Linebackers that will are looking to take a big step up in 2023
In this article:
Linebackers have always provide great amounts of flex ability and the overall ability to play a high level in many different. When it comes to the Lb position, you have so many different archetypes and styles of play that make…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingLinebackers have always provide great amounts of flex ability and the overall ability to play a high level in many different. When it comes to the Lb position, you have so many different archetypes and styles of play that make them very unique. So, so let’s dive into looking at the LB of the future in South Dakota, and see who will be on my watchlist as I go into the next year.
Dayton Griess Dayton Griess 5'11" | 165 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Lincoln | 2024 SD – 5’11” 165lbs, Sioux Falls Lincoln
Sioux Falls Lincoln will be looking for players to fill in with the losses on defense that they have been having but they have their next big piece in Griess. He is a jack of all trade LB of sorts who can play soli din just about any spot you want to play him in, he is more of a football player than he is just as a pure linebacker by the nature of his play. Griess can keep up with just about any player he can match up with and uses his speed to play some great man to man coverage for a LB and can lurk around in zone’s. Along with his ability to rush the passer with his finesse and footwork, he makes it look easy at times. While he might be on the smaller side, that does not detract from his work ethic and ability to outplay anyone when it comes to playing defense. Overall, he might be one of top players I’m watching going into next year for his sheer ability at coverage compared to others.
Rylan Aman Rylan Aman 6'0" | 175 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2024 State SD – 6’0″ 170lbs, Sioux Falls Jefferson
Aman is a player that is a perfect representation that is the future of football and someone that will be pioneering generations to come. There are not many things that Aman cannot do and that he shows that when he is on the field. He has the speed to keep up with wideouts when they are in one and one coverage even, and when he is in a zone package, good luck getting a pass by him. Aman’s biggest strength that he has in his bag is that he is so smart and efficient when he is on the defensive side of the ball. You can see this when he is on the field with just about every single snap that he takes, it might not be the most obvious but he can truly adjust his game if it is run heavy or pass heavy. He can hit hard and move around with such speed that he is almost like a box safety of sorts. I like what Aman brings to the table and it is great to see a humble player with his talent play football.
Austin Johnson Austin Johnson 6'1" | 205 lbs | LB Watertown | 2024 State SD – 6’1″ 190lbs, Watertown
Johnson is what I like to call a field general, someone who can not only play hard on the field and he shows so much leadership on the field. Johnson is primarily a tackler whose job is to either stop a pass for getting out into the open field or for filling up gaps that form of the offense of line to stuff the run before it can start. It seems our time so when Johnson was on the field it is like he can see things that we can’t, not being that he can view the offense like it’s almost a video game and predict what his next move will be. His defensive IQ is simply off the charts and moreover his leadership is not only for his defensive unit first for his teammates as a whole is something invaluable to every single team. Colleges should start looking to Johnson now for the fact of how well he can lead on the field and off the field, a talented player that is vocal in the locker room and on the field, a win-win in every regard.
Austin Brummels Austin Brummels 5'10" | 185 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2024 State SD – 5’10” 180lbs, Brandon Valley
Brummels might be at the top of my list of my favorite defensive players going into next year, and he backed it up with the play on the field this year. I would like to describe Brummels as a disruptor kind of player, someone who can get into the backfield as break a play up before I can start or knock a ball out for incomplete pass or even a fumble when it’s in the open field. He plays with a sense of tenacity and ferocity that you love to see but it is all within moderation and a love for the game of football but he plays with, something that makes him a notch above contemporaries when it comes to backing up his talent. While he might have elite talent he also is a leader for his team and show time and time again that he’ll give speeches and do what he needs to do to inspire his team around him. Brummels was a threat every single time that he was on the field this year, and was a feared by QBs any time that they saw him lined up.