Athletes Worth Going Outside the Threshold For

The act of finding new recruits is a daunting task. There are hundreds of thousands of high school athletes to work through, organize, and scout. To help narrow down those massive numbers, college coaching staffs will utilize different positional thresholds like height, weight, or length requirements. Because of that, lots of talent will slip through the cracks. Today, I want to dive into our rankings and highlight six athletes who might not meet a lot of those height/weight/length requirements, but they have the talent to play at a high level. Don’t miss out on these athletes. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31388" first="Drew" last="Wilson"], LB- Homestead (6’1" 200)</strong> Drew doesn’t check in with the usual height, or weight of a top tier LB prospect. However, if a team can overlook and work on adding the required mass in their weight room then they will end up with a steal of an LB. First off, the production is exceptional. He has proven that his current size isn’t a restriction. He had 138 tackles, 19 TFLs, 6 sacks in 14 games. To counter his size deficiencies, Wilson relies on his very strong athletic profile. His burst and lateral agility allow him to shoot gaps and blitz leading to a lot of backfield disruption. that lateral agility also shows up when he plays behind his initial alignment. Drew is able to read the QB’s eyes and slide in his zone in a way that allows him to make plays at the catch point. Drew also has such impressive play speed that he has been utilized as a kick returner. When a school looks past the size they are going to see a stud of an athlete and an extremely talented LB. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="157794" first="Mason" last="Keyes"], QB- DeForest (6’1" 185)</strong> A team is going to throw the measurables out the window, and they are going to be glad they did. To start, Mason is a strong athlete. An athlete who has 4.65 speed at his disposal, but also the arm talent and confidence so that he doesn’t rush to rely on that athleticism at the first sign of panic. That arm talent is where Keyes sets himself apart form other QBs of his stature. He is able to deliver the ball with velocity to the most difficult routes. Deep out routes, or sideline targets from the opposite hash are easy work for him. The ball is always under control as well. You don’t put up 36 TDs to 1 INT without having pinpoint accuracy to each level of the field. Mason isn’t afraid to attack the defense with the deep ball either. I’m excited to see his leadership this season. DeForest graduate a ton of talent this summer, so he is going to have to shoulder more of that responsibility. Look past the size, and get a productive, talented student athlete. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="304388" first="Taye" last="Derrico"], DB- Appleton East (5’10" 160)</strong> The First Team All Region, Conference DB of the Year, and #4 DB of the Class of 2023 here in WI doesn’t have the prototypical size. If a team can overlook that they are going to quickly become fans of the away this kid plays the position. The reason I have so much confidence in him despite his size is his style of play. Taye is a physical corner who plays with no fear. He will fight through blocks to shut down bubble screen attempts, blitz off the edge, and be a reliable tackler against the run. Derrico also is aggressive at the catch point where he is able to get his hands in good position to break up the pass. That physical play paired with the athleticism to be able to not only run with top talent, but also react to the cuts and routes quickly. Throw out the thresholds when watching Taye. You won’t be disappointed. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="305307" first="Brennan" last="Kincade"], LB- De Pere (6’ 195)</strong> This is a fun one. If coaches will look past the size of Brennan they are going to see a player with a lot of upside. You won’t find many athletes at this level who can, at his size, play with his hand in the dirt when he isn’t at his LB position. The lateral quickness needed to succeed in the trenches at his size is there. Once he uses his quickness and agility to defeat the blocks, Brennan uses his range to chase down ball carriers in the backfield. Kincade is a disruptive player if he can keep the OL’s hands off him. I believe he is going to really breakout at his natural LB position this fall after the graduation of a some other LBs. Keep an eye on him. He is raw, but the tools are there if you can overlook some size deficiencies. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="196287" first="Chris" last="Marshall"], RB- Riverside University (5’7" 155)</strong> Chris’ size deficiency will make teams look the other way, but if one buys in they could get a game breaking athlete. The 5’7" 155 lbs athlete has elite speed, running a 4.49 40. I saw him live this past fall, and that speed instantly stood out from the crowd. Get this kid the ball in space at the next level, and you can have a real eapon on your hands. Allow him to return kicks, be a receiving threat out of the backfield on third down, and let him attack the containment on the edge in the run game. He will have a niche role, but there should always be room for elite play speed. Take a look at this kid. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31425" first="Sam" last="Coufal"], DL- Kettle Moraine (6’2" 250)</strong> Initially, the 6’2" 250 lbs DL doesn’t necessarily miss the size thresholds, but Sam has D1 talent. Because of his talent level, I believe he may be right on the edge of D1 programs’ size thresholds. I hope they feel he has the size to hang at the highest levels because he has the heavy hands, quick first step, and lightning quick closing speed to be very disruptive in the backfield. He has the production to back up the traits as well. I hope a team at the D1 level sees the excellent traits and makes an offer soon. I can’t wait to see how they use him. Based off his size and traits I would predict Sam will make his initial impact in passing situations where he can let that quickness and burst shine on the edge. He has visited St. Thomas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, NIU, and holds an offer from Concordia- St. Paul. Don’t miss out on DL2 here in the state of WI.