Competitive Edge: Top Edge Players from the Super Football Conf.
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The defensive line has the potential to make or break a game. They are the enforcers when stopping the run game and devils who raise hell when rushing the passer. They must be quick, strong, nimble, and ferocious to play…
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Continue ReadingThe defensive line has the potential to make or break a game. They are the enforcers when stopping the run game and devils who raise hell when rushing the passer. They must be quick, strong, nimble, and ferocious to play along this unit. Today we evaluated the film of five defensive linemen – specifically edge players – from North Jersey’s Super Football Conference. Their games are tight and their motors are ever-lasting.
The Lincoln Lions have a versatile asset on the defensive side of the ball – being 6’2″ 220lbs certainly helps with that. Lining up at mike backer, down-end, and stand-up edge, was Tour’e Connor Tour’e Connor 6’2″ | 220 lbs | DL Lincoln | 2024 State NJ . Connor was credited with 40 stops, 5 TFL, and 1 sack last season.
When at LB Connor seems to see things develop better from the play’s backside. He does a nice job shooting the backside window making tackles for minimal gains. As an edge player he knows to get his hands on offensive players, shed, and make a play. Connor can get a good jump off the ball and explode into the chest of the o-lineman when he focuses on doing so. This explosiveness shows up again on the goal line, where with his hand in the dirt he can knife through and blow up plays before they happen. Realizing a lot is asked of him, Connor needs to remember to stay disciplined in everything he does and follow his keys – no matter where he is on the field.
With a big season from city-rival Dickinson, the Connor-led Lincoln Lions are looking to maintain their title as Jersey City’s team to beat.
Blessed with the stature to play any position on the field (6’3″ 175lbs), Newark Collegiate is fortunate to enlist the services of Cyre Collins-Jackson Cyre Collins-Jackson 6’3″ | 175 lbs | DL Newark Collegiate | 2024 State NJ . Last fall Collins-Jackson played mostly DE and WR, while also lining up at TE and CB. He was credited with 20 tackles, which I suspect are not his true season totals.
In the first play of his highlight tape we see Collins-Jackson make a fundamentally sound DE play that any d-line coach would get excited about. We see him squeeze and take away the inside gap from an oncoming puller. This forces a bounce by the RB, to which he sheds to the outside gap and makes a tackle. Further, he is athletic to the point where he can blow up tosses deep in the backfield for a loss. Discipline is part of Collins-Jackson’s game too, as he consistently gets hands on the man in front of him, drives him, and makes a new LOS about 2 yards into the backfield. Collins-Jackson would benefit from working on his form tackling to become even more of a force than he already is.
Newark Collegiate is waiting for a Panther to take the reigns and set the tone for their program. Collins-Jackson might just be that player.
If you are looking for a well-coached, disciplined, fundamentally-sound stout d-lineman, look no further than Indian Hills. At 5’10” 190lbs, Dylan Asgarian Dylan Asgarian 5’10” | 190 lbs | DL Indian Hills | 2024 State NJ was a key piece to the success of his Braves. In fact, Asgarian has been a key piece of what Indian Hills does on the varsity level since he was playing as a freshman. Last year Asgarian made 57 stops, 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 3 FR, and 2 FF.
I really like Asgarian’s game. As an edge player, each one of his clips he fires off the ball full speed ahead. This enables him to blow up blockers trying to kick him out. When dealing with on-blocks, he works well below the pad level of o-linemen. Savviness is a characteristic he harnesses too, as he will look to strip the ball and make a big play when his team needs it. What got me most excited about the way Asgarian plays the game is that when he is unblocked, he squeezes; however, what separates him from most is that he gets hands on the o-lineman in front of him, rides him down so he does not get a free release to the LB, and then looks to blow up an oncoming kick-out block. Clips of him doing this could honestly be shown at a coach’s clinic. Asgarian plays with a motor and strings out reach blocks so he can shed to the adjacent gap to make a tackle for a cutback. Knit-picking a bit, but if Asgarian aspires to play college football, he ought to include pass rush clips and commit to his assignment when facing the option.
If there was such a thing as a “lunchpail” type of player, Asgarian would be it. Tons of things to like about him. Curious to see what his college prospects hold.
Dylan Cotter Dylan Cotter 6’0″ | 205 lbs | DL Newton | 2024 State NJ is a team leader for the Newton Braves whether he realizes it or not. His production and impact on this team are immeasurable. Last year Cotter was credited with 21 carries for 133 yards and 1 TD; while defensively he was active making 59 stops, 6 for a loss, 2 sacks, 2 FF, and 1 FR. Cotter is 6 feet tall and weighs 205lbs.
Cotter enjoys flexing on smaller, weaker opponents by using his strength to barrel through them. He is also disciplined on the back side of plays facing misdirection, but then he pursues the play with confidence. Fighting for inside hand leverage is something Cotter appears to have adopted as well, showing instances of this on film. He is athletic enough to get around slower o-linemen when backside, while also playing the surf technique nicely against read option. I would love to see Cotter keep working to bulk up in order to totally maul opposing offenses.
Cotter is another athlete we really want to see more film on. In limited clips he does many good things, but college coaches and his followers deserve to see more of what he does so well.
The East Orange Jaguars are a team that is always flush with talent, size, and athleticism. The next player ordained with this trifecta is the 6’2″ 210lb edge player Darell James Darell James 6’2″ | 210 lbs | DL East Orange | 2025 NJ . As the Jaguars were tasked with defending their 2021 sectional championship last fall, James was credited with 31 stops and 2 for a loss. These stats may be incomplete however.
In very limited clips we see that James typically stands up as an edge player. He does as he is coached and taught to squeeze plays down. Gap scheme offenses trying to run iso may have a hard time with him, as he has shown that he can crash the party in the backfield when he is unaccounted for on this particular play. James likes to attack the ball, making a play on it by attempting to tackle the ball. Should James become just a tad bit more physical when taking on blockers and refrain from getting too far upfield, the Jags defense will be a tough one to run the ball against in 2023.
James might be the next stud athlete to come out of East Orange. Unquestionably, we are dying for more film on him to truly see what he is capable of.