The Line IL Showcase: Top DL Performances

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past weekend I made my way down to St. Charles, IL to scout what I believe to be the premier OL/DL showcase in the Midwest and perhaps beyond. They coaches at Fist Football and The Line Showcase are great at what they do. They coach up kids extremely well, build relationships with them that last, and put on events that get great turnout from coaches and scouts leading to great exposure for the athletes in attendance. As a part of that exposure, today I am going to break down my top defensive linemen from the event. Let's get it started!</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":"Bennett Williams","_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":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Princeton","_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":"It was a great afternoon for the 6'4u0022 265 lbs DT out of Princeton HS. His instantly caught my attention with one of the best frames in attendance. He has a thick, strong upper body and an athletic lower body. His play throughout the day lived up to his build too. Bennett possesses the lower body flexibility that allowed him to excel in the chase the rabbit drill where he had to run the hoop. His ability to bend and dip made it easy for him to accelerate through the loop. In the one on one battles Bennett put it all together. The big man launches out of his stance quickly eating up cushion between him and the OL. He uses his length to initiate contact and then relies on that powerful upper body to get the OL off balance and then either continue with strength to disengage or use his heavy hands to clear himself of the OL's hands. Watching through Bennett's highlights it is clear that he plays the same way on the field. His talents have garnered him plenty of D1 interest already. Definitely a DL to have on your radar.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64236565306de"} /--> <!-- 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":"Dontay Fort","_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":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Marist","_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":"Dontay impressed all day long. So much so that he earned the MVP honors for the defensive line group. Checking in at roughly 6'3u0022 230 lbs, Dontay is a long, lean, explosive athlete. His best traits shined on this stage as he was able to show off how explosive he is. It isn't just out of his stance. Fort has that next level burst out of every change of direction and his short area agility made him a nightmare for the OL to land good hand placement on in one on one battles. The standout DE also demonstrated some transition from speed to power. Lastly, the junior flashed quick hands and pass rush moves that are going to make him an intriguing next level prospect. Don't sleep on the Marist prospect.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-642365653087a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["503737"],"_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":"An athlete who is poised to explode onto the recruiting scene is the 2025 DL [player_tooltip player_id='503737' first='Tyler' last='Fortis']. The 6'3u0022 265 lbs DL has a bright future. Despite his big frame, Tyler stood out from the crowd with his quickness and explosiveness. The big man hinted to how good he was going to look in the drill work where we got a close look at his body control and light feet. Fortis is able to move so smoothly in every direction. When we got to the one on one work it all came together. That is where Tyler was able to show off a wide array of pass rush talents. His lateral agility allowed him to cross his man's face. He could change direction in an instant, and his hand usage is well developed. His swim move helped him collect win after win Sunday afternoon, and his overall abilities should have him collecting a lot of D1 interest going forward. Don't miss out on the underclassman.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6423656530974"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["354247"],"_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":"Arnold had himself a day at The Line Showcase. They ended the drill portion for the DL with a some Best vs Best in the chase the rabbit drill. Walker left the drill with the overall victory. That exemplified his athletic ability. Walker checked in at just under 6' and 236 lbs. He stood out from the crowd in all things revolving around change of direction and acceleration. Walker ran a 1.80 10 yard split, a 4.75 Pro Agility, and he ran a 3.00 20 yard split. An intriguing part about his frame is that while he isn't the tallest, Arnold has a 6'5.5u0022 reach. Length always matters more than height, and Walker brings plenty of it to the table. Arnold used his burst and change of direction to be a menace off the edge in one on ones. He was hard for OL to mirror, and those long arms were able to help him create separation. The state qualifying wrestler and DL is an athlete to watch this fall in his senior season.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6423656530a6c"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["161357"],"_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":"Porter caught my eyes over and over. It seemed like he found a way to stand out in every drill and the one on one battles. The 6'1u0022 256 lbs DT is a compact, powerful interior defensive lineman. In the short area, Porter has the burst needed to succeed at the next level. It showed up in his 5.06 pro agility and 1.71 10 yard split. However, it was the strength that stood out in the one on one battles. Porter has the upper body strength needed to control and redirect IOL. He demonstrated an impressive push-pull that easily defeated the block of the OL. He also proved that he knows how to use leverage to get under OL and walk them off the line. It was a good day for the Burlington Central junior.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6423656530b58"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["537247"],"_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":"The 5'9u0022 192 lbs DL won't be for everyone due to size restrictions, but someone is going to get an explosive football player when they land the junior out of Oswego East. Landon dominated with his explosive initial burst, and he carried that speed throughout his pass rush and the drills. His 4.53 pro agility proved the explosiveness, change of direction, and body control. In the pass rush battles Landon also showed off a wide array of moves. He demonstrated an effective swim move, spin move, the ability to bend underneath the OT around the edge, and kept his hands active throughout his reps. He will need to catch on at LB, but Rivera offers a lot in terms of explosiveness and blitzing ability.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6423656530c43"} /--> <!-- 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":"Davon Watson","_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":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Marist","_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":"Another standout from Marist HS is the 6'3u0022 328 lbs junior DT. Davon instantly stood out from the crowd because he was one of the biggest athletes in attendance. Then we got to work and he continued to stand out. Watson put up a 5.25 pro agility drill. A time that rivaled athletes 50 lbs lighter than him. The big man accelerated well and ovearll moved easily for his size. In the one on one battles Davon  gave us a glimpse of the powerful, aggressive interior DL that he is. He used his length, heavy hands, and power to blow the OL off the ball and then used his hands to get off the block. I really liked his feet throughout the battles too. They were quick, light, and made it possible for him to get off the line and in position to beat the block. The Marist DL is going to be a talented one inside and out this fall.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6423656530dd7"} /--> <!-- 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":"Gus Dammann","_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":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Hersey","_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":"My final standout from the day was the defensive tackle out of John Hersey HS. Gus shined in the testing portion. He has 10u0022 hands that packed a punch. He had one of the best pro agility at 4.66, and his 1.76 10 yard split also was near the top for the group. The stout defensive tackle also caught my eyes with his reps in the one on one battles. He was able to win with strength or quickness. His feet and hands worked well together to be able to keep him clean as he quickly changed direction, crossed the face, or juked the OL. He also was able to use his power to get his hands on the OL and drive them off the ball before shedding the block. Gus has the tools to be a well rounded DT. Keep an eye on him this summer and fall.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6423656530f6f"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->