Scouting Report: 2 Elite DL & 1 Wildcard
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There’s so much that goes into an elite defensive lineman. You’ve got to be big, fast, strong, and intelligent. There may not be a ton to learn in the playbook, but knowing how to perform at an elite level is…
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Continue ReadingThere’s so much that goes into an elite defensive lineman. You’ve got to be big, fast, strong, and intelligent. There may not be a ton to learn in the playbook, but knowing how to perform at an elite level is a weekly struggle. The big thing that stood out to me among these linemen is their intellect and situational awareness.
Jalen Thompson Jalen Thompson 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Cass Tech | 2023 State MI
The #1 player in the 2023 class, Jalen Thompson Jalen Thompson 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Cass Tech | 2023 State MI , is an elite High School football player. He’s received offers from just about every college under the sun, and he’ll be a big-time asset on any team he chooses to commit to. With impressive performances against the top competition during the season and in the offseason, Jalen Thompson Jalen Thompson 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Cass Tech | 2023 State MI is by all accounts the gold standard.
Strengths
Burst – There are many plays where Thompson has already taken two steps before any offensive, or defensive linemen have gotten out of their stance. This dude’s burst off the ball, and reaction time is nothing short of extraordinary. Even more impressively, he was getting off the ball much faster than even other college talents.
IQ – When the tackle blocks down, Thompson stays home and has a knack for finding the pulling linemen, avoiding him, and blowing up the play. Being a starter on the offensive line undoubtedly helps, as Thompson knows blocking schemes well, making him very dangerous to go unblocked.
Creativeness – Like some of the best, Thompson is creative getting around blockers. He has a few tremendous inside moves that showcase his power and often mix up the bull rush, inside swipe, rip, etc. Another notable point is that he and Cass Tech consistently face off against some of the best competition in the state. Thompson had incredible performances against King and Muskegon, undoubtedly raising his stock.
Size & Fundamentals – As expected from a prospect of his caliber, Jalen Thompson Jalen Thompson 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL Cass Tech | 2023 State MI sports excellent size and fundamentals, an outcome of relentless off-the-field work. I see a ton of upside from Thompson, and I honestly don’t see any glaring issues with his game.
Mason Muragin Mason Muragin 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL De La Salle | 2023 State MI
Having raised his stock significantly over the past year, Mason Muragin Mason Muragin 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL De La Salle | 2023 State MI is an elite athlete on an elite team. He’s one of the fastest linemen I’ve seen and sports incredible speed moves off the edge. Having broken records at De La Salle, Muragin is trending towards many Division 1 offers.
Strengths
Speed/Finesse moves – Muragin has the best moves in the class. Muragin loves to burst just outside the tackle and get separation with a swipe or rip move. His feet and quick, and his hands are even faster. In my view, a pass-rushing machine, Muragin, deserves some elite offers.
Burst – As I mentioned, Muragin is incredibly quick in general, and he explodes off the ball. During the state championship, he went against a great offensive tackle, and I could tell his speed surprised the opposing lineman. Even the best linemen have to adjust to Muragin’s game.
IQ – A very smart lineman and a prominent student of the game, Muragin can disrupt run plays by being patient and intelligent. He can seamlessly read the backfield and tell who has the ball on option plays. He doesn’t allow himself to get caught by pull blocks, and he seems to always be in position for a tackle for loss.
Areas to improve
Balance – Balance is tough to perfect for great speed rushers. When Muragin doesn’t get past the opposing lineman with his initial move, he can become off-balanced which sometimes causes him to trip or get pushed back. This causes him to lose leverage and naturally stand up rather than stay low. This is a problematic issue for any lineman to plan to take advantage of.
John Jokisch John Jokisch 6'4" | 235 lbs | DL Seaholm | 2023 State MI (Wildcard)
Standing at 6’3″ 235lbs, Jokisch has the frame of an elite prospect. Although still raw and in need of some improvements, Jokisch could be in for a tremendous season, especially if what I’ve seen of Seaholm’s 2022 schedule is accurate. Jokisch reminds me quite a bit of Coopersville’s Tim Allen, a Ferris State commit who I thought was one of the most underrated defenders in 2021. Considering the underrated defensive talent Seaholm has produced in the past, Jokisch could be next up.
Strengths
IQ – Coming from a Football Family, John Jokisch John Jokisch 6'4" | 235 lbs | DL Seaholm | 2023 State MI , like his brother, sports excellent IQ and situational awareness. He’s a great run stuffer, largely thanks to his knowledge of opposing offenses. His IQ comes in great handy against teams like Adams, who run option offenses.
Burst – Jokisch shows some instances of coming off the ball extremely fast. This, combined with his IQ, makes him always have a leg up on his opposing blocker pre-snap. I’m impressed by what Jokisch can do when faced one-on-one, though most teams choose to double-team him.
Areas to Improve
Strength – Because offenses tend to focus on Jokisch, it takes some extra muscle for Jokisch to blow things up. Being very familiar with Seaholm’s offseason programs, Jokisch has many opportunities to get stronger before the season begins.
Fundamentals – Improvement of the little things would help Jokisch’s game. Work on block shedding, footwork, tackling, etc., would help his game tremendously.