Jordan’s Notebook: 23′ Breakdowns Pt. 5
We’re back with Jordan’s Notebook Series diving into the Class of 23′ Player Breakdowns. Welcome to part five of this multiple-part series as we cover a range of positions in each. The goal is simple: covering as many student athletes…
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Continue ReadingWe’re back with Jordan’s Notebook Series diving into the Class of 23′ Player Breakdowns. Welcome to part five of this multiple-part series as we cover a range of positions in each. The goal is simple: covering as many student athletes as possible, regardless of college projection, to be a resource in getting their name out there further. If you’re wondering how to get on our radar, it’s simple: Fill out our FREE Prospect Index
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Dawson Piperzz Dawson Piperzz 5'10" | 200 lbs | ATH Peotone | 2023 IL Twitter
Mr. Piper is an interior linebacker that works out of a 3-5 defense and at times can be utilized as a force player as a Sam backer. He provides insight into his ability to trigger downhill in close space where he can meet the ball carrier at/near the line of scrimmage for no/little gain on the play. This young man also provides glimpses of being able to take the run blocker head on where he can jolt the run blocker upright and then is able to disengage the block to secure the tackle in the hole. Throughout his highlights, Mr. Piper provides insight into being able to diagnose the run well. Once he does, he triggers to the ball carrier and can keep his feet driving through the tackle as he brings the defender down on the play. When he goes up against outside the tackle runs, he provides glimpses of being able to take backside pursuit down the line of scrimmage to secure the chasedown tackle. This young man can also flow to the ball on outside zone runs where he can then secure the tackle along the sideline. Switching gears to his coverage skills, there’s a clip in his highlights where he’s in a QB spy and see’s the quarterback escaping the pocket. He’s then able to use his lateral quickness to get to the turn point along the sideline before the quarterback can. Mr. Piper then closes on the quarterback to secure the tackle on the perimeter for a loss on the play. One area that I’m interested to see more out of is his man and zone coverage skills. Specifically, how he fairs being one on one in coverage. With that being said, Mr. Piper also plays fullback in the Double Wing offense that Peotone runs. He could very well see some opportunities come in this area as well in terms of his recruiting stock – keep a close eye on his skill set in this area. Currently holds no offers, he does have interest at the D2 and D3 levels. Highlights
Matt Projansky Matt Projansky 5'11" | 165 lbs | QB Stevenson | 2023 State IL Twitter
Mr. Projansky is a quarterback that provides insight into being able to add easy velocity across all level throws (level 1, level 2, and level 3). He also provides insight into being able to put the ball into catchable spots for his receivers both when he’s set up in the pocket and working out of platform on the move. Mr. Projansky’s compact delivery and quick release are one to keep an eye on – he has a fluid arm motion where he can get the ball out within a few seconds and he does so by getting set quickly when he’s working in platform on three step drops. Throughout his highlights, he doesn’t seem to force the ball into tight windows, rather he’ll take a deep shot downfield if his receiver has gained a step on the defender or if that’s not open he’ll hit his underneath/checkdown route to keep the chains moving. There’s a clip in his highlights that does catch the eye. Here, he looks to the front side of the play but there’s nobody open so he drifts to his right as he surveys the field. Defenders are coming in pursuit to bring him down but instead of being rattled this young man continues to survey the field up to the point where the sideline is approaching and he has to make a decision with the ball. Since Mr. Projansky kept his eyes downfield as he’s extending the play, he was able to get the ball off to his receiver in the back of the endzone for the touchdown. Whenever this young man escapes the pocket, this young man forces the underneath defenders to bite down on him to take away his chance to scramble. This opens up either the boundary or middle of the field (whichever the defender left) and he can then get the ball to his open man downfield to keep the chain moving. In a few instances, he gets the ball off right before the defender delivers a hit on him. Mr. Projansky does have mobility to him as he runs the option. Throughout his highlights, he provides insight into his foot quicks which he uses to get through the line of scrimmage as well as gain a step on the second-level defenders. What I’m interested to see out of this young man is how he would fair running RPOs as he has a skill set that would translate well into that environment. Currently holds no offers. Highlights
DeAndre Neely DeAndre Neely 5'10" | 155 lbs | ATH Grayslake North | 2023 State IL Twitter
