Class of ’23 Film Review

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This time of year there are big games every weekend, and many high school careers have come to an end. This is a special bittersweet time for players, schools and families. With that being said there will be a group of young men whose journey has not ended just yet. These are the guys who are dedicated to continuing playing this beautiful game on Saturdays! With that being said I will continue to review the senior film of the class of 2023 for you and provide a little insight into what college recruiters are seeing on film from them. Hope you enjoy!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='313277' first='Jackson' last='Smith']- (SLPHS) 6'1 195Lbs. C/o 2023.&nbsp; @jacksonsmith_03</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jackson has a number of strengths on the football field and I like him most as a defender.&nbsp; He is a smart player who understands blocking and route concepts as well as his keys.&nbsp; This helps him to play fast and with great intent.&nbsp; In the pass game he is best in zone situations where he can use his knowledge to get into passing lanes and make interceptions or tip balls.&nbsp; You can tell he understands what is coming by how he reacts to the routes in front of him.&nbsp; In the run game I would describe him as slippery.&nbsp; He doesn't do a lot of blowing up blocks but instead sees pullers and schemes very well and works his way into position to make a play.&nbsp; He is a sure tackler who plays with a strong base and finishes well.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='112079' first='Kellen' last='Kinzer']- (St. Cloud Cathedral High School) 6'4 225 Lbs. C/o 2023. @KellenKinzer</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>When I watch Kellen I see a big framed pass catching Tight End.  I am sure through time he has the chance to become a very good blocker as well, but as most highlights go you see a lot more receiving than blocking.  Things that stand out are first, his feel for the game.  He is especially good vs. zone looks because he has an excellent feel for how to get into the soft spots in zones and make himself a big target.  He is a hands catcher and does a nice job of falling forward.  It also says something that they work to get him into one on one situations and when they get that the ball is going his way.  This kid is a weapon in the intermediate to short passing game and will continue to develop moving forward.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='120956' first='Caden' last='Spence']- (Zimmerman High School) 6'1 190Lbs. C/o 2023. @SpenceCaden</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Caden was a homerun hitter for Zimmerman this fall and a lot of that comes from the ability of their offense to get him on the edges by play design and then just let him roll.  This is certainly a track kid who can really fly in straight away situations, there is no wasted movement and it is fun to watch him work down a sideline and then read the last defender for a cut-back or just to straight beat them with his speed.  He also shows soft hands and versatility to be a receiver in the screen and intermediate passing areas.  When a kid has speed their potential is always high, just find ways to get him the ball with some space.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='382845' first='Zack' last='Schusted']- (Blaine High School). 6'7 230Lbs. C/o 2023. @zackschusted</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Zack has a massive frame that I am assuming will only get bigger as he adds weight in college.  As someone who loves the gritty part of the game of football the blocking reps on his film are a thing of beauty.  There is room for improvement from a technique standpoint but what I love is how eager he is to get in tight spaces and mix it up.  He understands how to use his length as a weapon in the run game and he finishes blocks to the ground which is always a huge plus.  In the pass game again his frame and strike zone make the quarterbacks job much easier and he runs very well for all that length.  He's an exciting kid who will be making noise in college in the years to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='112141' first='Jordan' last='Olagbaju']- (Maple Grove High School). 5'10 205Lbs. C/0 2023.&nbsp; @j_tyler_o</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jordan is a ton of fun to watch.  Primarily a tailback but he shows the versatility to play other roles for them as well.  They feel comfortable splitting him out to throw a vertical route to him, as well as playing him in the fullback position.  All that being said he is a true "dot the I" tailback who runs with great lean and has enough patience to let things develop in front of him.  He is a thick kid with good contact balance and the frame and physicality to be a feature back in college with the right offense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->