2023 Overlooked Athletes: Part 2

Yesterday, we talked about some of the state’s underrated athletes in the Class of 2023. Today, that list goes on with another group of overlooked playmakers who are capable of making their presence felt this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id=’299889’ first=’Jacob’ last=’Jones’], 5’10, 170 pounds, Sheridan   [player_tooltip player_id=’299889’ first=’Jacob’ last=’Jones’] plies his trade at both middle linebacker as well as running back. In 2021, Jones showed promise at running back and brilliance at linebacker. He rushed for 147 yards on 19 carries with four touchdowns. Defensively, Jones was a tackling machine, posting 106 tackles. 62 of his tackles were solo tackles. He showcased the disruptive side of his game by notching eight tackles-for-loss and half-a-dozen sacks. Jones hurried the quarterback 11 times, defended against one pass and recovered one fumble. On special teams, he handles a lot of the punting duties. He punted 21 times for 624 yards with one punt going inside the 20-yard line. Jones also blocked one field goal attempt.   [player_tooltip player_id=’185195’ first=’Caleb’ last=’Dewey’], 6’3, 150 pounds, Edinburgh   [player_tooltip player_id=’185195’ first=’Caleb’ last=’Dewey’] is a playmaker at wide receiver and free safety for Edinburgh. As a wideout, Dewey can be the one to stretch the field. He has the speed to be able to take the top of the defense and run underneath the throw. Once the ball is in his possession, Dewey has the elusiveness to give any defender problems. Crucially, Dewey can climb the ladder and win jump balls as well as passes that are tipped. It is not uncommon to see him turn what looks like an interception into a completion. At free safety, Dewey is coming off a season that saw him record 29 tackles with a pair of tackles-for-loss, a trio of interceptions, one pass defense and one forced fumble.   [player_tooltip player_id=’185231’ first=’Liam’ last=’Farmer’], 6’0, 180 pounds, Cascade   [player_tooltip player_id=’185231’ first=’Liam’ last=’Farmer’] can set the tone at running back and defensive end for Cascade. At defensive end, he gets off the ball quickly and maintains that pace throughout the play. Farmer does a nice job of turning the corner and getting down the line. As a junior, he ran for over 900 yards with 11 rushing touchdowns. He tacked on 39 yards as a receiver. On the other side of the ball, Farmer was a menace for opposing offenses. He accumulated 67 tackles with five tackles-for-loss. Farmer added one sack, three interceptions, one pass defense and one fumble recovery. His 139 kickoff return yards should make fans even more excited to see what [player_tooltip player_id=’185231’ first=’Liam’ last=’Farmer’] does this season.   [player_tooltip player_id=’325850’ first=’Reece’ last=’Wilder’], 6’2, 210 pounds, Booneville   [player_tooltip player_id=’325850’ first=’Reece’ last=’Wilder’] is a leader at running back and middle linebacker. Wilder plays the run very well, something that a middle linebacker has to do in order to be successful. Another key attribute is his tackling ability. Once he gets to the ball, it is a safe bet that he will make the stop. At running back, Wilder amassed 631 rushing yards with a quartet of touchdowns. At linebacker, Wilder accounted for 82 tackles with seven-and-a-half sacks. Wilder can be opportunistic as evidenced by the fact that he forced three fumbles, a season ago.   [player_tooltip player_id=’185208’ first=’Tony’ last=’Flatt’], 6’0, 180 pounds, Covenant Christian   To be either a linebacker or a quarterback requires you to be a leader both on and off the field. Leadership becomes even more in demand when you play both positions. This is the case for [player_tooltip player_id=’185208’ first=’Tony’ last=’Flatt’] who will be looking to lead Covenant Christian to new heights this fall. Flatt is a dual-threat quarterback who frequently extends plays and affords his receivers more time to get open. Flatt can take off and pick up yardage with his legs when needed, but he is certainly capable of making big-time throws. Flatt has a good arm and he can still deliver a nice ball when under duress. On the defensive side, Flatt recorded 14 tackles as a junior with two tackles-for-loss and three sacks.   [player_tooltip player_id=’300627’ first=’Reilley’ last=’Wood’], 5’10, 190 pounds, Triton   [player_tooltip player_id=’300627’ first=’Reilley’ last=’Wood’] leads the way for Triton with his tenacious style. He is an excellent tackler who drives on the play. His highlight film regularly displays instances where he attacks downhill. He embraces the physical side of the game and often is the one delivering the thud. Offensively, he showed last season that he can help sustain drives. He ran for 68 yards and a touchdown on 29 carries. He caught six passes for 62 yards. On defense, he recorded 71 tackles. On top of that, Wood racked up three tackles-for-loss and two forced fumbles.

Yesterday, we talked about some of the state’s underrated athletes in the Class of 2023. Today, that list goes on with another group of overlooked playmakers who are capable of making their presence felt this fall.