3 Southern Small School 2025 Linebackers Who Broke Out Last Fall

Photo: Prep Redzone

Sam Erman March 20, 2023 @ 03:03 PM

<p>We're heading to the southern areas of the state and taking a look at a few LBs who are from smaller schools and are coming off of good campaigns that showcased their on-field abilities!</p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='718216' first='Will' last='Hambrick'] - Vincennes Lincoln - 5'11" 200lbs</h2>   <p>Hambrick came out and had a season that everyone needs to have to get things rolling as they should. To go out and perform on a Friday night at a high-level really builds confidence and Hambrick's grew throughout the season as it should've. Week after week, down after down, he found a way to make the play. Whether he was in position or not to be the one to make the tackle, he'll find a way to get there if no one else does. By no means is he the biggest LB, but he's as good as anyone when it comes to tackling and wrapping up. 48 solos on the year alone just with his ability to make the open-field tackle. His total of 102 tackles on the year was quite impressive considering that was his first year on Varsity. A young physical developing Linebacker with the ability to read and react is always a good combination to bet on down the road. Hambrick's got 2 more years of development left so it'll be intriguing to see how much further he comes during that time.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@Hambrick_Will</strong></p>    <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='553150' first='Cade' last='Kaiser'] - Batesville - 6'4" 185lbs</h2>   <p>Kaiser was one of the few guys trusted on the field in as many spots as they could get him. While this is a Linebacker piece, and he certainly plays along with a few other defensive spots, there so we'll get there in a second, he's a true ATH because of the length and versatility he has. He towers at 6'4" and is able to regularly get behind, or go above, defenders and make big plays. He caught 30 balls this year, averaging just under 16-yards per reception, and added 5 TDs. A big RedZone threat and chains mover is what he became on offense. He also got a handful of carries this year and busted a 50-yard run. Defensively, he's all over the field again as well. Great range, fantastic ability to see a play developing and make the pick, and know-how to force guys back inside to eliminate lanes and stop big plays. On the defensive side of the ball Kaiser put up 76 tackles, 5 interceptions, and forced another 2 fumbles. For one side of the ball, that's a pretty good year. For a 2-way player to have that level of impact on both sides of the ball, it speaks volumes about him and his upside. Kaiser is also a fairly good baseball player so he may have as many options open as he wants when the time comes.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@CadeKaiser25</strong></p>   <h2>[player_tooltip player_id='718217' first='Ben' last='Sherrick'] - North White - 6'1" 185lbs</h2>   <p>Sherrick has actually had 2 really good back to back campaigns, not just the 1, and has become a defensive staple seemingly overnight. He's done with 2 years of High School and already has 186 tackles and has never played a full game where he didn't get over 10 tackles. He also started his career by having a TFL for 9 straight games, and the streak lasted for over 1 calendar year. A pretty impressive stat when you think about it. He sees the field well, has really good reaction time, and is able to sometimes sniff things out before they've began to develop. He also takes good angles and is able to get through gaps and fight through some contact to get home and make the play. One of the most consistent players you'll come across. They've been able to lock him in for over 10 tackles and a TFL per game while being the heart and soul of the defense for 2 years now. I fully anticipate 2 more years of Sherrick leading the way, developing, and eventually making some program happy with a good find from a really small school.</p>   <p>Twitter: <strong>@BenSherrick8</strong></p>

We're heading to the southern areas of the state and taking a look at a few LBs who are from smaller schools and are coming off of good campaigns that showcased their on-field abilities!