For <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2022/04/huntleys-linebacker-film-room-episode-1/">episode one of Huntley's Film Room featuring linebackers, click here</a> to check it out.
<strong>Ethan Brougham, Dana Hills, 2023</strong>
Brougham works better as a defensive end than a linebacker in my opinion. Let's start with his strengths. He is a good athlete who has good short range speed. He moves well laterally and is a solid tackler. He has good football instincts but as a linebacker it sometimes takes him a second to be able to read the guards and determine where the run is going. As an end he reacts faster to the offense and can get in the backfield better than he can as a backer. He is a solid athlete that can add some muscle without sacrificing his speed.
https://twitter.com/EthanBrougham2/status/1511043306158911489?s=20&t=bnbGBZ6ubf5hFGPlT1ybIw
<strong>[player_tooltip player_id="270862" first="JAKE" last="FREY"], Tesoro, 2023</strong>
Frey is the best defensive player on Tesoro who is returning this season. He closes to the ball quickly and when teams try to sneak a running back out to the flat or on a screen, Frey is there quickly to shut it down. He has a solid frame at 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds and when I saw him at the Prep Redzone Stock Up Showcase he was one of the more physically impressive linebackers. Frey is a solid tackler but could lower his pad level a bit when making contact. He has an offer from Whittier College and recently visited Cal Lutheran.
https://twitter.com/JakeFrey23/status/1523336242066116611?s=20&t=bnbGBZ6ubf5hFGPlT1ybIw
<strong>Aidan Smith, Mt. Carmel, 2023</strong>
Smith is a really fun player to watch because he has a motor. He is never out of a play because he will hustle and always be around the ball. He has the speed to be a quality edge rusher and excel in pass coverage. He gets to the flat quickly in cover 3 and is fast enough to cover running backs in man coverage. There is a play on his film where he gets too aggressive on an outside run and loses his outside containment, but is a good enough tackler he is able to grab the running backs jersey and bring him down. He hasn't gotten many college looks yet because he hasn't played enough games and he doesn't jump off the page physically, but he has upside and has shown flashes of a really good football player.
https://twitter.com/Coach_Hefley/status/1518651567439630336?s=20&t=bnbGBZ6ubf5hFGPlT1ybIw
<strong>Reily Walker, Capistrano Valley, 2025</strong>
Freshman are very hard to evaluate because they are going to be totally different players by the time they are seniors and will grow physically and mentally. Walker does some things really well for a freshman. He is a smart edge rusher who gets into the backfield quickly without losing his outside containment. He moves pretty well for a freshman but needs to work on his speed. Walker tackles low and knows he isn't going to truck a lot of ball carriers as a freshman and I'm sure we will see some growth from him as a tackler as his body develops. Walker has a good foundation and it will be interesting to see his growth as a player from freshman to sophomore season.
https://twitter.com/ReilyWalker25/status/1486572369233670145?s=20&t=bnbGBZ6ubf5hFGPlT1ybIw
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