PRZ Iowa | New to the Scene | Part 4
August 26th feels like it is forever away and then some. It may not seem like it, but the season will be here before you know it. There are plenty of household names that everyone has on their board and…
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Continue ReadingAugust 26th feels like it is forever away and then some. It may not seem like it, but the season will be here before you know it. There are plenty of household names that everyone has on their board and will be keeping a close eye on, but there is also plenty of lesser known or undiscovered talent that could make 2022 their year. These athletes have already done some very impressive things on the field, have shown flashes of serious ability, or dominated the underclassman scene that make them legitimate breakout candidates and names on the rise. Get to know these guys now before the season is here as they are sure to make plenty of noise and become known across the state.
Isaiah Favors Isaiah Favors 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Bishop Heelan | 2024 State IA , LB, Bishop Heelan, C/O 2024, 6’0 185, hudl, Twitter
The Crusaders added a big piece this offseason in the form of Isaiah Favors Isaiah Favors 6'0" | 190 lbs | RB Bishop Heelan | 2024 State IA ; one of the Dakota’s top rated Linebackers is making his way over from Dakota Valley to terrorize ball carriers in Iowa. What is immediately clear from looking at his Sophomore film is that there aren’t many Linebackers who can get downhill like Favors can. When that run key takes him towards the line of scrimmage and his window opens up he shoots his shot and absolutely wrecks plays. On one snap against a lead dive out of the I-Formation, Favors blew up the Fullback, it looked like he didn’t lose any speed as he plowed right through him, and made the play in the backfield. What is just as impressive is how he can get flat and lateral as he gets to or through his gap if plays bounce or stretch to run things down. This ability is showcased on another snap, a designed Quarterback Run, that started on one hash with Favors lined up in the boundary and he made the tackle on another. Expect Favors to make the same kind of impact on the Iowa football landscape.
Trent Jacobs, RB, Ankeny, C/O 2025, 6’0 185, hudl, Twitter
There are going to be some position battles taking place this summer with several of the Hawks’ key contributors graduating. A young player to get on the radar as someone who could make an impact on Friday nights as a Sophomore is Trent Jacobs. He is a strong, powerful runner on offense and a vicious, relentless hitter on defense. There are several positions he could realistically plug into, as evidenced by Freshman film that shows off high-end ability, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him earn a spot as a Varsity contributor as soon as this fall. As a ball carrier, or weapon on offense, Jacobs gets downhill in a hurry and has more than enough speed to threaten a defense. What impresses most is how he can weave or make shifty lateral cuts as he gains yards without slowing down. Once he gets beyond the line of scrimmage he is very hard to tackle and there are plenty of clips on his film to support that. As a tackler Jacobs has shown he has excellent instincts, covers ground in a hurry, and smokes opponents when he gets to the ball. His name is one to know.
Quillan McMurry, DE, Norwalk, C/O 2023, 6’2 230, hudl, Twitter
McMurry put some position specific ability on film, has the physical measurables, and the athletic explosiveness that suggest he is someone to keep any eye on as a breakout candidate heading into the 2022 season. McMurry is both stout against the run and does well when identifying pass blocks and transitioning to pass rush. What really stands out about each clip on his Junior highlights is how well he gets out of his stance. He works react-attack Defensive Line play impressively and it starts with taking a short, powerful first step that is hands first and keeps everything in front of him. What makes McMurry effective from here against the run is how he separates, locks out, and stays square. He holds his gap, takes up space, and gets to the ball. On one play he slanted to the outside shade of a Guard from a 4 technique, locked out, jammed him down into the A gap, and got off the block on a good angle to help shut down an off-tackle run. On another he recognized pass, adjusted his path to rush the edge, hit a nice bull-pull, and forced a bad throw.
Brody Morrison, RB, Earlham, C/O 2023, 5’10 170, hudl, Twitter
Morrison was a key contributor this past season as a member of a Cardinals offense that kept the ball on the ground 92% of the time. He was their third leading rusher and chipped in 82 carries for 523 yards and 6 touchdowns when his number was called. The opportunities for Morrison’s role to expand will be there, especially if Earlham wants to continue to pound the rock as often as they do, as he is the only top four rusher coming back. Between the other three there were 307 carries from last year that are now vacant and Morrison has the ability to seize a sizable portion of those and do some real damage. Morrison is so dangerous with the ball in his hands, particularly on counters or any other play in the Earlham Wing T playbook that gets him coming across formations in ways that create opportunities to cut upfield. Morrison is patient at the handoff, allows blocks to establish, and then uses excellent vision to know where the play will develop. Once that is identified he bursts towards his lane and is so agile and elusive when doing so.
Noah Seamer, LB, Dowling Catholic, C/O 2023, 6’0 180, hudl, Twitter
Seamer, a first team all-district Outside Linebacker for the Maroons is a name to know, a big piece to their defense, and someone whose play speaks for itself. He should be getting more attention for what he does on the field. Seamer finished his Junior year with 31.5 tackles, good for fourth on the Dowling squad. One game where Seamer really established his value was in their first round playoff victory over Linn-Mar. The Lions relied all year on establishing the run to set up their offense and open doors to make other things work, but Seamer helped shut it down in a stifling performance that limited the rushing attack to just 53 yards. Seamer was all over his opponent whenever they tried to hit his side of the field. He made one tackle by shedding a blocking Wide Receiver and stepping into the alley as the ball carrier approached with excellent technique. He made another by evading two lead blockers coming right at him on GT Power and redirecting flat for a negative play. Dowling could be back on top next year and Seamer will be a contributing factor.