Mr. Neely lines up as a Z receiver as well as out of the slot on offense and is a corner on defense. He provides insight into his foot quicks off the ball which he uses to close the cushion on the off defender to win over the top – this is seen both when he’s working outside and in the slot. When he’s going up against press coverage, he uses his quick feet at the line of scrimmage to beat the pressed defender (in the slot and outside) where he’s able to determine the type of release he wants (inside or outside) giving him the advantage on the route. One area that I’m interested to see more out of this young man next fall is his ability to go up for 50/50 balls and come away with the contested catch. He’s also used in the return game where he can make his impact felt. There’s one clip in his highlights where he secures the kick and is able to find the cutback lane making two defenders miss in open space before he uses his foot quicks to get into the endzone for the touchdown. Mr. Neely’s foot quicks are deadly as he can change gears quickly – this is also seen when he runs jet sweeps and uses his lateral quickness to turn the corner. The potential that he has to have explosive plays are one to keep an eye on this next fall season, he could very well make his mark going both ways. On defense, he can flow to the ball where he’s able to make the tackle on the perimeter and in open space. He also squares up to the defender before securing the tackle lowering the chances of missing the tackle. When he’s in man coverage, he provides glimpses of being able to press the defender at the line of scrimmage getting hands inside and locking out. This takes that receiver away as an option on the play. Mr. Neely isn’t afraid to jump routes forcing pass breakups either. He also provides glimpses of being able to pass off crossing routes to his teammate so one of them doesn’t get picked on the play, this ensures that both of the receivers stay locked down and covered on the play. This young man furthers his coverage skillset by providing glimpses of being able to close quickly on the defender to deliver a hit right as the receiver is going to secure the catch. I love his aggressiveness on defense when he presses the receiver, you don’t see many high school corners that have the foundation set for press man and being able to lock up receivers – impressive to say the least. This is a young man that has potential on both sides of the ball and I’m looking forward to seeing which position he molds into at the next level. Currently holds no offers. Highlights
Sam Morgan Sam Morgan 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Dunlap | 2023 State IL Twitter
Mr. Morgan is an offensive tackle that provides glimpses of keeping knee bend and gaining leverage at the point of attack on defensive lineman where he then gets hands inside tying up the defender on the play. At times he seems to get a tad bit high which results in a stalemate at the line of scrimmage where he is still able to sustain the block for his ball carrier to get by. When he does latch on and has the leverage advantage, he showcases his ability to keep his feet driving through the whistle to put the defender into the dirt (even if the play is going away from him and he’s on the backside block). You have to love the attacking nature out of this young man. In multiple clips in his highlights, he’s able to sustain his blocks long enough for his ball carrier to get through the hole and break long runs. In one clip he’s falling to the ground and he’s able to stay latched on getting enough of the defender for his ball carrier to get by and break a long run along the sideline for the touchdown. Mr. Morgan also has the ability to either kickout the defensive end or drive the defensive end down the line of scrimmage – both of which he can wash the defender down on the play. When he’s pulling he provides glimpses of being able to square pull to pick up the defender on the edge. At times he isn’t the fastest out of his stance while at others he keeps his knee bend staying low and explodes out of his stance. Mr. Morgan does also provide glimpses of being able to block in open space. In one clip in his highlights in particular, he gets out of his stance and takes a straight shot towards the cornerback covering the outside receiver. This young man is able to get to the defender and get enough of the block for his teammate to get into the endzone for six. As you can see this young has the potential to be a major force in the run game, if he’s able to fine-tune his craft further heading into the fall season you’ll see his game get elevated to a new level. Currently holds no offers, but does have interest from Upper Iowa University and Butler University. Highlights
Jalen Rayzz Jalen Rayzz 6'3" | 245 lbs | DL St Laurence | 2023 IL Twitter
Mr. Ray is a defensive tackle that can work out of a one tech and a three tech and provides glimpses of taking pursuit angles to the ball to secure the tackle downfield. So much so that he flows to the ball across the line of scrimmage and doesn’t give up on plays. In some instances, he will take his pursuit angles flat down the line of scrimmage to secure the tackle along the perimeter when coming from the backside of the play – this young man showcases effort throughout his highlight tape. In terms of his pass rush, the first clip in his highlights stands out. Here, this young man gets out of his stance quickly and is able to get through the line of scrimmage quickly as he closes on the quarterback right as the quarterback secures the sack. He and his teammate are able to come away with the sack on this play. He does provides glimpses of his bull rush as well. Here, he can jolt the offensive lineman upright and drive the offensive lineman back into the quarterback pocket generating pressure on the play. There’s another clip in his highlights that catch the eye in terms of his pass rush. In this clip, he’s able to beat not one but two blocks to get into the backfield as he’s closing on the quarterback. The quarterback recognizes this and has to throw the ball away off the penetration Mr. Ray generates. In the run game, this young