Fellowship Christian’s Top Returners For The 2021 Season

The Paladins may have fallen short in the playoffs last year, but they are still one of the top private school football programs in the entire state. As proof of this, they finished up last season with an overall 11-1 record. In this record, 4 of their wins came against regional opponents. By the time the playoffs rolled around, they competed against some of the better teams in the state, but as we mentioned above, they unfortunately fell in the third round to Trinity Christian, out of Sharpsburg, GA. The final score of the game was 41-27. As the 2021 season slowly approaches, we fully expect the Paladins to be back in the swing of things when it comes to competing for a state title. Below, we have listed a few players that will help them be able to do so. <strong>Kyle Elphick-</strong><em> LB</em> For a private school player, Elphick is a very polished LB, who elevates his game in big situations. Not only does he play well within zone coverage, and against the pass, but he has the ball skills to make a difference. This can be seen in the ways he jumps passes and reads the passer, creating turnovers and points for his team. Elphick moves very fluidly for a backer as well, as he does a good job coming downhill, or making plays in pursuit. When doing so, he uses his strength, length, and burst to help him make tackles, and finish opposing players through to the ground. Next season, we think that he will continue to use his strengths to his ability and increase his recruitment possibilities. <strong>Josh Cole- </strong><em>RB</em> Cole is more of a straight line runner, but his running style is still effective nonetheless. This is due to the fact that he also has the speed and burst that helps him to glide through the hole, and pickup yards before making it deep into the second level. His height and frame also plays a big factor in his game, as he runs the ball with a head full of steam at 6'3, 205 pounds. His little bit of twitch helps him to shake the first defender, but most of the time, he uses his strength to run through contact while keeping his legs moving. This same physicality is very beneficial to his team due to the fact that he uses this when he makes blocks for other runners. This selfless ability will certainly help him continue to chase success with his team in 2021. <strong>Nick Persiano- </strong><em>LB</em> Last season, Persiano saw a ton of time on the Paladins defense as a sophomore, and this will more than likely help him be very successful this upcoming season. While he can be a bit tight hipped when moving laterally, the way he plays with discipline, and awareness of his assignments and the game at hand, is ultimately what helps him make plenty of stops for his team. These stops are at multiple levels of the field including the backfield, and along the sidelines. When making tackles, Persiano is a bit slow when rolling his hips, but he does a good job of wrapping up, allowing time for others to help him bring players to the ground. Next season, to see a jump in his junior year, we want to see him work on his overall footwork, and flexibility. Improvements in these areas can help make him more productive against the pass as well. <strong>Zak Thomas-</strong><em> DE</em> Even though Thomas did not put up much film last year, we think that he can be a great contributor next season. A big reason for that is due to the fact that we think he will be able to step up at the DE position, as well as see more time on the field. Last season, he displayed great burst, speed, and the ability to use his length to his ability when making stops. His overall motor helped him to put himself in place to make tackles. Next season, look for the Paladins staff to use him more defensively, as his developmental ability and size would be too good to deny.