2023: Best Linebackers in 5A- Wichita Edition

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The linebacker: possibly the most integral part of a defense. Sometimes called the "quarterback of the defense," linebackers are in charge of everything under the sun for a defense. Do you need quarterback pressure? Linebackers. Short to medium pass coverage? Linebackers. Most importantly though, who is going to be there to send a message to anyone trying to run across the field? Linebackers. All over Wichita there are several linebackers that do their job well, but these five do their job as well as anyone, and are all looking to be the best linebacker in the city come next fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Lane Nelson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Goddard","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Lane is a linebacker that has a role and knows how to play it well. Nelson is a linebacker that seals off running lanes and makes tackles. He may not light up highlight reels or bully through the offense, but still plays great. He keeps the sideline sealed off from ball carriers, and meets blockers with a purpose. Lining up a lot at scrimmage, he keeps his eyes to the ball carrier and make several tackles while still engaged with his original blocker. He is also a sure tackler, meaning that if he is able to grab ahold of you, there are not many running backs that are able to slip away. Going into his senior year, Nelson is set to grow into his frame more and lead his Goddard defense through the city.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["284899"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Mencali might be the best energy guy in the city. Starting as a sophomore and getting over 70 tackles last season for West, he is going to do great things in the years to come. Lining up mostly in the middle, En is looking to fly downfield to backs all day. He hits the hole hard, but is still able to keep his shoulders and hips square with the best Wichita has to offer. He leaves a good pop, but no ESPN Top 10 hits scatter his film. My favorite part about En's game is his effort. Constantly he is chasing down open runners and saving that defensive unit from giving up more yards, sometimes even touchdowns. The Pioneers will put him in pass coverage, but he is much more comfortable on the front lines keeping the ground game at bay.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1181629' first='Carter' last='Morris']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Bishop Carroll","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Morris is an incredible talent at the linebacker position. At 5'10 and 210 pounds, he can do it all. His pass coverage skills are remarkable for a middle linebacker. He has pretty good speed that he uses to take back interception, but most importantly fly into backfields. He offers a big pop when meeting running backs, and will even flatten some of the strongest backs across town. The missteps in his game are so few and far between, you have to nitpick his game to find anything. One example being that he has a tendency to leave his feet too soon on some hits which allows the back to gain an extra yard or two as opposed to what would have happened had he continued to drive through the carrier. Overall Morris has every tool to be crowned the best linebacker in Wichita this fall.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Landon Pfannenstiel","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Newton","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"With a lack of film, Pfannenstiel may be a dark horse for a list like this, but with the film that he has shown, the tools are there for great things to happen next fall. For starters, he has one thing you cannot teach: size. 6 foot, 210 pounds, this is a large lad. He may not have the best speed, but he is ready to hit all the time no matter who it is. He is willing to run and hit with pulling guards and tackles in the hole and help wear down that front five if he is not able to make a play on the ball. When he can make the tackle though, he does. He is pretty good at run contain, although may have his feet flat on the turf as the ball carrier approaches him, but with summer workouts and some graduations in Newton's linebacking core, Pfannenstiel is set up to explode soon.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Brady Rapp","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Maize South","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"There are always one guy one every field that seems to mold their game around playing in the box. Rapp is one of those players. Although his speed and awareness help him mirror running backs all the way to the sideline, Rapp looks to have one thing on his mind at all times: flatten the quarterback. When a quarterback's head start to pop up and begin scanning, Rapp almost appears to hit another gear so that he can bury him into the grass. When meeting other ball carriers, Brady shows a good pop and wrap and is a reliable tackler. He has been seen allowing running backs to meet him rather than the ladder, which will leave his feet flat. Other than that Rapp is an excellent player who will look to get a substantial role in this Maverick defensive unit for 2023.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63f5324cc2d46"} /-->