Defensive Back | Twitter
I really liked Hutchinson’s film based on the small window he needs to make a play on the football. He doesn’t have the longest sophomore tape I have ever seen, but the product on the entire tape shows how well this young man can make tough plays with his sound football IQ with his footwork. Hutchinson, like Wilde, got varsity reps as a sophomore but at Sioux Falls Lincoln. Hutchinson will be a prospect on our upcoming Class of 2023 rankings sometime this Fall, as I am bummed I didn’t find his film sooner!
Beau Giblin Beau Giblin 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State | Wide Receiver/Defensive Back | Twitter
A top 10 prospect in the Class of 2023, Giblin has stuck out not only on film but at the Augie prospect camp, where he looks to have terrific ball awareness and vision. He’s not a safety you will always see play particularly deep, so don’t be surprised to see him crash into the first level and attack the ball. He is also solid in reading the tailback’s movements as he can assess their direction at a high level. You can’t not love his contact level either, as in the bulk of his clips, he shows a physical presence regardless of where he is on the field.
Tayten Sanow Tayten Sanow 5'10" | 180 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State | Running Back/Linebacker | Twitter
Sanow, from what I have heard, has really been a gym rat in the new Jefferson High School weight room. I have followed this young man’s speed improvement throughout the last few weeks via Twitter, and it’s great to see him making great strides. He also has increased his strength bench pressing 280 pounds from a clip I saw today.
Sanow’s film from last year at Roosevelt shows a prospect that has some raw potential. He has an excellent motor to get to crash the inside rushing lanes, but I would love to see him more physical in 2021 as his contact is a little less than I would like on some plays out of my linebackers. He also can develop better balance when making his attack on the ball. If he can nail down those two items, he could be a significant stockriser in our next rankings update for the Class of 2023.
Sam Siegfried | Tight End/Defensive End | Twitter
Siegfried is a well-put-together tight end that is light on the tape, but I expect to be a red-zone threat for the Cavaliers in their inaugural 2021 season. I really like Siegfried’s extension when he gets in the air for the football as his extension looks like a next-level tight end even though we haven’t seen all the tape yet at the varsity level. He runs a multitude of routes from short to long, so don’t expect him to play just at the first down markers. Siegfried also has solid awareness around the sidelines, knowing exactly where his feet need to be to make the play. Of course, I would love to see more tape in his junior season with some added technique with his blocking abilities, as that is the one thing he doesn’t show much of on tape as of yet. Look for this young man to be a Tight End to Watch in the 2021 season, as I’m excited for him to put more film together.
London Kolb | Wide Receiver/Defensive Back | Twitter
Coming over from Sioux Falls Lincoln, Jefferson has an All-Conference safety fall into their lap in London Kolb. Kolb is a deep safety but has extremely quick instincts and reaction time to get up and make a play on the ball. He is a prospect that can cover a ton of ground all over the football field, which is 100% what you want out of your safety. This young man has some excellent potential to play high scholarship-level football. In my opinion, when you watch the tape, it’s hard to see a better duo in South Dakota at the safety position between London Kolb and Beau Giblin Beau Giblin 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State .
2021 Sioux Falls Cavaliers Schedule
Fri, August 27th- Home vs. Sioux Falls Washington
Sat, September 4th- Away @ Brandon Valley
Fri, September 10th- Home vs. Rapid City Stevens
Fri, September 17th- Away @ Yankton
Fri, September 24th- Away @ Rapid City Central
Fri, October 1st- Home vs. Sioux Falls Roosevelt
Mark your calendars to be at Howard Wood Field at 5:00 PM for this one. This is a newfound rivalry in the 2021 season. If you know how they split up the city of Sioux Falls, you know should know that the new build of Jefferson High School took a bulk of talent away from the Roughriders as the Cavaliers added three prospects in the Class of 2023 in our top 25 just from Roosevelt alone. It will undoubtedly be a fun matchup to kick off in October.
Sat, October 9th- Away @ Sioux Falls Lincoln
Fri, October 15th- Away @ Harrisburg
Thurs, October 21st- Home vs. Sioux Falls O’Gorman