Updated 2023 Indiana Rankings: Athlete Newcomers

With just 55 players previous ranked, there were plenty of players that will be newly ranked on <a href="https://prepredzone.com/indiana/rankings/2023-rankings/">PrepRed Zone’s 2023 Indiana’s rankings</a>. That was exactly that case as a large amount of new names popped up all across update. Here are the notable newcomers from the athlete group. Also take a look at the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/08/updated-2023-indiana-rankings-stock-risers/">stock risers</a> and the newcomers from the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/08/updated-2023-indiana-rankings-qb-wr-newcomers/">QB’s and WR’s</a>, <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/08/updated-2023-indiana-rankings-rb-te-newcomers/">RB’s and TE’s</a>, <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/08/updated-2023-indiana-rankings-ol-dl-newcomers/">OL’s and DL’s</a>, and <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/08/updated-2023-indiana-rankings-db-lb-newcomers/">LB’s and DB’s</a>. New Palestine OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id="185164" first="Luke" last="Burgess"] (6’8” and 270lbs) @lsburgess098 Rank: 30 overall, ATH 3 I leaned towards ranking Burgess as a defensive lineman, but an athlete his size with extremely long arms could ultimately end up as an offensive tackle. Although there wasn’t much film as an OT, Burgess has the length, athleticism and bend that teams look for in protecting a quarterbacks blindside. If he doesn’t end up on offense, as a defensive end, Burgess is an absolute monster. He’s quick off the, has great hands on pass rush moves or just to disengage. The jumbo athlete has tons of potential and Burgess should end up playing on the D1 level. Norwell OL/DL [player_tooltip player_id="185165" first="Brody" last="Bolyn"] (6’3” and 250lbs) @BolynBrody Rank: 39 overall, ATH 6 The epitome of a football player, Bolyn seems like he loves the physicality of the game. A great hand fighter, a trait that will play on either side of the ball. He’s a bit too small to end up as a tackle, but could be a mauling guard. On defense, the athleticism shows with a variety of moves that enable him to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Teams can never has enough players like Burgess on their squads and he should start seeing a whole lot more recruiting attention with a big junior year. North Decatur RB/DB [player_tooltip player_id="185166" first="Reid" last="Messer"] (6’ and 175lbs) @messer_reid Rank: 41 overall, ATH 7 With above average speed, Messer has a future on either side of the ball. He’s a versatile defender in the secondary, playing on an island, in the slot or in the box as a safety. Messer has good anticipation and good ball skills. As a running back, Messer has some wiggle to his game along with being able to put his foot in the ground and make impressive cuts. WHen defenders gets close enough, he employs a powerful stiff arm to create space and gain extra yardage. Messer, also a very good blocker, could ultimately end up on either side of the ball. Kokomo S/QB [player_tooltip player_id="185188" first="Evan" last="Barker"] (5’11” and 210lbs) @evanbarker413 Rank: 66 overall, ATH 10 Not prototypical quarterback size, but in recently years we’ve seen plenty of smaller signal callers be extremely productive across all levels of football. Barker has a very smooth motion and above average arm strength. He makes throws with anticipation and can be a very dangerous runner. On defense, playing in the middle shows that he’s a very good tackler, but due to his size again, probably won’t end up there. As a strong safety, Barker could be a game changer. His recognition along with tackling skills give him versatility when coordinators are making calls. I tend to think Barker ends up on defense, but could also be an option for schools as a quarterback. Linton-Stockton QB/MLB/S/RB [player_tooltip player_id="185189" first="Hunter" last="Gennicks"] (5’10” and 190lbs) @hunter_gennicks Rank: 69 overall, ATH 11 There’s a reason why Baker and Gennicks were ranked almost next to each other, their skill sets and positions are almost identical. Gennicks is a bit smaller, but is also a very good athlete with solid arm strength. He ran for almost 1,000 yards last fall, so there’s potential for him to become a running back as well. On defense he’s rangy, but on the smaller side as a MLB. Again, Gennicks like Barker, has a great frame as a safety and very well could end up on that side of the ball. An impressive athlete that teams will have internal discussions as to which meeting room Gennicks will end up in. Covenant Christian QB/DB [player_tooltip player_id="185208" first="Tony" last="Flatt"] (6’ and 180lbs) @TonyFlatt4 Rank: 87 overall, ATH 15 There’s a reason why many quarterbacks make transitions to safety, it’s due to their ability to quickly diagnose plays and instinctually make the play. Flatt is a monster making plays in the backfield, over 16 TFL’s last fall. He’s got above average speed and solid hips, although putting him at corner might lead to some struggles. As a quarterback, Flatt has good footwork and gets the ball out quick. His quick decision making plays on both sides of the ball, but should lead Flatt to defense at the next level.