Hawk’s Top Western PA Blue Chips

<p>Spring recruiting is starting to heat up, and I wanted to highlight my favorite Western Pennsylvania blue-chip prospects. I will continue to analyze and feature recruits from the west side of the Keystone State in every class leading up to the 2024 season. It's important to note that all of the recruits highlighted in the Blue Chips series are capable of playing at the FBS level. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get back to the list.</p>   <p>15) [player_tooltip player_id='781780' first='Mikey' last='Crawford']<br>14) [player_tooltip player_id='98220' first='Julian' last='Dugger']<br>13) [player_tooltip player_id='255945' first='Ty' last='Yuhas']<br>12) [player_tooltip player_id='64000' first='Brad' last='Birch'] <br>11) [player_tooltip player_id='93058' first='Jackson' last='Pons']</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/1mikeyc/status/1620103346542747649?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 3</td></tr><tr><td> Michigan State</td></tr><tr><td> Boston College</td></tr><tr><td>Toledo </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p>HAWK'S OPINION: </p>   <p>Crawford has great ball skills and a good vertical leap, which usually bodes well for college defensive backs. He's a solid tackler and is physical overall on the gridiron. Crawford displays his speed on deep balls and in coverage, making it difficult for wideouts. He uses a soft shoe press technique (matching the WR's steps walking back off the line of scrimmage in press man coverage), which will continue to improve with every cornerback rep. Despite being 6'2, he plays with good pad level.</p>   <p>On offense, Mikey runs smooth routes and consistently catches deep balls at the highest point. Crawford is also a standout in basketball, further displaying his speed, jumping ability, and quick lateral movements.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/julesdugger02/status/1546985267852185603?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td> Pitt</td><td> UMass</td></tr><tr><td>Toledo</td><td> Howard</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p>Julian is Western PA's true dual-threat quarterback. He throws particularly well on the run and does a great job of keeping his eyes downfield while scrambling. Julian has the arm strength to make all the necessary throws and is dangerous when he breaks out of the pocket. Additionally, he's very accurate with his deep throws. He's able to scramble under pressure and is savvy in the pocket. He puts good zip on all of his intermediate throws, especially the out routes. Julian's ability to break a long run or complete a deep pass keeps defenses honest.</p>   <p></p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/tyuhas5587/status/1623809011840700416?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 2</td></tr><tr><td> Kent state</td></tr><tr><td>Pitt</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p>HAWK'S OPINION:</p>   <p>Ty has a quick first step out of his stance and uses a physical dip and rip pass-rushing. His strength allows him to be stout on the line, while his violent hands help him play off blocks effectively. Ty's low pad level allows him to redirect quickly when chasing plays down the line, and it also makes it difficult for offensive linemen to get leverage when blocking him. He has a great motor and regularly chases down ball carriers away from the play. He's a hard hitter that brings punishment to whomever he has to chase. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/bradbirch12/status/1576297228003471361?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 2</td></tr><tr><td> Oregon</td></tr><tr><td> Akron</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p>HAWK'S OPINION: </p>   <p>Brad is the best pocket quarterback in western Pennsylvania in my opinion. He has some of the sharpest QB fundamentals in the WPIAL and appears to be the most college-ready. Birch does a great job of going through his progressions and staying patient in the pocket. His footwork is good in the pocket and keeps his eyes downfield. He's a high-volume passer with good ball placement on his throws. He can make all the necessary throws and doesn't lock onto one target. Additionally, he's deceptively athletic and can scramble to buy time in the pocket. He's a very accurate passer who puts zip on deep balls and intermediate throws. He particularly excels at throwing off play-action and timing routes. Overall, I believe that Brad is a Power 5 QB with room to continue improving.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/jackson_pons/status/1641431021571698688?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 12</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td> Mississippi State</td><td> Miami OH</td><td> Central Michigan</td><td>Kent state </td><td> Bowling Green</td><td> Eastern Michigan</td></tr><tr><td> Lafayette</td><td> Gardner Webb</td><td>UPenn</td><td>Fordham </td><td>Columbia </td><td>Dartmouth </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p>HAWK'S OPINION:</p>   <p>Jackson is another standout athlete who excels on both sides of the ball. I particularly like him at free safety, but maybe that's just because I'm a washed-up DB myself. Jackson is comfortable in his backpedal and maintains a good pad level throughout. He has a sharp football IQ, which aids him well when playing centerfield. Pons has good hips, which allow him to help out in man-free situations on the sideline. His ball skills are impressive and help him make plays on the football. His football IQ gives him sharp play recognition as he aggressively runs the alley from free safety. Jackson is also a sharp route runner on offense, running crisp routes and getting in and out of his breaks quickly. He displays good speed on deep balls and when running the zone read. Jackson is definitely suited to play special teams in college, as he has a knack for blocking field goals off the edge.</p>

Spring recruiting is starting to heat up, and I wanted to highlight my favorite Western Pennsylvania blue-chip prospects. I will continue to analyze and feature recruits from the west side of the Keystone State in every class leading up to the 2024 season. It's important to note that all of the recruits highlighted in the Blue Chips series are capable of playing at the FBS level. Now that we've got that out of the way, let's get back to the list.