Brian’s Twitter Evals
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Keep that film coming to my Twitter messages or keep posting those videos on @prepredzonemn. Just by chance, the latest round of player evaluations is dominated by guys who have two years of high school football left. All five guys…
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Continue ReadingKeep that film coming to my Twitter messages or keep posting those videos on @prepredzonemn. Just by chance, the latest round of player evaluations is dominated by guys who have two years of high school football left. All five guys on this list are poised for more prominent years and, in some cases, much more significant roles in 2023.
Carson Skime
Carson Skime
Skime has a true nose for the ball. As an outside linebacker, his highlights are littered with interceptions, fumble recoveries, and forced fumbles. He does a great job setting the edge by using leverage and forcing runners back into the middle of the field. Skime’s ability to use his hands to keep blockers at length allows him to set the edge and get off blockers. He is athletic enough to play on the line of scrimmage and split out, playing more like a slot corner. The speed he needs as a sometime defensive back makes him a solid blitzer of the edge and allows him to chase down plays on the other side of the field.
Larson is already a solid between-the-tackles middle linebacker. He has the speed to make plays on the outside but is most effective reading plays on the inside and attacking ball carriers. Larson does a solid job picking his way through traffic to find the ball. It appears he split time between varsity and junior varsity in 2022, but with his size and solid play on the inside, if he works on his pad level – he tends to play a little high for my liking – I would not be surprised to see him in the starting lineup for the Wildcats this fall.
Highlights
Splitting time between varsity and junior varsity, Binder will be a big target on the outside for the Cougars. His length – at 6’4 – already makes him a tough guy to defend. He has started to learn how to use that length to his advantage with good body control on the sidelines and using his hands to catch the ball well out of the reach of defensive backs. While his speed on the outside doesn’t blow defenders away – when I realized he spends time in a three-point stance in the traditional tight end spot – his speed as a tight end is where you would want it to be. With a couple of summers to fill out his tall frame, I want to see what he develops into. With a likely expanded role this fall, Binder will be a big target in the passing game in 2023.
Joey Antonutti
Joey Antonutti
Antonutti does a little bit of everything at inside linebacker for the Eskimos. He moves well in all directions – when attacking the line of scrimmage, when moving laterally down the line of scrimmage, and when in a back pedal dropping into coverage. He uses his hands well when the soon-to-be junior takes on blockers. The ability to lower his pad level by dropping his hips and not his head also allows him to take on bigger blockers. Antonutti also shows good instincts and the ability to find and fill holes defending the running game. I don’t think he will ever be a 4.4 forty-yard dash guy, but because of his technique and footwork, he has excellent football speed.
Being a full-time starter at right tackle as a sophomore is challenging enough. Having success at that position while being undersized is even more impressive. What Vogel lacks in size – with two years to put weight on his frame – the soon-to-be junior makes up in quickness and footwork. Being a lighter offensive lineman – if you don’t beat the defender to the spot – you are in for a long day. Vogel repeatedly beats his man off the snap. From there, his long reach to keep defenders off his body and his footwork, which allows him to stay between the defender and the ball, form an excellent base for a successful offensive lineman. As he builds his body, he has a chance to become more physical at the point of attack – one of the few things he is lacking at this point in his career.