Mapping Pennsylvania: District Four Hidden Gems Pt.3

Beginning of a new series, Mapping Pennsylvania. Starting with District Four. Garrett Varano | 5’10, 165 | WR/DB | Mount Carmel | 2023 Coaches who love versatility are going to love Varano’s game. So much shown in just a three minute tape. Awesome anticipation and overall awareness shown by Varano, a junior out of Mt. Carmel who can provide reps at RB, WR, and Safety. Tough to decide where he is best suited, best to just accept that he’s a fine football player who can change a game with just one touch. The kid has a nice stride once it gets going in the open field. Varano has the vision to take sweep handoffs behind the LOS to the house, showing he has an understanding of how to read his blockers in space. Love Varano at defensive back, specifically Safety. He’s got some serious ball skills, tape showed 5 total interceptions, three of which were one-handed catches, while two more were taken back to the house for touchdowns. It isn’t just the splash plays out of Varano that make him intriguing. there are numerous PBU’s on tape that show off his range when acting as a lone single-high Safety. So much to like from this young man’s junior tape. https://twitter.com/GarrettVarano/status/1463678625945956358?s=20&t=yu38FtlHXY1y2LKv2_RfYg [player_tooltip player_id="92365" first="Hadyn" last="Packer"] | 5’11, 205 | RB/LB | Jersey Shore | 2023 An absolute brute of a linebacker, [player_tooltip player_id="92365" first="Hadyn" last="Packer"] provides real power to the position, while also providing energy and attitude to the Jersey Shore defense. One look at the tone-setting LBer’s Twitter page will give you an idea just how hard the young man works in the weight room. His efforts show on tape. Packer is deployed at running back for JS, where he averaged 83 yards per game this past Fall. This eval will cover his linebacking prowess, but it should be known just how productive Packer was on the ground, 20 touchdowns on the year is nothing to pass over. With that being said, I do love Packer’s projection to the next level at linebacker. He isn’t going to wow you laterally or in coverage, yet his total package warrants college attention. It will come. Not a rep seen where Packer met a ball-carrier in the hole and was pushed back. Not a rep seen, in a lengthy tape I might add, where Packer false-stepped or hesitated to hit a hole. I’d trust him to lead my defense at MLB. https://twitter.com/HadynPacker/status/1477429370482532353?s=20&t=yu38FtlHXY1y2LKv2_RfYg [player_tooltip player_id="248211" first="Brady" last="Jordan"] | 5’7, 165 | QB/RB/S | Jersey Shore | 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="248211" first="Brady" last="Jordan"] is a slippery junior QB/RB who can read a coverage just as well as he can make defenders miss in the open field. Jordan has some incredible runs from the pocket that leave defenders grabbing for air. He has an uncanny ability to slip past defenders with nasty spins and cuts. Really fun to watch some of his runs. Yes, the obvious should be stated, he is undersized for the quarterback position. His stature doesn’t stop him from delivering footballs to open wide outs, nor does it stop him from producing on the ground. Projecting where Jordan could have a future at the next level is tough, what’s not tough is to say that this young man deserves a look at RB or DB at the next level. It’ll come in time, I expect another 2k+ season out of this kid. Ian Hornberger | 6’5, 310 | OL/DL | Loyalsock | 2023 Hornberger is a big guard that looks to overwhelm interior defensive lineman with his heavy hands and violent down-blocking ability. When you have someone this powerful and massive, it’s hard to not kick him inside and pull him in the run game. Loyalsock does plenty of this and it works, thanks to Hornberger’s solid foot speed. Can extend his arms and steer defenders. Can stalemate power with great power of his own. His film is a little shorter than we’d like and he has plenty of room to grow from a technical standpoint but still a lot to like. He’s got some quality defensive tackle reps on tape. He can do a lot less thinking and a lot more hitting when on defense. I questioned if he had any position versatility, this was answered later in the film where he shows some quality reps when kicked outside to right tackle. Peyton Rearick | Milton | 2024 Here’s a player that reminds me of the previously mentioned Garrett Varano. Both players bring so much to the table. Rearick is a cerebral player who displays incredible awareness at every position he’s aligned to. Can take handoffs behind the LOS, can be split out wide, can provide kick-return capabilities. A natural with the ball in his hands. Love his capabilities on defense as well. Can pursue and deliver some big hits from either his safety or outside linebacker spot. You combine this kid’s total athletic package with his football IQ and you’ve got a real contributor to winning football games on Friday nights. https://twitter.com/peytonrearick/status/1458575699577831424?s=20&t=yu38FtlHXY1y2LKv2_RfYg [player_tooltip player_id="120465" first="Brett" last="Nye"] | 6’2, 212 | QB | Shamokin | 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="120465" first="Brett" last="Nye"] doesn’t get the recognition he deserves on this site. I’ve said this before so I thought a formal evaluation of the Elite 11 invitee would be in order. This kid sets the standard at quarterback in this District. He provides Shamokin a little bit of everything. His poise in and out the pocket immediately grabs my attention. Nye is often calm and under control in the pocket, often keeping his eyes downfield despite pressure. His depth perception and ability to hit open targets in-stride downfield rivals that of some of the better QBs in the state. Awesome stature to work with, looks bigger than 6’2, 215 in person. Shamokin likes to move Nye’s launch point occasionally, which serves Nye well, as he is adept at making throws while on the move. Pinpoint accuracy when going through 3-step drop and working the short game. There are real reads being made by Nye, I can see his eyes/helmet flash from read to read throughout his progression. Mental processing is all there. One of the more complete quarterback packages the state has to offer. https://twitter.com/brettnye1/status/1514945819920809990?s=20&t=yu38FtlHXY1y2LKv2_RfYg