Best Thing on Film- Ball Carriers
Spring has sprung and showcases are starting to crank up. College spring games are rolling and recruiting is at a fever pitch. Year round football never gets old to me! Enjoy the Best thing on film for another stellar group…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingSpring has sprung and showcases are starting to crank up. College spring games are rolling and recruiting is at a fever pitch. Year round football never gets old to me! Enjoy the Best thing on film for another stellar group of Minnesota ball carriers!
Lance Nielsen- (Centennial High School). 6’0 190 Lbs. C/o 2023. @lance_nielsen5
Lance is a very good two-way player that does just about everything on the football field. His film starts out with a great physical form tackle, he catches balls in the flats and wins 50/50’s in the seams and he even throws a touchdown pass. As a runner he has the speed to go the distance and showcases it particularly on sweeps. Best thing on film- there are plenty of good defensive highlights to choose from but for this evaluation I want to keep things offensive. At the :46 mark he takes it to the house on a run that starts right and cuts back to the left. The first defender is left grabbing air as he executes a great stiff arm and then it is him, a blocker and one defender to beat down the left sideline. He does a great job of slowing down and threatening back inside to set up the last block and score.
Matthew Lee- (South St. Paul High School). 6’0 200 Lbs. C/o 2023. @matthewlee6172
A lot of the best players at this particular position can absolutely transfer over to the other side of the ball as a linebacker or in the defensive secondary. Matthew is no different and by the construction of his film you might be able to tell he enjoys the defensive side as much or better as offense. When he is playing runningback he brings a defender’s physicality to the position and does a nice job running behind his pads. Best thing on film- 1:09 mark, nothing fancy just good old fashioned downhill running into the endzone. As a coach sometimes it is hard to find a guy who will see it, commit to it and hit it with speed. Matthew has the right type of running style to get the ball in clutch situations short yardage and goal line.
Toby Frost- (Eden Prairie High School). 6’2 205 Lbs. C/o 2023. @Tobin_Frost04
Toby really could have been included in the GRIT article when talking about H backs and hybrid players as he does a ton for his team mostly from the low wing position. He has the ability to block an edge and slip out to the flat in the play action game as well. As a ball carrier what I am most impressed with is his understanding of the scheme in front of him. He comes from a low position to run traps, and sweeps and does a nice job of reading the blocks in front of him while getting up field. Best thing on Film- there is a ton of tackle trap on his highlight film and the 2:50 mark illustrates how adept he is at following the puller and sticking his foot in the ground to make a right angle cut and get north and south.
Tanner Albeck Tanner Albeck 6'0" | 205 lbs | ATH Maple Grove | 2023 MN – (Maple Grove High School) 6’0 195 Lbs. C/o 2023. @AlbeckTanner
Tanner is basically just a ball player! And while I am sure he could contribute defensively I see him translating as an offensive multi-tool athlete who helps any offense be difficult to defend. Anytime you can see a player line up as a fullback and take a dive on one rep and then move to the slot where Maple Grove finds different creative ways to get it to him you know he is a weapon. Best thing on Film- actually two things to illustrate what I said above, check out his switch vertical toe tapping high point catch from the slot at the 1:09 mark and follow that up with the straight fullback dive he runs at 2:17 and you will see what I mean about his skillset.
Jordan Olagbajo- (Maple Grove High School) 5’10 205 Lbs. C/o 2023. @j_tyler_o
Jordan is a combo back type that lines up at both fullback and tailback with a 4-minute highlight film even though he only played 5 games due to an injury. The Crimson have to be excited to add him to such a dynamic arsenal of returners. He shows very good feet and can jump cut in traffic. Best thing on Film- 1:30 mark Crimson run my favorite play “Power” and one thing I can’t stand is when a back bounces this play too soon and out leverages his blocks. Jordan patiently sinks the ball all the way into the line of scrimmage and then when there is no seam to be had bounces outside for a nice chunk.