2023 Uncommitted Report: Anthony Sykora, ATH, West Central Area
BARRETT, MINN– After a trip back from Fargo covering the NDSU/SDSU game a few weeks back, we caught up with West Central Area 2023 athlete Anthony Sykora Anthony Sykora 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH West Central Area | 2023…
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Continue ReadingBARRETT, MINN– After a trip back from Fargo covering the NDSU/SDSU game a few weeks back, we caught up with West Central Area 2023 athlete Anthony Sykora Anthony Sykora 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH West Central Area | 2023 State MN . Anthony recently decommited from Minnesota-Moorhead and is looking for a new home for the 2023 season and has heard a bunch from plenty of other NSIC schools about his next-level talent after making that decision. We do a little Q/A with Anthony on his skillsets and what he brings to the next level and much more coming from this 2-time All-District running back out of West Central Area!
Anthony Sykora Anthony Sykora 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH West Central Area | 2023 State MN Q/A with PRZ Minnesota
Q) Introduce yourself; What are some things people outside of your school should know about you football-wise and what you bring to the table at your position? What are your biggest strengths on the field at your position?
Anthony: I separate myself offensively with my vision and burst right thru it as a “get-in and get-out” type of tailback. I have a really good mix of strength, variety of speed, and a lot of versatility on offense. Defensively at the linebacker position, I show off a significant burst and agility off the heat of the snap with great use of the hands and once I get to the ball carrier, I have a strong wrap-up tackling ability. I play the game of football with a strong understanding of mental toughness.
Q) What is your favorite part about the position/positions you play?
Anthony: My favorite highlight I have ever made was against Chatfield last season in the playoffs where I made a big tackle in the backfield on a 3rd and short. Overall my favorite part about my role at the running back position is making guys miss in the open field.
Q) Ever since you reopened your recruitment from MSU-Moorhead, who have you been hearing from, and which program sticks out most in the early going since you reopened your recruitment?
Anthony: When I reopened my recruitment from Moorhead, I have heard from 10 schools in the Northern Sun Conference and St. Thomas at the FCS level. The list of schools I have heard from is Southwest Minnesota State, Concordia-St. Paul, Minnesota-Mankato, Bemidji State, Winona State, and Northern State amongst others. I have set up a game day visit with St. Thomas and I really like Minnesota-Mankato because there is a fun hometown feel to the Mavericks program when I took a visit there a couple of weeks ago.
Q) What is your elevator pitch to the college coaches that subscribe to Prep Redzone Minnesota on what you could bring to their program?
Anthony: I am a small-town player that brings a blue-collar work ethic to everything I do on the field. I am a four-year captain and know how to lead a team into a winning season. I also feel that I am the best athlete on the field with my skillsets and the vision I have on both sides of the ball. I also pride myself on my academics, as I am a 3.6 GPA and have the right attitude as a student-athlete that the student part of it comes first.
From my evaluations of Anthony at our Prep Redzone Minnesota showcases and watching a handful of his game tapes, I believe he is one of the most underrated running backs the outstate has to offer in this 2023 class.
Q) What is something that your coaches told you to develop this season and what have you done to develop those skillsets?
Anthony: Coming into the 2022 season, my coaches at West Central Area told me about a handful of items to grow on my skillsets. Stacking the box to stop the run is one of those skill sets, as well as staying patient and letting the play come to you. I also have gauged more on leading my teammates to get the best of them and making sure they stay positive on every rep on the field. I have continued developing my leadership qualities and being a good role model that my town and team can depend on.
Q) Who is your football mentor?
Anthony: My head coach Nate Wood has been my biggest football mentor to me on and off the field. He is also my school counselor as well. I love working with Nate with our game-planning ability.
Q) What are some things you learned about yourself as a player this season?
Anthony: In my senior season at West Central Area, I have come to realize the bigger picture and that I have to do what makes me happy. When I de-committed, I felt a weight was lifted off my shoulders, and my happiness levels improved to explore other options within my recruiting trail.
Tape Evaluation on West Central Area ATH Anthony Sykora Anthony Sykora 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH West Central Area | 2023 State MN
When I watched Anthony’s recently loaded senior tape there are a lot of skill sets the NSIC level should be keeping their eyes on in early November. His Q/A matches with what I see on tape, as he has that smashmouth knock-back ability with his play at linebacker. Anthony really sells his tape well as an all-purpose back, as not too many running backs I have watched the show off his hands early in the tape as Anthony does so well. When catching the ball out of the backfield, he shows swift ability with his agility with his footwork and it really shows off the pure athleticism he has in his plethora of moves. He also shows his rotational vision once he hits the open field, as his football IQ identifies very quickly where the best angle is to take to get upfield quickly. I also see that his 5’11 185 pound frame shows off longer strides than those measurables show off as his smooth balanced feet around the edges of the field speak volumes to where his game can take him when playing on Saturdays next year. He also shows sound instincts from the outside linebacker spot with his hard-running motor to get to the football and developing his footwork in pass coverage will only grow his talents to the next level. Although Anthony labels himself as an athlete, I think his next-level position should be as a tailback, as pass-catchers like Anthony out of the backfield are a dime in a dozen and I can think of several programs that will want a versatile receiving threat out of the backfield like Anthony Sykora Anthony Sykora 5'10" | 185 lbs | ATH West Central Area | 2023 State MN .