Colorado film review: April 21 edition

Our latest chapter of the Colorado film review is in. This week, we have the films for [player_tooltip player_id="302014" first="Ian" last="Frye"] and [player_tooltip player_id="146049" first="Marcus" last="Talbert Jr"]. of Pomona, and of [player_tooltip player_id="256510" first="Eli" last="Krawczuk"] of Summit to review. Let's dive in on these three athletes. <h3><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="302014" first="Ian" last="Frye"], 2023, 6'3, 270, OL/DL, Pomona</strong></h3> <strong>2021 stats:</strong> 26 tackles, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery; 17 pancake blocks View his Hudl film <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16862450/6227e17c7bdda312181efe11">here</a>. Frye is a two-way lineman for Class 5A powerhouse Pomona. He is an athlete who shows good quickness, helping him contribute on both sides of the ball, whether it's getting off the line and getting penetration from the defensive side or using that quickness to get the reach block or up to the second level on offense. He also displays good footwork with his frame. And to add to his impressive athleticism, he shows some great strength in the weight room, making him a well-rounded athlete that will compete with all the right tools at the line of scrimmage. <strong>Reach blocking and driving:</strong> Some of the harder blocks to make on offense is squeezing down a gap and stopping the defensive pressure, but Frye shows this to be a strength with a quick first step. That also shows well when sealing the edge on the right side of the line from his offensive tackle spot, whether that is kicking the defensive end out or getting to his outside shoulder and creating room on the outside. When he does get engaged with a defensive player, you see him driving his feet and working to get movement, and he plays with the mean streak needed to finish blocks and drive people to the ground if they let up on him. <strong>High motor player:</strong> Frye plays to the whistle. On offense, that means driving people and finishing them in the ground at the conclusion of the play. As for defense, that means working to chase down a runner at full-go or running down a quarterback for a sack or pressure. It's why you will see him fight off a double-team block to make a play or even find a secondary pass-rush in the backfield. Have to love the effort you see on the film <strong>Final Thought:</strong> There is plenty to like about Frye. He has a solid frame and great athleticism to go with it, and a high motor and solid technique. He could be a player to contribute at the next level. He was an all-state player in 2021 and should be one of the team leaders up front again this fall. If he has another season like last year, look for some offers to come as a result. <h3>[player_tooltip player_id="256510" first="Eli" last="Krawczuk"], 2023, 6'4, 270, OL/DL, Summit</h3> <strong>2021 stats:</strong> 40 tackles, 3 sacks; 55 pancake blocks View his Hudl film <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13135525/619bf188ff0cdc09788d91df">here</a>. Another two-way player on the line to submit their film, Krawczuk has great size at 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds. You also see some quickness, good body movement, strength, and the length he also brings. Solid athlete to watch. <strong>Excellent athleticism for offensive tackle:</strong> Here is a player who can get to the next level with ease in the run game. Takes good angles and uses a solid first step and quick feet to get to his destination. This also helps him with down blocks and closing the inside gap. When engaged with a defender, does a good job continuing to chop his feet to get movement. Another positive is playing with a solid base while pass protecting. Using his tools and body well to make key blocks in both the run and passing game. <strong>Violent hands:</strong> He delivers a clean punch to the pads with his hands and uses his length in his arm to an advantage. When his hands deliver the blow, you can see a noticeable jolt in the opponent when it's a clean punch to the pads. His punch is good enough to knock an offensive lineman back or stall him at the line, and it's just as good when he's on offense to slow down a defender. He also does a good job hitting the pads squarely and effectively. <strong>Has multiple ways to get a rush:</strong> Typically you will see players either use their size to bull rush or their quickness to beat a slower lineman off the ball. But for Krawczuk, he can do both. Against a smaller interior lineman, he is not afraid to bully him and push him into the backfield to make havoc, and once he's in the backfield he does a good job getting disengaged and making a play. There are also some good plays getting off the ball and shooting the gap quick to get an upper hand. <strong>Final thought:</strong> Another great athlete with size and length on the offensive line, Krawczuk shows plenty of promise with his tools and athleticism. He should only continue to build into his frame going into his senior year, a year in which he will be hungry to gain some offers on the recruiting trail. <h3><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="146049" first="Marcus" last="Talbert Jr"]., 2024, 5'10, 170, RB/DB, Pomona</strong></h3> <strong>2021 stats:</strong> 69 carries, 410 yards, 2 TD; 15 tackles, 2 passes defended View his Hudl film . A runner who shows great acceleration and top-notch speed, and it should only get better as he is running track this spring. Talbert helped split some carries across a deep running back room, but with the top-three rushers from last season graduating, he should see an even bigger role for Pomona this fall. <strong>Finds the next gear fast:</strong> As mentioned above, you can see when the switch is flipped and the speed is maxed out by Talbert. He starts fast running up in the hole, but once he sees a lane or can bounce a run to the outside, he goes even faster. He has the speed to run away from defenders or to get a huge run off in the seam. There does not seem to be much in terms of wasted motion either, so his fluid running style allows him to break free easily. If the play is blocked well up front by his lineman, he will reward them with a big run. <strong>Willing run defender from secondary:</strong> There are some good ball skills he shows from his cornerback position as well, but the way he can help in the run game is solid. For starters, Talbert keeps his body square with the line of scrimmage and does not get turned around. He deciphers the run play well, and he does a good job avoiding getting blocked for a long period of time from the receiver. Then, he pursuits the ball at full force, doing a good job coming downhill to the point of contact. His speed helps him stop a big run from scoring as he can chase down a ball carrier from behind, and he shows good angle pursuit when chasing them down. He will be a factor on outside run plays coming in his direction and helping to stop a big scoring run when needed. <strong>Fundamentally sound running back:</strong> Runs with the ball tight to his body and does a good job keeping it in his outside arm. Only had one fumble listed on his stats and does not seem to be a player who will give the ball away. When he tries to lower the shoulder for yards after contact, does cover up with his second hand as well. In addition to him protecting the ball, he does a good job running north-to-south when the opening is there, immediate or not. That allows him to get the most yardage he can on his carries. He is a runner who does the little, routine things right every time. <strong>Final thoughts:</strong> It was a good start to Talbert's high school career in 2021. This fall, he will be asked to play a bigger role, especially on offense where he may be the primary back for his team. He is a great runner and looks to make the routine play over and over for his team. If this continues, he could be in line to be an underrated prospect to break out in Class 5A.