’22 Season District Previews: Linemen – Metro-Maroon South

<strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">District Previews: Metro-Maroon South | Linemen</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">In this edition of the 2022 season Linemen Previews, I will be focusing on the Metro-Maroon South district as I look to dissect which linemen l I feel are prone to have a great season ahead of them.</span> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="287254" first="Keenan" last="Wilson"] | DL | Eagan | 2023</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">It is unfair, simply unfair, what this young man has done to Metro-Maroon South offenses, and to keep this write-up under several pages will be tough. [player_tooltip player_id="287254" first="Keenan" last="Wilson"] is an animal in the middle for Eagan, and my sympathy runs deep for his opponents this season and beyond. Keenan has an abysmal amount of strength that is too much for nearly all offensive linemen to handle, and to add insult to injury, when the offensive linemen are laying on their backs, they get to watch Keenans speed go to work as he chases down whoever has the ball. Keenan has both quickness off the ball and speed to track down quarterbacks and running backs. When I mean speed, I mean literal speed. I am positive offensive ball handlers are just as shocked to find such a fast defensive lineman at the prep level as I am, only they have to react quickly to try to escape, and I get to watch in awe from a distance. Keenan’s strength is frequently made visible in the way he can shed blocks so quickly, throwing offensive linemen any way he pleases, and even stonewalling double teams. Now you put speed, quickness, and strength together, and even kickers are given headaches when they know what is coming up the middle when they line up for extra points and field goals. Simply put, Keenan is a kick-blocking machine. Keenan’s skillset goes full circle for a defensive lineman, and I am sure his linebackers sit happy knowing they have such a great player wreaking havoc in front of them. It goes without saying that Keenan will again be having a spectacular season making a fool of offenses, and I look for the FBS ranks of coaches to begin noticing this and piling on the offers sooner rather than later.</span> <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11480237/6183289d7bdd430824c476ea" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="105399" first="Maverick" last="Meschke"] | DL/OL | Hopkins | 2024</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Maverick is an athlete I am eager to watch this year and see what kind of perseverance he shows. While only playing two games last year due to an injury, Maverick still delivered some great traits on the field. Coming out of his offensive tackle position, Maverick showed a keen ability in swinging his hips out and getting defensive lineman flowing away from the offensive play direction. Maverick displayed strong hands, allowing him to get into the defensive lineman’s chest and turning them away from the play. Coming into this season, I am looking for Maverick to continue to develop his footwork and pounding his feet through plays. Maverick has shown a great football IQ, and I am looking forward to seeing him get back after it this year.</span> <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15962215/6162fc080dbfd6089054066d" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="312964" first="Mambu" last="Sonie"] | DL | Burnsville | 2023</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">Mambu is a solid defensive lineman who explodes low off of the ball and reads plays exceedingly well. This young man can keep his hips low and sit in his gap as he scans efficiently for the ball carrier. As Mambu is excellent at getting off the ball low, this young athlete can get excellent arm extension out from the offensive linemen, where he is proficient at shedding the blockers. Mambu also displays amazing tackling techniques by wrapping up every time he gets his hands on the ball carrier. Going into his senior season campaign, I look for Mambu to continue developing his hand techniques to work moves on the offensive linemen, which will further assist his already great arm extension. Burnsville has a great lineman on their squad this year, and I am sure Mambu will be making a plethora of plays.</span> <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13565411/6172e37a4798260960e419c3" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong><span data-preserver-spaces="true">[player_tooltip player_id="313189" first="Rory" last="Lane"] | DL | Park Cottage Grove | 2023</span></strong> <span data-preserver-spaces="true">An aggressive head hunter is what comes to mind when I watch film of Rory out on the gridiron. This young man plays some physical ball and looks to lay the boom on his offensive opponents, making his presence known. Rory brings the kind of physicality that makes most opposing players notice, and this young man makes great reads from the defensive line position and can react quickly, trusting what he sees unfolding in front of him. Rory is a finisher on the field, and his motor keeps running until the whistle is blown. Rory is eager to make plays, and it shows on the field; however, Rory’s overzealousness can sometimes cause him to come crashing down too hard from the defensive end position. I look for Rory to curb that habit and stay home so that he does not leave himself susceptible to back-side plays. Park Cottage Grove has a stout defender in Rory, and I am excited to catch up on his play this coming season.</span> <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9060510/619d663fe97b010a88a41a62" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <span data-preserver-spaces="true"> </span> <span data-preserver-spaces="true"> </span>