Twitter Tag Tape Review: Illinois prospects from 2022-2024
In this article:
Another week of football and another large amount of players who need more attention. The way they do that is by tagging me on Twitter (@MikeFChen) and I have been giving those player as much attention as possible, so here…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAnother week of football and another large amount of players who need more attention. The way they do that is by tagging me on Twitter (@MikeFChen) and I have been giving those player as much attention as possible, so here is another edition of Twitter Tag Tape Review.
2022 Evanston WR Kamau Ransom Kamau Ransom 6'2" | 190 lbs | WR Evanston | 2022 State IL (6’2” and 185lbs) @KamauRansom
Fresh off an offer from Illinois State, Ransom is just scratching the surface of his potential. I got a chance to see him last year and it’s clear he has been working hard on his route running. His releases are very clean, subtle movements keep defensive backs off him. Ransom runs a fantastic post route and he’s been electric after the catch this fall. He’s done a great job catching the ball with his hands then using his above average speed to turn upfield. Ransom looks like a completely different player from last year and the ISU is offer is just he beginning.
2024 Nazareth Linebacker Brendan Flanagan (5’11” and 195lbs) @flanaganb_5
Filling the gaps is what Flanagan does extremely well, he excellent stopping the run. He does get caught in the muck, really doing a great job of disengaging when he’s not roaming free. Flanagan is quick to read and recognize, really doing a great job breaking down to make the tackle. I need to see more from him in pass coverage but for a sophomore excelling on the varsity level, it’s telling that there a lot of very good football in Flanagan’s future.
2022 Warren Township ATH Benjamin Wilson Benjamin Wilson 6'1" | 190 lbs | DB Warren Township | 2022 State IL (6’1” and 190lbs) @Benji_Wilson
Even though he plays both ways, I love the ability that Wilson brings on the defensive side. From his safety position he’s quick to make pre-snap coverage adjustments, putting himself in positions to make plays. Wilson does well reading plays from the back end also, taking great angles to make stops in the run game. Extremely quick when he makes a decision, the change of direction also very impressive. He has a few offers under his belt, Middlebury, Drake University of St. Francis, but the ceiling is higher than the schools who currently have offered Wilson.
2023 York WR Charlie Specht Charlie Specht 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR York | 2023 State IL (6’1” and 170lbs) @SpechtCharlie
It’s impressive when you see a receiver get off the line very well when corners are in press coverage and that’s what Specht does. He either uses his good footwork or hands to free himself and after he burns the DB a few times they are forced to back off. That just opens up more space for the explosive receiver. His 10-yard dig route is phenomenal, when he plants his foot in the ground, so much space is created. Specht is a very solid blocker as well, showing he’s got a complete game. He’s getting some MAC interest right now, but Specht has the potential to be a solid player on a P5 roster.
2022 Lake Park DL Cooper Cerese Cooper Cerese 6'1" | 245 lbs | DL Lake Park | 2022 IL (6’1” and 245lbs) @ccerese99
Showing a great ability to dip his shoulder and attack the quarterback, Cerese is quick off the ball and often is in the backfield making plays. He’s got great hand work and the motor is endless, always working to move his blocker to disengage and attack the ball. Cerese gets his hands up if he can’t get to the quarterback, making throwing lanes much harder for them. He’s going to need to add on more weight if he’s going to stay in the middle of a defensive line, but he’s athletic enough to slide out to end if needed. Cerese holds offers from Iowa Wesleyan and the University of St. Francis, he’s another one that being under-recruited right now.
2024 Kaneland WR Aric Johnson Aric Johnson 6'0" | 190 lbs | WR Kaneland | 2024 State IL (6’ and 185lbs) @aj_4king
A great frame with very good concentration, Johnson eats up chunks of yardage with his long strides. He does a great jot of catching balls with his hands, then turning upfield to keep gaining yards. The routes are solid, but Johnson will need to continue to work on his crispness in and out of his breaks. I really liked seeing his blocking ability as well, his long arms really bode well taking defensive backs out of plays. The potential is there however, especially due to his class, Johnson should end up as a D1 type player.
2023 Nazareth ATH Justin Taylor Justin Taylor 6'0" | 185 lbs | ATH Nazareth | 2023 State IL (6’ and 185lbs) @__justintaylor
Previously I had primarily seen Taylor as a defensive back or a wide receiver, but watching his film, this was the first time I saw him lining up in the backfield taking handoffs. What I saw was an all around football player, one that will do whatever it takes for his team to win. Taylor ran well between the tackles, showing good patience and vision. This added dimension to his game makes his future so much more intriguing. Could he make a transition to RB, yes, I believe so. Could he continue to play everywhere, becoming a nightmare matchup for defenses, certainly. It’s just another tool that Taylor has added into his ever growing toolbox. I already was high on his potential and now it’s gone up more after seeing him become more versatile. Already getting interest from some MAC schools, Taylor should end up playing at the P5 level.
2023 West Leyden WR Damian Salazar (5’10” and 165lbs) @damiansalazar02
A threat to top the top off the defense, Salazar uses that to his advantage, shorter routes see hi breakdown to create space and get open. I like see the cerebral aspect of that in his game, defensive backs have to guess what he’s going to do. A very good blocker as well, Salazar’s smaller frame sets him up to be a slot in the future. There’s some solid upside in his game, and he could be a nice option for multiple DII teams going forward.
2022 Kaneland RB Corey Phillips Corey Phillips 5'8" | 165 lbs | RB Kaneland | 2022 State IL (5’8” and 165lbs) @Coreyphillips35
The senior does well getting outside the tackles to turn upfield and use his solid speed to gain yardage. He’s not the biggest body so getting to the perimeter is in his best interest. That doesn’t mean he won’t run inside, but he’s best when getting to the second level. Phillips has some good shake to his game, there’s plenty of elusiveness to make defenders miss. I liked that when he couldn’t find someone to block on passing plays, he knew to become the outlet and made himself available to catch a pass and turn upfield. Phillips is getting some D3 interest and should do well at that level.
2023 Johnsburg ATH Jake Metze Jake Metze 5'9" | 170 lbs | ATH Johnsburg | 2023 State IL (5’9” and 165lbs) @Jake_Metze13
I really like seeing versatility from players at this level and Metze fits that category. He makes plays all over the field, as a wide receiver and running back, but I feel like he ultimately ends up as a slot receiver. Metze has a physical running style, contact is something he seems to love and he isn’t easy to take down. Route running does need to get better but he’s got the offseason to work on that. Metze could be a very solid DII-III slot receiver.