2023 Top Ten film review – Part I
In this article:
One of my goals while deciding who to write about for prepredzone.com is to give as many guys who might not be household names, guys who are not going to get the national or even statewide coverage, the spotlight. Once…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingOne of my goals while deciding who to write about for prepredzone.com is to give as many guys who might not be household names, guys who are not going to get the national or even statewide coverage, the spotlight. Once in a while, however, it is fun to look at the crème de la crème. Over the next few days, I will dive into the tape of prepredzonemn.com’s top ten from the class of 2023. Today, I start with our three highest-ranked seniors to be.
Jaxon Howard Jaxon Howard 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL Cooper | 2023 State MN TE/DE/QB Cooper
6’4″, 240 pounds
Offers from over fifty Power Five schools – including the national champion Georgia Bulldogs
Howard has been on the recruiting radar since 2019, when he received his first Division I offer from Iowa State.
He picked up his most recent offers in February – Georgia Tech and Boston College.
Howard is one of the most physically imposing athletes in Minnesota. He may also be the most versatile player in the state. Tight end – where he is getting most of his recruiting interest – defensive end, wide receiver, and even quarterback are all positions he played as a junior. The Cooper junior is the most explosive player off the line of scrimmage I have seen at this level in a long time. In the running game, he is into his defender right off the snap, and he not only keeps his pad level low – but he gets his hips square almost immediately, allowing Howard to start driving his man off the line quickly. As a receiver, most linebackers at this level are simply not fast enough to stay with him – it is almost comical to see him separate from linebackers. There are no defensive backs on the back end that can come close to matching his size.
Defensively, he is into the offensive lineman so quickly that most offensive tackles will not be in a good enough position to block him. Everything he does, he does with quickness and explosion. With his upper body length and strength, the ball carrier stays wrapped up when he wraps a ball carrier up.
Jerome Williams Jerome Williams 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL Osseo | 2023 State MN OL Osseo
6’5″, 285 pounds
Committed to Minnesota in early February
Other offers from West Virginia, Iowa State, Illinois, and Kansas
When I started watching Williams’ tape, I thought the video was sped up. I thought that had to be a false start a few times, but it wasn’t. Williams is that fast; he gets off the ball so fast that it doesn’t look real. He shouldn’t be able to move that fast for an athlete that size, but he does. His feet aren’t just fast; they are quick, allowing him to move laterally just as well as straight ahead. His lateral movement and his footwork make him a great pass blocker.
I have been raving about his footwork, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get grimy and mix it up physically. He is a powerful run blocker who – even if he wasn’t so fast off the ball – still has the upper body strength and nasty attitude to make guys look silly – often throwing defenders to the ground.
He has played primarily as a right tackle but might be asked to move inside to guard once in college.
Reese Tripp Reese Tripp 6'8" | 320 lbs | OL Kasson Mantorville | 2023 State MN OL/DL Kasson-Mantorville
6’8″, 320 pounds
Committed to Minnesota in January
Other offers from Iowa State, Temple, and Central Michigan
I had no doubts when I first saw Tripp live about his run blocking or ability to stuff the run on defense. I will admit, I wasn’t sold on him initially as a Division I prospect, much less a Power Five guy. The KoMets’ offense was very run-heavy, and chances to see Tripp out in space or in a pass set were few and far between.
After getting a chance to watch more of the DI commit, I am coming around.
Starting with the obvious, he is an absolute road grader in the running game. His highlights are littered with Tripp driving a helpless defensive lineman ten or more yards off the line of scrimmage. He doesn’t do it simply with brute strength – although he obviously has that – he does it with good technique and a low pad level.
Tape of Tripp pass blocking is hard to come by, but other parts of his game show he has the physical tools and potential – with some coaching – to be an effective pass blocker. He moves well in space and can engage with linebackers on the second level. Tripp is often used as a pulling guard in the offense, and he has no problem getting to the edge. If it can translate to pass pro, his footwork gives him a chance to be a compelling DI prospect. I suspect the Gophers will red-shirt the KoMets’ big man to give him time to work on his pass sets. If he can develop into an average pass blocker, he has a future in the Big Ten – just maybe not in year one.