man does provide insight into being quick out of his stance which he uses to meet the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage for no gain on the play. He does so by having active hands to shed the block to get free and secure the tackle. This young man also provides insight into being able to hold down the A gap and B gap control before he gets free to secure the tackle on the play. One area that I’m interested to see how he develops over this off season is his ability to disengage the block and long arm the offensive lineman so he can get free quickly to make a play on the ball. At times, he’s able to do so without a hitch completely disrupting the play in the backfield. At other times, he gets tied up for a second or two before he’s able to get free and make the tackle downfield. Mr. Ray has high potential here and this trait is one to keep an eye on. You could very well see his recruiting stock skyrocket after a productive senior season campaign. Currently holds no offers, has interest from Upper Iowa University and Concordia University-Saint Paul. Highlights
Sam Reichert Sam Reichert 6'3" | 190 lbs | QB Downers Grove North | 2023 State IL Twitter
Mr. Reichert is a quarterback that is able to feel the pressure around him and step up in the pocket to get the ball off as the pocket is collapsing. He provides glimpses of being able to add a touch on the deep ball when making level three throws and can stand strong in the pocket where he can get the ball off right before the defender comes to deliver a heavy hit. Now, this young man does provide glimpses of being able to put the ball into catchable positions for his receivers whether that’s in the middle of the field or on deep shots downfield – as well as on corner pylon throws where he puts the ball only where his receivers can secure the catch. What I’m most interested to see out of this young man is his how he develops his ability to deliver a shot in the middle of the field between defenders. A few times in his highlights he was able to put the ball between the safety playing over the top and the linebacker playing underneath. If he’s able to get the accuracy on that throw down on a consistent basis opposing defenses better watch out. Mr. Reichert provides insight into his compact delivery and release as well as his pocket footwork where he can drive off his backfoot to add that extra velocity on the ball. One clip in his highlights that stands out showcases his mobility. In this clip, he runs the option and is able to get through the line of scrimmage. Once he does, he’s able to find the cutback lane in open space where he then uses a quick cut to hit the lane. His foot quicks take over from here as he then breaks a long run and dives at the pylon for the touchdown. His ability to make something out of nothing is impressive. This young man can extend plays laterally as the pocket collapses where he can either find his man downfield or pull the ball down to scramble to keep the chains moving. Currently holds no offers. Highlights
Xzaveon Segner Xzaveon Segner 6'5" | 200 lbs | QB Freeport | 2023 State IL Twitter
Mr. Segner is a quarterback that provides glimpses of being able to escape the pocket and deliver a level three throw on a deep shot downfield while working on the move out of platform. When he does so, he’s able to put the ball where his receiver can go up to get it on the 50/50 ball. He also provides glimpses of being able to get the ball off under pressure by standing strong getting the ball off right before a defender comes to deliver a heavy blow. At times, this young man can make throws into tight windows by threading the needle which results in a big play – a trait to keep an eye on as we head into the upcoming fall season. Mr. Segner has the ability to keep his eyes downfield to find an outlet on the play to keep the chains moving. This is especially seen when the pocket collapses and this young man has to avoid the sack by sliding to extend the play before finding his man downfield. Having the ability to buy second chances and extend plays is a great trait to have as a quarterback. Now, one clip in his highlights that stands out further showcases his ability to buy second chances. In this clip, the pocket collapses around him and he can’t escape. It seems like he’s going to be brought down for a sack but this young man is able to spin out of the tackle to his right and keep his eyes downfield where he’s then able to get the ball off while on the move to keep the chains moving. As you can see, this Mr. Segner has a lot of potential here and has a few traits that would translate well to the next level. We just have to see how he produces this upcoming fall season. Currently has no offers. Highlights
William Seibert William Seibert 6'3" | 255 lbs | DL Jacobs | 2023 State IL Twitter
