Twitter Tag Tape Review: Illinois prospects from ‘22-‘24

Each week numerous players tag me in their highlights and now that we have gotten close to the halfway point in the season, I wanted to reward those players for doing so. Here is the second set of Twitter Tag Tape Reviews that I will go over the next few days. (Check out the <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/10/twitter-tag-tape-review-illinois-players-from-2022-2023/">first set here</a>) 2024 Nequa Valley RB [player_tooltip player_id="145658" first="Silvano" last="Spatafora"] (5’6” and 173lbs) @silvanospata25 Ball security is critical for a running back and Spatafora understands that to the fullest. On many of his carries especially ones between the tackles, he’s got both arms around the ball. When he’s not clutching the ball with both hands, its high and tight, sometime you really like to see a running back do as well. Spatafora has solid vision and is a threat in the passing game. He’s difficult to bring down, arm tackles above the waist just won’t cut it. Spatafora has average speed but his bruising style makes up for it even though he’s on the smaller side. Keep an eye out for this sophomore the next few years. 2023 Lake Zurich ATH Tyler Erkman (6’1” and 175lbs) @TylerErkman Great backpedal and anticipation, Erkman is a ball hawk as a safety. That’s because he’s an excellent wide receiver as well. The skill set translates over, but I love what he brings to the defensive side of the ball. The range is so impressive and he’s got the build that will allow him to continue to add weight. Erkman does get a bit too shallow on some of his drops but is fast enough to recover. A true athlete, Erman should start to have some schools knocking on his door soon. 2022 Lake Forest RB [player_tooltip player_id="20870" first="Jahari" last="Scott"] (5’11” and 175lbs) @JahariScott Patient with great speed to get to the corner, Scott has very good vision as well. He understands setting up cutback lanes when there aren’t holes in front of him. Scott has some very solid moves as well, he’s elusive enough to make multiple tacklers miss on one play. Balance is impressive asl well, he’s able to keep upright and continue to gain yardage even when it looks like he might be going down. There’s a lot to like about Scott’s game and he’s had a very impressive senior year so far. 2023 St. Ignatius DB [player_tooltip player_id="146166" first="John" last="Kemp"] (5’11” and 175lbs) @kempjohn_ Having seen Kemp multiple times this offseason, I had a feeling he was going to have a standout junior year. After looking at his tape, that’s exactly what has happened. He does a great job in coverage from a variety of spots, safety, cornerback, slot and occasionally outside linebacker. His speed allows him to makes breaks on balls when receivers look like their open. He is great on special teams as well, always right place, right time. As a tackler, Kemp takes good angles and uses solid form. If you don’t know about him yet, he should be fully on your radar as he enters his senior year. 2022 Johnsburg QB Luke Conroy (6’1” and 205lbs) @LukeConroy8 A very good arm, especially within 15-20 yards, Conroy does well when he’s got time in the pocket and on the move. He shows good touch on his throws along with solid accuracy. My issue with his is the throwing motion, it really needs to be cleaned up. It’s a bit long and an odd motion. Once Conroy fixes that, he’s go the ability to be a very good quarterback, but it might take some time at the next level. 2024 Glenbard North OL Joe Palermo (6’ and 210lbs) @Joepalermo59 Undersized but that doesn’t mean that Palermo doesn’t get the job done. He’s playing tackle at the moment but if he doesn’t get taller will end up on the inside of the line. He does a great job standing up his opponent, taking all their momentum away from them. There’s still plenty of growth in Palermo’s game, especially at his age. Right now it’s best to keep an eye on his development and see if he hits a growth spurt. 2022 Fenwick WR [player_tooltip player_id="20890" first="Max" last="Reese"] (6’3” and 220lbs) @MaxReese10 The Eastern Michigan commitment doesn’t need much introduction, Reese is a fantastic prospect. He’s a long strider, eating up yardage while not necessarily “moving” that fast. Trust me, Reese is moving quickly. What intrigues me the most is his potential to eventually end up as a tight end. He’s got the frame to do it, already possessing a college ready body. Reese is a great blocker as well, especially right now against smaller defensive backs. He’s got good hands and could very well end up staying as a wide receiver. Wherever Reese ends up, he’s going to have an impact for the Eagles. 2024 Glenbard North ATH Patryk Golinski (6’1” and 170lbs) @golinski_patryk The two-way player has a ton of potential, Golinski could end up at a variety of positions. He shows good instincts as a pass rusher, when he can pin his ears back and just attack, it’s impressive. Golinski also does well as a pass catcher, he’s not the greatest route runners yet but has time to improve. He might end up as an outside linebacker, the coverage skills are there also. Another player to keep an eye on going forward to see how his frame develops, Golinski should be a very solid player down the road. 2023 Lemont QB Payton Salomon (6’ and 160lbs) @PaytonSalomon On the smaller side, Salomon gets the ball out of his hands quickly, especially when setting up screens or quick hitters. He does a good job of creating depth on his drops, giving him enough space to get the ball off while waiting for longer routes to develop. Salomon often takes his drop and the ball comes out of his hands after his 3-5 steps. He does a good job of changing his throwing angles as well, so that passes don’t get batted down. A pretty deep ball also, Salomon is athletic enough to scramble when needed. He’s another with some good potential and could make some noise his senior year and get much more recruiting interest. 2023 York ATH [player_tooltip player_id="158043" first="Kelly" last="Watson"] (6’ and 180lbs) @Kellywatson_1 An electric runner, Watson has game breaking speed when given hands offs. He creates good cuts back lanes for himself, he sees them due to his good vision. Watson isn’t afraid to run between the tackles either, but he’s at this best when getting to the edge. Hands like a wide receiver, because he often lines up there. There’s so much versatility with Watson’s game, he’s a big time player maker on offense and will continue to exploit defenses with his vision, speed and hands over the next year and a half before heading off to a college campus.