Western Pa Gems C/O 2024: Pt 2
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There are a bunch of gems in the class of 2024 in western Pennsylvania. I’ve previously written about some of the uncommitted recruits remaining in the 23′ class. I’ll now start introducing you to the 2024 prospects on the western…
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Continue ReadingThere are a bunch of gems in the class of 2024 in western Pennsylvania. I’ve previously written about some of the uncommitted recruits remaining in the 23′ class. I’ll now start introducing you to the 2024 prospects on the western side of the Keystone state. A lot of these recruits put themselves on the map from their productive 2022 seasons. With playoff football in full swing, I thought it would be a good time to start the 2024 recruiting spotlights. Once again all of these current junior prospects are either uncommitted or haven’t been offered yet.
Beckham’s a legit D1 prospect that plays for one of the best coaches in Western Pennsylvania. Division I programs such as Syracuse, Cincinnati, Toledo, Penn & Fordham have ramped up their recruiting efforts for Dee in recent months. He has adequate size to play linebacker in college at 6’1 210 pounds. He’s aggressive & physical in general all over the field. Dee’s a relentless Blitzer & a punishing tackler. His linebacker instincts are next-level, and he’s an elite hitter in space. His football IQ is sharp, which helps him reading & reacting. Beckham’s an agile zone dropper that can intercept & return the pass. He’s a fundamental form tackler that generates power from his low center of gravity. He uses his hands well engaging & disengaging O-Linemen. Dee’s capable of being a day-one contributor on a D1 special teams unit.
Highlights
Clinton Robinson
Clinton Robinson
Robinson’s been getting FBS interest to play Strong Safety. He’s an explosive hitter in space or confined areas. The Keystone Oak’s DB has good hips & feet in coverage. Clinton’s pedal is controlled & he guards his zone well in the 2 high Safety look. He’s very instinctual and not afraid to stick his face in the fan. Robinson’s a ball hawk on the backend anticipating throws. He’s skilled at picking the ball off at the highest point. His aggression is an attribute in the box on rushing plays. Robinson has a relentless motor, & he’s a sure tackler in the open field. Once he recognizes the play he doesn’t allow receivers to stock-block him. Clinton will improve the Special Teams unit on day one. He’s dominant & active in every phase of the game. Robinson is athletic enough to play Strong or Free Safety on the next level.
Fitzpatrick has been getting D1 looks in recruiting. He’s a versatile athlete that plays with a lot of heart. He’s a physical, reliable, open-field tackler that plays bigger than 165 pounds. He’s an effective two-way player for Montour High School. Fitzpatrick is competitive in man or zone coverages. Keino’s a smart player with sharp play recognition. His confidence allows him to anticipate & break on the ball quickly. He’s skilled at contesting passes versus bigger competition. Fitzpatrick has a good pad level & tempo in his backpedal. His transitions are smooth, & he T steps well when he breaks on the ball. Offensively, KF shows elusiveness, quickness, and speed when he has the football. Keino’s a good route runner with reliable pass-catching hands. Fitz has what takes to be a contributor on special teams collegiately.
Highlights
Kaeden has a host of FBS programs recruiting him but none have pulled the trigger yet. Kaeden shows good bend pass rushing the Quarterback. It’s clear that Singleton’s a D1-caliber athlete when you watch his movements. He fires out of stance quickly, and he’s a mismatch athletically versus a standard OT. At 6’2 he has the adequate height to bat passes down. Kaeden continually improved his engagement & disengagement at the point of attack during the season. He doesn’t take plays off and he redirects well when chasing ball carriers. Cannon Mac’s junior DE is physical with violent hands. Singleton plays with instincts that will only improve with a strong off-season. He’s also an athletic, physical blocking, pass-catching TE. Kaeden is well-equipped to be a D1 DE, H-back, or TE.
Dereon’s on a couple of D1 & D2 recruiting boards presently. The 24′ prospect Is capable of making a big play at any time. He tracks the ball well & he’s skilled at Mossing defenders on 50-50 passes. Greer’s strength gives him balance for breaking tackles and fighting for YAC. His vision and power with the ball in hand makes me believe he’s capable of playing RB. He has a wide-ranging catch radius with strong hands. Dereon was OLSH’s top deep threat this past season. His number was consistently called when his team needed a big play downfield. Greer finished the 2022 season averaging almost 20 yds per catch. The 2024 wideout had 50 catches, 1,000 all-purposed yds & 12 touchdowns. Dereon will be dangerous in 2023 with a good off-season.
Braeden Helmkamp
Braeden Helmkamp
Braeden is a big-framed prospect that should be on college radars. He’s a multi-sport standout which shows his pedigree as an athlete. Trinity’s two-way starter moves well for being 6’5 255 pounds. Helmkamp has good bend, and he’s flexible in his stance on both sides of the ball. The 2024 lineman has been clocked at a 5.0 sec 40 yd dash time. Braeden is athletic enough to be a D1 OT. He’s still a little light at 255, but he’s stronger than his weight indicates. Helmkamp plays with a low pad level in general on the gridiron. At OT he’s physical & he runs his feet well on contact. He’s strong & athletic enough to block athletic LBs in the run game. On defense, he has a good motor & he redirects well pursuing the ball. He generates a lot of power when he collides with opposing players coming out of his stance.