Hawk’s Slept on FBS/FCS Western Pa Talent (24’): Pt 7

<p>Welcome back for the 7th installment of the "Slept On FBS/FCS Western PA Talent" series. Have you ever watched someone's film and wondered, "Why doesn't this kid have more offers, or any offers at all?" Western Pennsylvania consistently produces numerous recruits who fit this description. I've been compiling a list of recruits whom I believe possess genuine FBS/FCS talent. With the transfer portal, many high school recruits are being overlooked, whereas in the past, they would have had more opportunities. Out of the five prospects highlighted, three already have at least one D1 offer. Aaran Randolph and [player_tooltip player_id='255054' first='Dane' last='Levi'] have received D1 interest but are yet to receive any offers. But don't worry, I'll be the voice of reason, shouting, "GET THESE KIDS TO YOUR SUMMER CAMP!"</p>   <ul> <li>Aaran Randolph </li> </ul>   <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='255054' first='Dane' last='Levi']</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='557209' first='Jayace' last='Williams']</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='558522' first='Braeden' last='Helmkamp']</li> </ul>   <ul> <li>[player_tooltip player_id='313742' first='Braden' last='Laux']</li> </ul>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/aaran_randolph4/status/1573683658304757762?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Schools Interested:</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Army</td><td>Penn State</td><td>Cal (PA)</td></tr><tr><td>Miami, Ohio</td><td>Holy Cross</td><td>Lock Haven</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p><strong>HAWK'S OPINION:</strong> </p>   <p>Aaran has been receiving interest from both D1 and D2 schools alike. He is elusive, quick, and contests the ball well on defense, with great playmaking ability. He also displays versatility on offense, playing QB, WR, and RB, with quick-twitch movements and speed. He is a strong competitor in any one-on-one situation. Aaran shows good makeup speed and hip movement, which helps him in ball-hawking on the backend from the free safety. Randolph has the skills it takes to be a special teams contributor in college. He has been receiving a lot of interest from Army and Holy Cross.</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/danelevi1/status/1602337951442239488?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Schools Interested:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Kent State</td><td>Cincinnati</td><td>Lehigh</td><td>Duquense</td><td>Ashland</td></tr><tr><td>Marshall</td><td>Western Michigan </td><td>Colgate</td><td>UPenn</td><td>Edinboro</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p><strong>HAWK'S OPINION:</strong> </p>   <p>Dane is 6'3, 280, and he moves well for his size. He displays good technique pulling, pass protecting, sift, reach and down-blocking. He's consistent at firing out and using his leverage to pancake D-linemen. He's very physical and shows nimbleness when pulling on tape. Levi's mobility is nice for his size, allowing him to get to the second level to make blocks on the LB. He plays till the end of the whistle, and he's an intimidator. He also does a sufficient job anchoring down in pass pro. Dane went from 265 during the season to 280 and still looks agile. His consistency and reliability on the O-line are big reasons for [player_tooltip player_id='313742' first='Braden' last='Laux'] and [player_tooltip player_id='64565' first='Quinton' last='Martin']'s offensive success. He's been getting some D1 & D2 attention for his recruitment. I think Levi is definitely capable of playing on the FCS level, and who knows his ceiling with continued progression. </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/jayacewill_33/status/1656446348952993793?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 1</td></tr><tr><td>Morgan State</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p><strong>HAWK'S OPINION:</strong></p>   <p>He's tough and excels at being physical at the point of attack. He's a formidable blitzer, getting pressure on the QB and making TFLs. He's also adept at disrupting WR routes, regularly getting his hands on them to re-route. His energy on the field is sideline to sideline, and he has the agility to catch up to ball carriers from wherever. When it comes to open-field tackles, he's reliable and delivers powerful hits. With his mobility and athleticism he will definitely be a special teams contributor in college. I don't think he's reached his ceiling in terms of strength, speed and explosion either. He recently picked up his first D1 offer from Morgan State, but I think mid-major programs and more FCS schools should come to the table to eval him.</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/braedenhelmkamp/status/1659614821657071616?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 10</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Army</td><td>Richmond</td><td>Brown</td><td>Duquense</td><td>Bucknell</td></tr><tr><td>Villanova </td><td>UPenn</td><td>Fordham</td><td>Stony Brook</td><td>Colombia</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p><strong>HAWK'S OPINION:</strong></p>   <p>He's mobile and shows good bend in his stance. The 24' prospect moves with some finesse, getting to the LB and finishing his blocking assignments assertively. His punch is good and sure to keep improving with weight training. On defense, he explodes out of his stance with a low pad level and does a great job with hand violence. His 6'5 frame is often an issue for those smaller QBs. Helmkamp shows mobility redirecting, and he's still adding bulk. I think more FBS programs should evaluate and pull the trigger. I mean, look at his strength, his weight gain, his athleticism, his agility, and wingspan. The kind of athletic ability he displays is above average. Plus he's gonna grow into a solid college OT which aren't easy to locate. Right now, Helmkamp has an FBS Army offer & various FCS scholarships on the table. I think the MAC, Sun Belt, and Conference USA programs need to evaluate him fast. It couldn't hurt for the local programs like Pitt, WVU and Penn State to get him into their respective camps either. </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/bradenlaux14/status/1659310715398676480?s=46&t=Z9HVsIfxlYpUmBtFJHGC4g </div></figure>   <figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Total: 4</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Marshall</td><td>Western Kentucky</td></tr><tr><td>Eastern Michigan </td><td>Maine</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>   <p><strong>HAWK S OPINION: </strong></p>   <p>Braden has D1 prototypical size for the QB position at 6'4 215 pounds. He shows athleticism running the zone read, and he's deceptively fast in the open field. His mobility in the pocket is crisp, and he's got a nice high and tight release when he throws. Laux uses his mobility to buy time scrambling to find targets downfield. He has a strong arm, and can make accurate passes on all 3 levels. He's poised and does a good job of going through his progressions. His 6'4 frame helps him standing tall and delivering accurate strikes over the top from the pocket. He flashes his strength shaking off sacks and breaking tackles running the football. Braden has 3 FBS offers at the moment and one FCS opportunity. I believe programs like Temple, Toledo, Old Dominion, and the AAC need to check him out.</p>

Welcome back for the 7th installment of the "Slept On FBS/FCS Western PA Talent" series. Have you ever watched someone's film and wondered, "Why doesn't this kid have more offers, or any offers at all?" Western Pennsylvania consistently produces numerous recruits who fit this description. I've been compiling a list of recruits whom I believe possess genuine FBS/FCS talent. With the transfer portal, many high school recruits are being overlooked, whereas in the past, they would have had more opportunities. Out of the five prospects highlighted, three already have at least one D1 offer. Aaran Randolph and Dane Levi Dane Levi 6'3" | 280 lbs | OL Belle Vernon | 2024 State PA have received D1 interest but are yet to receive any offers. But don't worry, I'll be the voice of reason, shouting, "GET THESE KIDS TO YOUR SUMMER CAMP!"