Mid-Season Stock-Risers: Sub-One League Pt.1
In this article:
We have arrived at midseason fast! Here are names (one-two from each Sub-One team) of prospects whose stocks are rising in PA, ranked or unranked!
Jaime Rivera | 6’0, 205 | MLB/ATH | Abington | 2023
Josiah Leonard | 5’9, 170 | DB/RB | Bensalem | 2022
Ethan Shine | 5’10, 220 | RB/LB | Central Bucks East | 2023
Cole Maholtz | 5’9, 190 | RB/LB | Central Bucks South | 2022
Jamal Banks Jamal Banks 5'9" | 180 lbs | ATH Cheltenham | 2023 PA | 5’9, 175 | RB | Cheltenham | 2023
Not on purpose, but I am going to group these five backs together. These five backs out of the Sub-One have me excited! All of these backs bring something different to the table, whether it be build, athleticism, skillset, or even defensive contributions.
Jaime Rivera is a new name to the site, as almost all of these stock risers are. Rivera is a bigger back, the biggest one of this group when considering height/weight combination. He makes sure it’s known on the field too. An ultra-aggressive runner who is going to seek out contact more often than not and win when lowering his pads. He’s going to get to the second level with solid gap vision, once this happens, the defense is going to need to bring this kid down collectively. He’s got a vicious stiff arm that he isn’t afraid to use. Awesome lower body strength, combined with a low center of gravity and tree trunks for legs. All of this equates to a back who runs with attitude. He’s a stud at linebacker as well, a position that may suit him well at the next level.
Josiah Leonard is the playmaker of this group. All of these kids “make plays”, Leonard just does it more often than not. Splash plays are littered all over his tape. Leonard shows great acceleration off of jump cuts behind the line of scrimmage, he can stop and start seamlessly. He’s scored from all over the turf, as well as contributing as Bensalem’s punt returner. He’s been going off this fall as I continue to see his name in stat leader pieces across PA. Josiah’s build is unassuming. Not too big, nothing necessarily special, yet he wants to finish runs. Opposing defenders take his size as a weakness, don’t be fooled. This kid doesn’t dance in the hole and will want to run through you if you are hesitant. Another unranked prospect who will fly up our boards in time.
Ethan Shine may be the best all-around back in this group, maybe in his league. Josiah Leonard has made noise in the stat ranks of PA. Ethan Shine has done that and more. His stats on the year go as follows according to Pennlive.com
97 carries, 580 yards, 8 touchdowns.
This kid looks the part of a future D1 caliber running back, so I was surprised to find out how slow recruitment has been for the kid. He is adept at picking his lanes in the trenches and accelerating through contact. Shine doesn’t pull any punches. He’s got serious pad precision before the second level, an advanced trait I don’t see from backs at this level often. I see Shine being the SOL’s leading rusher by the season’s end.
Cole Maholtz is another unranked player who has started his fall on a tear. Quickness in short spaces, Maholtz is utilized a ton at CB South. I love how ready he is athletically to handle so much on the football field. His build and skillset allow him to flourish in so many different areas. He’s a coach’s dream. The receiving/rushing threat has been accumulating quite the lines earlier on this season, including a night where he accounted for 163 scrimmage yards and three total touchdowns.
Jamal Banks Jamal Banks 5'9" | 180 lbs | ATH Cheltenham | 2023 PA is the lone ranked prospect among the backs, thanks to the Spring season that put me on to Cheltenham players. Jamal hasn’t put up prolific numbers per se but hasn’t had to due to the myriad of weapons at Cheltenham. I like Banks’ all-around game. Well balanced in his skillset. He can catch out of the backfield, he can provide linebacking reps, and contribute as a kick returner. He is consistent at what he does and is willing to align anywhere on offense to help move the ball. Favorite prospect of mine. Hope he continues to develop.
Gavin Papp Gavin Papp 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Council Rock North | 2023 State PA | 5’11, 175 | DB/ATH | Council Rock North | 2023
Alex Checchia Alex Checchia 6'5" | 245 lbs | TE Council Rock South | 2022 State PA | 6’5, 240 | TE/ATH | Council Rock South | 2022
Terrell Delp Terrell Delp 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Harry S. Truman | 2022 State PA | 6’3, 200 | QB | Truman | 2022
Danny Fish | 6’2, 275 | OL/DL | Pennridge | 2022
Next up are a trio of ranked prospects and one new offensive lineman that has me impressed after film study. Gavin Papp Gavin Papp 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Council Rock North | 2023 State PA is showing awesome downhill run-stopping ability from his safety spot. I’m not sure what his pass-coverage skills look like, but the kid looks like he could be a weak-side linebacking prospect at the next level. He sniffs out runs really well at single-high safety. Loves to have everything in front of him, CR North trusts him to secure open-field tackles and make touchdown-saving tackles.
Alex Checchia Alex Checchia 6'5" | 245 lbs | TE Council Rock South | 2022 State PA is looking like he may be coming along as an edge rusher. We think of him as an athletic tight-end prospect who is one of the more well-seasoned run-blockers in PA. His pass-rush skills have been and still are pretty raw. His get-off is coming along. He has recorded numerous QB pressures and hits thus far, just hasn’t had the pure sack numbers yet. The offense may seem primitive to some, (multiple OL/TE/FB offense) but when you have a mammoth TE prospect who can block the way this kid can, why not run the ball every play?
Terrell Delp Terrell Delp 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Harry S. Truman | 2022 State PA is a player I became familiar with this past Spring season, much like Jamal Banks Jamal Banks 5'9" | 180 lbs | ATH Cheltenham | 2023 PA . I saw enough to get the kid ranked, but wondered if there was a ceiling to his game. Whatever ceiling I may have thought there was, he’s gone through it. There is no Hudl tape on Delp, just well put together Twitter Highlights. That’s something Truman HAS to change, it’s a detriment to their kids’ recruitment. Nonetheless, Delp has been tearing defenses to shreds. He’s locating the ball well when going vertical. He looks poised and calm in the pocket. He looks like a senior quarterback who is in complete command of his offense, the exact thing I wanted to see this season. I’m expecting to see him at tomorrow’s game, best of luck!
Last but not least is Pennridge’s Danny Fish! Great name! Better game! This kid is an outstanding run blocker from his tackle spot. When projecting his game to the next level, his size does hurt him as a future tackle prospect, but a slide inside to guard would do the trick. He’s got some incredible punch-and-drive strength that has the kid blocking defenders into the sideline. I didn’t see a single defender shed his grip on tape. He’s so consistent in his hat placement. He’s consistent in his footwork. There isn’t much pass-protection to be found yet, would love to see what his athleticism is like in space against a pass-rush. He moves into the second level well, but that’s doesn’t help when determining if he can kick back against a rush. I am fond of the kid!