Sooner Shootout: 15U Defensive Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</em></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Sooner State Shootout is in the books and it was a fantastic weekend of football in Broken Arrow! 65 teams from 8 different states came and&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2023/02/sooner-state-shootout-recap/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">four would walk away with championships in their respective divisions</a></strong>. In this post, I'm going to take a look at five prospects in the 15U division that really stood out on the defensive side of the ball. For some of these guys, they played offense and defense but it was what they did as defenders that caught our attention this weekend.</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":"Ryan Blaich","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"STFFA","_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":"Here is another STFFA standout that we are going to talk about to start our defensive standouts throughout the weekend.  Blaich played safety for STFFA, who is from the Kansas City area, and I liked his game.  I like his range as he can play in the secondary as he broke up several plays during the two-day tournament.  Blaich plays well over the top of the receivers who come into his area or zone.  He can break on any under routes that came to him as he doesn't round his break.  Blaich was a leader for his team and who isn't afraid to compete.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["466187"],"_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":"What is there not to like about Williams?  He is the type of safety/defensive back that you look for in figuring out your defensive scheme or personnel.  Williams played good coverage all weekend and isn't afraid to mix it up with the wide receivers.  He had a few interceptions throughout the tournament and will go up for the ball to make the catch.  Williams is a ballhawk with the mentality that, when the ball goes up, he will come down with it.  Williams showed he has good hands and broke up several passes.","_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":"Evan Valdez","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Liberty north HS","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"STFFA","_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":"The next player we are going to talk about is Valdez from STFFA Excellence who plays at Liberty North High School north of Kansas City.  Valdez plays safety for STFFA and had a solid two days of play in the secondary.  He had a few interceptions and seemed to be in the right position each time.  He drove on the ball when the ball came out of the quarterback's hand and played with good technique.  Valdez has good hips and can change direction easily with good footwork.","_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":683319,"_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Khamarian Miller ","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"True Buzz","_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":"Miller plays with True Buzz out of the Dallas/FT. Worth area for the 15U team.  This team was exciting to watch with all their skilled athletes and the way they competed.  I would say the purest form of technique, Miller was by far the best technician in this age group.  Rep after rep, Miller would press up to jam and it wouldn't matter what kind of receiver he was matched up with.  He would allow the receiver to move or get off the press. He would calmly take his outside arm to post the receiver to get leverage on him.  He showed fluid hips, and he had a good change of direction.  Overall, Miller was the top defensive back from the 15U group in the tournament held in Broken Arrow.","_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":"David Wakes","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"Shawnee Heights","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"Kansas Elite","_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":"Wakes is the last athlete that we will talk about for our defensive standouts from our tournament.  Wakes is another athlete from Shawnee Heights that plays with Kansas Elite.  Wakes had a good showing for Kansas Elite on both days.  He was quick to jump the flats in coverage and played good man technique.  He competed for the ball and ended up with an interception on day 1 of our event.  Wakes showed good hips and were able to flip his hips on double moves to put him back in a good position.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6401162558f44"} /-->