Northeast Ohio Players Ready for their Senior Year
Derek McCrum HEIGHT 6'2" POS LB CLASS 2024 Derek McCrum School: Avon Lake An active linebacker who uses his speed to kill plays, Derek McCrum is a player who can deal damage on both sides of the ball. As well…
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Continue ReadingDerek McCrum
Derek McCrum
An active linebacker who uses his speed to kill plays, Derek McCrum is a player who can deal damage on both sides of the ball. As well as being an all-conference linebacker, McCrum is a speedy receiver with 4.5 speed that can make plays when lined up on offense. He does his best work when on defense as an aggressive linebacker who shoots gaps hard while showing good control to weave through traffic. He consistently shows the ability to make open field tackles with proper form that leaves little chance for a ball carrier to slip out of. McCrum is as good of a pass defender as he is a run stopper, which is saying a lot. He uses his above average speed to keep a tight zone to defend in and shows good ability to break up passes or force a turnover. Can breakaway from blocks with that speed and quick movement to release off a defender. As a receiver, he is a clean route runner who gets into position quickly for good gains. Brings in balls for secure catches, but has the speed to work in open space and create bigger gains. McCrum earned his first offer this offseason to UPenn and is a player worth keeping an eye on as a linebacker who can game at the Division I level.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11499245/633ca864ff0bfd0524a59c68
Jonathan Merimee
Jonathan Merimee
Jonathan Merimee has the height you can’t teach to go up and haul in balls at their highest point over defenders. At 6-foot-4, Merimee is a lot to handle out in one-on-one coverage with a quarterback that can deliver balls where only he can get it. He has soft hands and a good radius to pull down balls all around him. He does a good job catching the ball in stride to keep his momentum going downfield to make big plays happen. His route running ability is tight with his long strides to create openings. He has good speed to move past the first level to be a downfield threat. Can line up on the outside or play off the line making him a hard target to lock down. Shows no fear playing over the middle of the field or streaking down the sideline. A big target in short yardage situations, does a nice job coming back to the ball to ensure a catch to move the sticks. April and May have been the start of big things for Merimee with the offers starting to roll in. As a wide receiver or a pass catching tight end, Merimee has a lot to offer as a weapon on offense with a high ceiling of potential.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14817064/6359d4a8a0235801543c634d
Thomas Burton Jr
Thomas Burton Jr
Thomas Burton Jr. has all the size and physicality you want in a defensive back going against one of the toughest schedules in Ohio. What jumps out first on his film is a player that likes to bring the contact when coming up to make a play. His initial contact is as hard as many linebackers to stop a player where he stands. He shows good reaction to switch from pass coverage to run stopper. Has nice speed when committing to stopping a ball carrier, is able to translate that into controlled contact to bring a player down. When tackling in the open field, he has good form to get his arms around a player to bring them down. Is able to play in pass coverage with his speed keeping him on his man. With his long wingspan at 6-foot-1 he is a natural deterrent when a quarterback is looking to throw second level with his size. He is athletic enough to break off blocks with his speed. Burton has been invited to a number of camps to show off his skills while getting the attention of schools like Mount Union, Northwood and Notre Dame College.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16260092/638b98235ef6250a983d0529
Dominic Bush
Dominic Bush
Dominic Bush owns the rare distinction of being a fullback in 2023 and does it at a high level. Bush is a powerful blocker that fires out of his stance to gain speed before he creates contact. He is a versatile player that can play linebacker as well, but performs on offense as the first man through the hole. Bush has good speed and, more importantly for a fullback, aggression when hitting the hole to catch linebackers playing up before they can sniff out a play. His footwork doesn’t stop after contact as he drives players off the play to widen gaps for his running back to go through. Shows no hesitation when he comes through clean looking for a man to block and finds the first unblocked player out there. He hits hard enough that often the first blow is enough to knock a player out of a play, but does his due diligence to keep driving after his man is beat. Bush is getting a lot stronger from his lifting videos this offseason which makes for a scary prospect this fall for defensive ends and linebackers in his way. Bush was out at Kent State last month getting a look at a potential landing spot for him next season with his recruitment fully open.
https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14751125/6343355b06627608380df11b