2023 New Year’s Top Rewind Athletes

<!-- wp:paragraph {"align":"center"} --> <p class="has-text-align-center"><strong><em>Happy New Year's 2023</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Featuring: Saint James High School, Hale County High School, Tuscaloosa Academy High School, Rudolph High School, Mobile Christian High School, Falkville High School </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As the year 2022 draws to a close, it's time to say goodbye to the old and hello to the future! There's a lot to think about from this last year of outstanding football in Alabama, and there's a lot of talent still available for the class of 2023 and beyond. At this time, I'd want to spotlight certain prominent players who, in my view, are among the best in the state of Alabama, hailing from a range of schools around the state. Understanding sports is a difficult task for some people, but for me, real recognizes real! So let's get straight to it and name some of the top offensive and defensive players in my eyes around the state who closed 2022 with a bang and will begin 2023 with a bang!<br><br>So let's dive into some Alabama football!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["130505"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"For the Trojans in 2022, Jackson was one of the state's finest players, dominating Class 3A Region 3 and guiding his team to the AHSAA Super 7 State Championship. This past season, the junior completed 64% of his throws for 2,813 yards and 42 touchdowns.rnrnJackson has a lot of potential as a future quarterback at the next level. He can toss the ball with accuracy while also displaying rhythm and anticipation. Jackson consistently locates his passes well, putting them in position for his receiver to make the grab and gain yards. Jackson has a strong arm and can propel the ball vertically, but he does not only throw fastballs; he also throws a catchable ball. Jackson exhibits terrific feel with lofted touch throws to his talented wide receivers. He is a physical quarterback who challenges defenders downfield. Jackson is one of the quarterbacks who understands how to use his check-downs more effectively throughout a game, which makes him a terrific decision-maker.rnrnOverall, Jackson does an excellent job of defending the football and avoiding interceptions. He usually makes smart judgments, and with his skill to find the ball, he doesn't give the defenders many chances to take the ball away. Jackson moves his eyes well when scrambling and is aware of the need to look downfield for receivers who are covering. When blitzes get to him, he makes an athletic play to open up more opportunities for his team. Jackson does a good job of viewing the field while moving for the most part. He also passes accurately on the run, which distinguishes him from other quarterbacks in the country. 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Hopson is an effective inside pass rusher. He can fly upfield with his acceleration off the snap to penetrate the pocket, and his unrelenting motor helps him complete rushes by outfighting blocks to get to the quarterback. Hopson uses active hands to keep guards from connecting with his body, and his natural pad level keeps him low and leveraged. Hopson's quickness and agility enable him to twist his body to drop underneath blocks and continue to gain on the quarterback. Hopson also plays hard with a steady motor, and he is typically robust at the point of attack in the ground game. He possesses the power to keep his ground and the athleticism to fight off blocks. Hopson is somewhat small, but that's what most people want us to believe, and I believe he's the perfect size, especially given his incredible playing abilities. This kid has the potential to be an excellent fit for any DII or NAIA team in 2023. 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He is one of the state's most underappreciated treasures, and he is now here to thrive for greatness. Davenport's toughness is perhaps his most notable characteristic. He's a big-bodied receiver who knows how to play the game. Many wideouts with Davenport's power and aggressiveness are prone to pushing off defensive backs, but Davenport has enough agility to get open, and when he receives the ball, he is remarkable with the way he dodges and weaves by defenders while sprinting through arm tackles. Davenport uses his physicality with defensive backs to break tackles and gain yards after contact. Cornerbacks struggle to get him on the ground, and his ability to create great gains on bubble screens and other simple completions due to his run-after-the-catch talents makes him dangerous. Davenport isn't like many of the in-state receivers, but he's a lot better, in my opinion. He is tremendously focused on getting the job done by receiving whatever type of ball his quarterback throws him, which makes him extremely special. 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Kelly is a large, quick, and athletic heat-seeking missile who flies over the field. Kelly is an exceptionally fast linebacker who can cover sideline to sideline thanks to his quick first step and amazing closing speed. He possesses the speed to chase down ball carriers and run with receiving targets in the center of the field. Kelly has excellent stature, but what sets him apart is his explosiveness and surprising speed. Kelly has the speed and agility to pick up receivers in the zone and cover them in the middle of the field. With his skill set, he has the potential to grow into a linebacker who can man-cover tight ends and running backs. Kelly is quick and agile enough to run with running backs out of the backfield or tight ends down the seam. He covers a lot of territory in zone coverage, relying on his excellent vision to keep focused on the game. Kelly is a powerful blitzer who can cover and blast into the backfield. He has a startling ability to fight off offensive linemen's blocks, which is aided by his natural size and power. With more improvement, Kelly might become a standout linebacker in pass coverage in addition to his other skills. This kid is still young and will continue to improve at the game, and he will soon be a top-10 athlete in the state. 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He is useful against speedy edge rushers since he gets out of his stance quickly and reacts quickly to cut off the corner and prevent rushers from making the loop around the edge. Cooper does not have to reach after rushers and is not a waist bender because of his fast feet and ability to bend at the knee. Cooper makes excellent use of his length to wrap up rushers and maintains his blocks efficiently.Cooper is a bull in the ground game as a run blocker. He possesses the strength and physicality to deflect opponents and ride them around the field. Having said that, he is a great offensive tackle, tying up, twisting, turning, and manipulating defensive linemen to keep them from getting to his back. Cooper demonstrates considerable second-level speed and pull agility, which really benefit his stock. Cooper could be extremely helpful to a future team that's wanting to protect the quarterback against speedy edge rushers and help move the ball downfield at the next level. 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Warnick demonstrates his ability to play cornerback on slot receivers, staying with them to prevent separation. Warnick can also pick up receivers downfield along the sideline, and he has the awareness to use the sideline well and limit receivers from going open over the top. Warnick plays the ball very effectively, using his stature to swat passes away and not panicking when passes come his way. Warnick, as a run defender, is eager to help in any capacity he can, including blitzes, man coverage, and more. He is an exceptional tackler with a highly consistent wrap-up technique that a lot of top defensive backs use. This kid shoots gaps extremely well by using great reads and game speed to stop anyone who's trying to gain yards. 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