Grit- Multi Tool Players (TE/DL/OL)
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Don’t worry I plan to keep looking at Fullbacks as I can uncover them. Turns out they are so gritty, tough minded and under rated that they are certainly a little harder to dig up than some of your other…
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Continue ReadingDon’t worry I plan to keep looking at Fullbacks as I can uncover them. Turns out they are so gritty, tough minded and under rated that they are certainly a little harder to dig up than some of your other high profile positions. This week I am taking a look more at certain frames than anything else. We are talking about big boys that are often tweeners. They have the size to play offensive line on their high school teams, but there is something about their athleticism that makes their coaches say, “we have to find a way to get the ball to this kid!” So, with that said you will see a number of kids who play multiple positions with GRIT for their high school program. I hope you enjoy.
Gavin Bass Gavin Bass 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Rosemount | 2023 State MN – (Rosemount High School) 6’3 215lbs. C/o 2023. @Gavinbass56
Just looking at the different numbers Gavin wears tells you that he is a GRIT guy. He shows up in #1 and #52 in his film because of what his team needed him to do last fall. He is playing Tight End, Outside Linebacker and Offensive line at various points on film, really whatever the team needs. At LB he is a physical player who does a nice job setting the edge and using his hands. On the offensive line he shows best in Rosemount’s zone schemes playing with a good base and staying connected to blocks. He does the same at the TE position as well as proves to be a smooth hands catcher. Gavin is a Jack of all trades with a frame that gives his program a lot of flexibility to plug him in where they need him.
Hayden Bills Hayden Bills 6'4" | 255 lbs | DL Rosemount | 2023 State MN – (Rosemount High School) 6’4 245lbs. C/o 2023. @bills_hayden
A junior Olympic all American thrower Hayden has a huge frame and is another guy who can play both sides of the ball. Much of his film is on the defensive line where he can continue to grow with how he uses his hands, but there is no denying that big frame can move well. Offensively whether he is at Tight End or at Fullback in some of their goalline sets he is a finisher in the blocking game continuing to run his feet once he has locked on a defender. He understands how to use his length and doesn’t shy away from contact. As an inline tight end he does a great job setting the edge and there are a clip or two of him in the passing game as well. This is an exciting prospect with a huge upside, it will be interesting to see where college evaluators project his best position at the next level.
Charlie Fragassi Charlie Fragassi 6'2" | 225 lbs | TE St. Paul Highland Park | 2023 State MN – (Highland Park High School) 6’2 225 lbs. C/o 2023. @CFragassi24
Big frame with lot’s of versatility! Charlie will line up at Tight End, Defensive End and often in the slot. The biggest thing that stands out to me is how he uses his hands. The number of times I have seen big, physical, good high school players who don’t understand how to play with their hands (And their arms) is to many to count. Charlie will strike with his hands and extend on defense before he sheds the block. On offense the few blocking clips he does a nice job of punching with tight hands to gain leverage on the defender. In the passing game he is a hands catcher that wins 50/50 balls and you can tell is trusted by the team when a big down the field play needs to be made.
Bryce Hawthorne Bryce Hawthorne 6'2" | 235 lbs | DL Osseo | 2023 State MN – (Osseo Senior High) 6’3 240lbs. C/o 2023. @hawthorne_bryce
Versatility is what comes to mind when I watch Bryce play. In the first minute of his highlight you see him play Tight End, Defensive Line as well as take a PAT off the foot of the kicker with perfect technique on a block unit. He is a physical player who understands leverage and does a great job on down blocks getting to the adjacent lineman’s him and collapsing the edge in Osseo’s gap schemes. He can also get out in the play action game and do a good job of making catches. However, I believe his biggest upside is going to be mixing it up in the box whether it is as an offensive or defensive player he is a finisher and that’s what makes him Gritty!
Mason Kolling Mason Kolling 6'5" | 240 lbs | ATH Kingsland | 2023 State MN – (Kingsland High School) 6’5 235lbs. C/o 2023. @kolling_37
Mason is BIG and RAW, playing smaller school football he looks even bigger than his listed size which is obviously already huge. He has work to do particularly with his feet but there is no doubt this is a big scary athlete. Kingsland does a nice job getting him the ball particularly with a little pocket edge screen that puts him in space and as you can imagine once this train gets on the tracks it is very difficult for smaller secondary athletes to deal with him. Despite all his mass he shows nifty footwork with the ball in his hands. As a blocker he uses his length to do a nice job reaching or kicking out. This is another prospect I could see having multiple college programs all valuing him higher at different positions; Offensive Tackle, Tight End, Defensive line, regardless there is a huge upside.