Dakotas 2023 Prospects on the Radar- DL

Football games are won in the trenches. While the Offensive Line battles to keep the backfield clean, the Defensive Line does whatever it can to disrupt and mess with it. It makes for a long game when the Defensive Line is constantly in the backfield and not giving the offense time to develop their plays. Each one of these kids I’ve selected aren’t ranked very high in the rankings, but that’s what I make a fun part out of this job; mentioning the underdogs of each class and hopefully getting them to play college ball. Check them out here below. [player_tooltip player_id="241344" first="Caden" last="Belgarde"]- St. John High School Belgrade is exactly what you look for in a Defensive End. A two-point stance player, he is still quick off the ball and uses his speed to get around the edge quickly on each play. He takes a good angle on his pass rush to avoid his blocker, but still keeping his contain on both his inside and outside lanes, not flying up the field and taking himself out of the play. He reads well when dissecting the option plays. He sits and squeezes his gap down when unblocked. He attacks the football when making tackles or sacking the QB, forcing many fumbles throughout the game. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2Gq6C8">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="161341" first="RJ" last="Perry"]- Great Plains Lutheran Perry is a high-motor tackler that is quick off the line. Whether he lines up in the gaps or just shoots them, he is quick through them and gets through nearly untouched. Even when a blocker gets a hand on him, he still muscles through and finds his way to the ball. His big frame already makes him difficult to run through, but add his ability to keep leverage in the gap and his always-turning feet, there is no way he is getting pushed back. He just seemed to find the football in the backfield when he got there. He is pretty nimble on his feet, showing some agility getting off blocks, as well as speed to go sideline to sideline. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2G6npN">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="277665" first="Armani" last="Smith"]- Beulah Smith is really quick off the snap. He barely uses a pass-rush move because the offensive lineman have a hard time getting a hand on him. His first three steps get him in the backfield on each play. He also takes good angles when rush, never running himself out of a play when chasing a QB. His speed flusters a lot of QB’s, he flushes them then makes them get rid of the ball quicker than they would like. He takes out pull-blockers and kick-out blocks and makes the tackle after doing so. He is good at shuffling the Line of Scrimmage and making plays for no gain, as well as shedding blocks as well. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13156686/61d4d5f11761e80f80e4324e">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="273694" first="Caleb" last="Loehr"]- Brookings Loehr is a good contain D-End. He doesn’t try to do too much out there, just does his job and makes plays that come his way. He strings plays out really well and either turns the play back in, or makes the tackle. He has good hand technique keeping, the offensive lineman’s hands off himself, then getting around him as well. He is also a pretty sure-handed tackler, not going for the big hit every play, just corralling the ballcarrier and taking him down. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2G2VUw">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="101171" first="Quade" last="Parker"]- Custer Parker is another high-motor kid. He adds pressure coming off the edge and really makes the QB hesitate when trying to throw a pass. He doesn’t quit until the whistle, and is very aware that the QB can still throw the ball even when wrapped up, so he goes and finishes the play. He wraps up really well, not going for the flashy play, just the effective play. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2G9f71">Junior Season</a> &nbsp;