6 Indiana Recruits Making A Statement Through 6 Weeks

<!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Joshua Cottee - South Vigo - RB/LB - 6'1" 205lbs - 2023</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cottee is an elite back with every tool you could want in an incoming recruit. He's a strong, physical, and shifty back who is able to run in between the tackles and the outside zone. He's got elite short area agility and can jump-cut out of any lane. He's got a decent center of gravity and can be really hard to bring down. He's also able to pickup the blitz and track blitzers through the mesh. He's got fantastic vision and is able to spot lanes before they finish developing. He's then got the speed to bounce it to the outside and get the edge. Cottee will also lower his head and fight for those tough yards. That's also what makes him such a reliable RZ RB. There's not much else you could ask a back to do that Cottee can. He's fantastic and checks every box. He's on fire to start the season and that isn't going to change. Let him touch the ball and reap the rewards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='217889' first='Ransom' last='McDermott'] - Noblesville - OL - 6'7" 300lbs - 2024</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>McDermott is someone we covered this fall with big expectations, but that may not have been enough. In my opinion, McDermott has turned into one of, if not the best, OL in the state seemingly overnight. This dude is a problem for opposing lines. He's incredibly strong, has elite length, and is good on an island by himself. McDermott can handle the speed rushers, the bull rushers, and the double teams. He's able to set his feet and clench with his crazy strong hands play after play. When he's on the move, it's almost unfair. He's going to blow his guy back a few yards and then find the next sucker in his way. He's intense and has an edge to his game that stands out. McDermott is a as gritty as they come in the trenches and with his size and strength, he's going to be a good one at the next level, and potentially beyond.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Charlie Koeppen - Andrean - LB - 6'1" 220lbs - 2023</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Koeppen has been off to his best start yet and showing no reason to slow down. He's developed nicely over the years and seems to have found his stride right at the perfect time. Koeppen is jump from gap to gap, come downhill, and make the play. He's not afraid of contact or trying to lay the wood. He's got the ability to run sideline to sideline. He's not the best in coverage, but he's decent and getting better. He's able to tackle in open space and make the play when he's the last line of defense. Koeppen isn't afraid to take his shot at the ball when he can as well. He's not overly aggressive but will take his shots when he can. He's got a decent frame and is rather thick. Once he hits a college lifting program, he could easily chisel himself out and be a much more physical player near the trenches. There's a lot to like with Koeppen and what he offers. He's a tough player with really good upside. I'd keep an eye on him moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Gavin Cataldo - Lowell - DB/WR - 5'8" 150lbs - 2025</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Cataldo is an intriguing name to keep an eye on moving forward. He's a 2-way player for Lowell who has had a big jump in physical development over the past year and is still growing. He's added a few inches and almost 30 pounds since his freshman campaign. So far during his sophomore season, he looks pretty good. The confidence is there. That's the biggest thing is he's playing confident, loose, and free. Cataldo is stronger and a better athlete than he was as well. He's able to make plays on the ball and break on it when he sees it thrown. He's not afraid to be put by himself and has been since he was a freshman. He'll play Corner the entire game if you ask him too. While height is currently an issue, I don't think it will be for much longer. He's still growing height wise. Cataldo is also able to tackle in the open field and prevent the big play. He's not the flashiest player on this list, but he's as dedicated and hard working as they come. Combine that with the development on the field and 2 more years of school left, Cataldo has the chance to be a really good recruit on his way out of High School.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>Blake Lagaly - South Dearborn - CB - 5'9" 160lbs - 2024</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Lagaly is a fun corner to watch because he takes you off guard. He's incredibly aggressive and is going to take his shots at the ball. If he's not able to catch the ball, he's at least able to hit it to the ground. Lagaly is able to stay in the back pocket of his WR and stay hip to hip. He's quicker than he looks and can open it up and run. Lagaly is then not afraid to come down and make the tackle. He's got long arms and it allows him to stay back a few inches to avoid a penalty but then close and make the play. He's not afraid to be physical and try pushing his guy around either. Some guys just have a natural feel for playing CB and when to close and how to make the play, and that's Lagaly to a T. His tape genuinely shocked me because of how sound he can be. He's a fun player to watch. Not many DBs have the timing down like he does and that alone puts him ahead of some others. In the RedZone, he's able to turn his head and get his arms up right at the perfect time as well to deflect the ball. Lagaly is a sneaky good corner prospect and still has another 2 years of development left. There's a lot to be excited about with him and where he could end up.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='272677' first='Elijah' last='Chandler'] - Center Grove - DE/DT - 6'1" 230lbs - 2024</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Chandler is an incredibly sound player who is able to set and defend the edge for Center Grove and do it at a high level. Chandler is very noticeably smart on the field and doesn't get baited into junk and does his job. Whether it's a read-option and he's reading the QB and waiting for him to make a move or a drop-back pass, Chandler understands depth and when to pursue and stay flat. He's got a really nice frame that allows to him to win deep in the trenches. He's a rather good athlete and is able to hit the edge and bend around it faster than O-Linemen think. Chandler is also able to play the running game and stand out there as well. He's shown the ability to split 2 linemen and get right into the backfield immediately and the ability to bull-rush, move his guy out of the way, and reach to make the tackle in the backfield. Chandler is the perfect type of recruit for a program who knows how to develop the DL. Once he gets into a collegiate lifting program and develops, he's got the chance to flourish. The best part about all of this is Chandler still has another year and a half of development coming before he gets to college. The future is incredibly bright for Chandler and if he's able to put it all together, he's going to be special.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->