Mr. Seibert is a defensive tackle that works out of a one tech and three tech that provides insight into taking blocks head-on. Here, he can jolt the run blocker upright at the point of attack before he disengages to secure the tackle at the line of scrimmage. On runs going away from him, he can work straight down the line of scrimmage taking backside pursuit. This is how he’s able to secure the chasedown tackle for a little gain on the play. This young man also provides insight into being able to gain leverage on run plays by staying low and maintaining his knee bend. He’s quick off the ball and has the ability to shoot the gap well which results in him disrupting plays in the backfield/at the line of scrimmage – he does so by using a quick swim move. Mr. Seibert provides glimpses of being able to split a double team run block where he gets free and is then able to secure the tackle at the line of scrimmage for no gain on the play. He could very well become a darn good two-gap defender as he has the potential to do so. Not to mention, he will flow to the ball whether that’s on the backside or flowing to the perimeter on receiver screens as he doesn’t give up on plays showcasing his effort. There’s one play that stands out showcasing his pass rush in his highlights. In this clip, he’s able to cross the offensive lineman’s face as he gets into and through the A gap to generate pressure on the quarterback. Mr. Seibert is then able to close on the quarterback to secure the sack. This young man has good size standing at 6’3 250 and has potential yet to come to light. Keep a close eye on him as we head into the fall season, you could very well see his college interest pick up. Currently holds no offers, but he is a high GPA guy and has interest from Dartmouth College. Highlights
Matthew Senteney Matthew Senteney 6'0" | 185 lbs | OL Wethersfield Junior/Senior | 2023 IL Twitter
Mr. Senteney can work as a single high safety as well as an inside linebacker in his defense, he could find success at a rover position at the next level. There’s a clip in his highlights where he’s in a single high look in man coverage and once the ball is snapped he turns to spring towards the out route going along the sideline. This young man is then able to undercut the route and get his hand in the passing lane to deflect the pass coming away with the pass breakup. In run support, he provides insight into being able to come down from a single high look to play the alley and can stick the ball carrier in the box for minimal gain. When he’s lined up in the box, he can trigger to the ball carrier to secure the tackle at/near the line of scrimmage for no/little gain on the play. Mr. Senteney also provides insight into flowing to the ball, both on inside and outside the tackle runs. At times, he’s not afraid to take run blocks head-on as he can jolt the run blocker upright. This helps him get free to secure the tackle for no gain on the play. This young man also provides glimpses of being able to close on the ball carrier quickly to secure the tackle and isn’t afraid to deliver heavy blows on the ball carrier. All in all, Mr. Senteney provides insight into his aggressive/attacking playstyle throughout his highlights and can make his impact felt in special teams. One area that would help elevate his game is the consistency of his play, at times he’s bolting to the ball carrier disrupting the play at the line of scrimmage while at others he’s a step too slow. With that being said, he has untapped potential that has yet to come to light and we will have to see how he produces this upcoming fall season. Currently holds no offers. Highlights
Nick Strelczyk Nick Strelczyk 6'4" | 305 lbs | OL St. Rita | 2023 IL Twitter
Mr. Strelczyk plays on the offensive line as he was moved across the line this previous fall season taking snaps as a guard, tackle, and center. There’s one clip in his highlight that stands out when he’s blocking in-line. In this clip, he initially goes to drive block out of his stance but the defender falls down (as does he). This young man then gets up quickly and finds work immediately upon getting up showcasing his effort. He provides insight into being able to latch on quickly getting inside hand placement once he’s out of his stance. Once he does, he has the ability to keep his feet driving to drive the defender into the dirt. He also provides glimpses of being able to drive the defender down the line of scrimmage to wash the defender down on the play. In terms of his pulling ability, there’s a clip in his highlights that stands out. In this clip, he gets out of his stance quickly as he pulls to kickout the defensive end and once he goes to deliver his initial punch on the kickout block he showcases strong hands. This results in him putting the defender into the dirt and is seen throughout his highlights as he creates a running lane for his ball carrier. Mr. Strelczyk does provide glimpses of being able to square pull to pick up the second-level blocks as well. When he does, he’s able to deliver a strong punch upon contact resulting in this young man putting the defender into the dirt and the ball carrier runs off his block. He does provide glimpses of being able to block in open space as well, this is an area that if he’s able to develop further could very well take his game to the next level. Switching gears to his pass protection, there’s a clip in his highlights that showcases his awareness and ability to keep the pocket clean for his quarterback. In this clip, he slides to keep the B gap clean for his quarterback but no defender comes into his gap. This young man keeps his head on a swivel and is able to see a defender coming free off the edge into the C gap. Once he recognizes this, he’s able to transition and bolt to the edge rusher as he has a free shot on the quarterback. He is then able to cut off the free edge rusher, deliver a strong punch, and put the defender into the dirt – right as the defender tries to jump to deflect the ball as the quarterback was getting the ball off to deliver a deep shot downfield. All in all, Mr. Strelczyk has the skillset and potential to become a top offensive lineman in the state when it’s all said and done. He has good size to him standing at 6’4 300 and has the versatility to play across the offensive line. He currently holds a handful of D1 offers and I expect that trend to continue throughout his HS career. Highlights
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