Friday Film Review (March 10, 2023)
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Every Friday during February through April, we’re going to throw on the tape and break down athletes across Oklahoma. Last month, we put out a tweet asking prospects in the 2024-2026 classes to send us their film for our Film Review feature. Over 150 responses later and we’re off to the races. We’ve reviewed 75 prospects all over Oklahoma so far and we’re not close to slowing down. Keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma every Friday for more breakdowns on athletes across Oklahoma.
If you’re not featured this week but have sent us your film, don’t worry! You’re on the list and will be covered in the future. Now, all of these breakdowns are based on the film we have access to. And this isn’t just a puff piece. While the majority of the breakdowns will be positive, it will also include areas to improve, question marks and more for the prospect to work on as we head into the spring and summer.
Brandon Simon
Brandon Simon
First up on our Friday Film Review is Simon in the 2025 class from Okmulgee. Simon plays center for the Bulldogs and is 6’1″ weighing in at 260 pounds. Simon likes to play physical at the center position and does a good job blocking back on his defender. The majority of the time, the Bulldogs ask for him to block back on the defender one-on-one where he will come off the ball and uses his hands well. He will work play side and can move up to the next level. One specific thing I look for in a lineman is his pad leverage and that is what I would like to see Simon work on this next season and come off the ball. With a good offseason, Simon will have a good Junior year and help anchor the front line this next season.
Dougherty plays linebacker and H-back for the Comets of Bishop Kelley. I like how Dougherty makes his read and sifts through the traffic. He is patient and doesn’t overrun the play. He does a good job of tracking the hip of the ball carrier and making the play. At H back, he blocks well and moves his feet continuously. He blocks down to the second level and runs his track to the linebackers. He doesn’t run to where they are but to where they are going to go. He fits up on blocking out the defensive end and keeps his hands inside the wheelhouse of the lineman. One thing I would look for him to get better at is being more physical on contact when playing the linebacker position. Dougherty is a 2024 athlete and looks to have a good senior year for the Comets.
Highlights
Jordan Wesley Jordan Wesley 5'8" | 150 lbs | RB Beggs | 2026 State OK
Jordan Wesley Jordan Wesley 5'8" | 150 lbs | RB Beggs | 2026 State OK
Our next player that we are going to take a look at is Wesley out of Beggs High School. Wesley plays running back and cornerback for the Demons and is in the class of 2026. He moves well out in open space and can catch the ball out of the backfield. He is a versatile athlete you can find ways to get him the ball in multiple ways. In the majority of the clips that I watched with him at running back, he goes and gets to the edge quickly and shows a burst of speed. I would like to see more clips of him between the tackles but then again, he is a freshman and has a great running back ahead of him that he can continue in getting mental reps within Red Martel. At cornerback, he likes to play physical at the jam or point of contact. He tracks the ball with his eyes and plays the correct hip in coming up to make the tackle. He also plays returner on the kickoff return and it’s another way for him to get his hands on the ball.
Jradden Russell
Jradden Russell
Russell is a big defensive end for the Plainsmen who plays defensive end and can move around to play inside. Russell moves well on the defensive line when he is slanting inside for specific plays. Russell uses his hands to create separation between himself and his offensive lineman and gets off the block to make plays. He does a good job of setting the edge and not allowing the ball carrier or quarterback to get outside of him. He has a good push-pull when he attacks the quarterback in the passing game. I also like when he uses his hands to swipe the offensive lineman’s hands down and rips through his defender. He does a good in playing down the line of scrimmage when the play is run away from him. Russell shows a good motor where he doesn’t quit on the play and likes to chase the ball carrier down. I would like to see him work on getting off the ball quicker where that could help him be more of an edge player. If Russell keeps developing and trending in the right direction, he is going to have a good Junior season.
I’ve coached against Bishop Kelley for 10 years and when you think of BK’s defense, it always seems like they have a player like Rhoades out on the edge. Standing at 6’4″ and weighing in at 230 pounds, Rhoades is athletic with a long body. When attacking the edge, he does a good job of dipping his shoulder with a rip getting to the quarterback without running upfield. Rhoades does a good job coming off the ball and fighting through the block. He displays good technique and can create separation with one arm to get off the block to make the tackle. He works to set the edge and plays down the line of scrimmage. With his frame, he can cross face once the running back commits and is long enough to come back to make the play inside for a tackle for a loss. The other thing that I like about him, is Rhoades can slant inside or stunt two gaps over. Rhoades typically creates pressure on the quarterback because of the way he moves with his footwork and his athletic frame.