Early Breakdown For 2023 LB Prospects

Now that High School and College Football are finished, camps, 7 on 7 teams, etc., will take a front seat to football news. So no time is better than the present to look at some of the Junior Linebacker prospects in the state of New York. This past season, the #1 player in the state was a linebacker in [player_tooltip player_id="227129" first="Moses" last="Walker"], and the younger Linebackers do not disappoint when it comes to talent. [player_tooltip player_id="232912" first="Zyian" last="Moultrie-Goddard"] Iona Prep Zyian is an absolute machine at LB with all the traits you would expect in a top LB prospect. At 6’2 and around 240 lbs, he already has a next-level frame with athletic ability to match. Watching him playing inside with an odd front, he is a complete mismatch for any interior OL in the area as he has the power to knockback Guards and is too quick if they try to get to him at the second level. Additionally, he plays at good depth and doesn’t get lost in the wash like younger LBs typically do. He is comfortable out of the box in space in pass coverage and can get to his drops fast. Currently, he holds offers from schools like Tennesse, Rutgers, Uconn, Syracuse, West Virginia, and I expect the number to keep growing. [player_tooltip player_id="263839" first="Jayden" last="Straw"] Canarsie Straw is the middle man for an impressive returning group of defensive players for Canarsie. He is a natural run stuffer and reads the triangle well, allowing him to play fast and downhill. [player_tooltip player_id="263839" first="Jayden" last="Straw"] does an excellent job of getting over the top of OL and using his hands against the bigger bodies. [player_tooltip player_id="263839" first="Jayden" last="Straw"] is athletic enough to make plays sideline to sideline leveraging his lateral quickness. When tasked with covering an RB out of the backfield, he shows good instincts playing inside out and not over pursuing to the back in back in space. Right now, Straw holds an offer from Temple. [player_tooltip player_id="251433" first="Shane" last="Mosia"] Plainedge Mosia is a player I was able to see in the playoffs against East Islip, and he didn’t disappoint at all. He packs power, especially for his frame, and keeps his feet buzzing on contact allowing him to run through ball carriers. [player_tooltip player_id="251433" first="Shane" last="Mosia"] understands run fits and makes many plays within the stingy Plainedge defense. He can adjust his angle sharply when run blitzing while maintaining balance and control, usually leading to a big tackle for loss. Mosia is already a big-time productive player, but I think he will be a complete LB prospect for the next level if he can consistently show his coverage ability. [player_tooltip player_id="235897" first="Jason" last="Hunt"] Bellport Hunt is a tweener-type edge player who can be labeled an OLB or DE depending on the scheme. He has a great burst off the edge as a stand-up player utilizing his athletic ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. Offensive Linemen have trouble with Hunt because of his speed and technique; he shows wrong arm discipline against pullers and is disruptive against the run. Hunt has a good frame, and I expect him to put on quality size during the offseason. I think he will be a popular prospect for next-level coaches as he has valuable edge versatility. [player_tooltip player_id="237045" first="JT" last="Krivinskas"] Archbishop Stepinac With finishing the season with 121 tackles, Krivinskas is a tackling machine. He is a high IQ MLB that shows great awareness against any zone-read type variations. He has a great blend of reading and blitz abilities, which allows him to make plays all over the field. Watching him deal with OL, he does an excellent job of getting over the top when flowing and not attempting to take a shortcut against blockers. With a 6’0 215 lbs frame, Krivinskas is a workout maniac, and I expect him only to get bigger and stronger, allowing him to be an attractive LB prospect at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="235877" first="Andrew" last="Cordero"] Erasmus Hall Cordero will be a leader on another loaded team from Erasmus Hall as he has follows in the footsteps of some great LB players like [player_tooltip player_id="227129" first="Moses" last="Walker"] and [player_tooltip player_id="228699" first="Jahsiah" last="Narcisse"] among others. He made splash plays on a top defense against other top talented teams. [player_tooltip player_id="235877" first="Andrew" last="Cordero"] does a good job of taking on lead blockers while still being able to shed and make the tackle. He is a click and close LB as he can diagnose instantly and is athletic enough to act aggressively off the read and make the play against some of the state’s best athletes. He is another high-effort workout prospect who continues to get bigger and stronger. [player_tooltip player_id="251430" first="Mason" last="Hauser"] Longwood The versatile LB has experience lining up off the edge, playing on the line, and reading from depth in a traditional LB role. I think Hauser is a natural fit inside with his 6’1 215 lb frame, but his ability to play the standup edge if needed only adds value for the next level. Also, his ability to be productive on offense only adds to his versatility as a compelling prospect. When Hauser scrapes, he does an excellent job of tracking inside out and not over pursuing the play. I expect Mason to have a great offseason and a big senior season. [player_tooltip player_id="236388" first="Melan" last="Williams"] Holy Trinity Williams is another prospect I watched play in person for a talented Holy Trinity team. He is an athletic coverage LB that brings physicality against the run as he leverages his arms well to shed bigger OL to get off and make the play. His feet are always active as he takes his run-read step fasts and instantly gets to his drops in coverage which is his strength. [player_tooltip player_id="236388" first="Melan" last="Williams"] has excellent coverage ability and could be a great fit as a Safety- LB overhang type prospect for the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="233601" first="Shamel" last="Howard"] Canarsie Howard is one of the better coverage LBs in the state and is exceptional in or out the box. He is a natural athletic LB that could play in any scheme because of his hybrid ability. On film, you can see how easy he transitions in coverage with his fluid hips and when he is a sure open-field tackler. [player_tooltip player_id="233601" first="Shamel" last="Howard"] faced a ton of speedy athletes in the PSAL, so his coverage ability for an LB is top-notch. If Howard can continue to put on good size and keep his speed, then the sky is the limit. I expect a big senior season from Shamel. [player_tooltip player_id="251970" first="Charles" last="Battaglia"] Chaminade The Chaminade LB is a smart high-effort player that can play inside or outside. Battaglia makes consistent heads-up plays and shows the ability to adjust in coverage when getting to his drops. He is an effective run Blitzer and commits downhill; when reading, you can tell he knows his keys and plays within the defense but is still athletic enough to make snap changes. I think he will capitalize during the off-season and continue working on his burst and mobility, allowing him to be more of a complete LB. [player_tooltip player_id="251981" first="Josh" last="Isaacs"] Half Hollow Hills East [player_tooltip player_id="251981" first="Josh" last="Isaacs"] is your player if you want to watch a true inside LB thumper. He is a unit and plays downhill like a wrecking ball. Isaacs has the power and size to deal with OL and consistently is a knockback player. He was another LB I watched in person and brought pop on contact. He is sneaky agile for his frame and displays good lateral quickness when scraping. Seeing him run down one of the better athletic players in the playoffs was quite impressive, so he definitely can move. I expect him to have a big year coming up.