Summer Scouting: Diamonds In The Rough

Gilmore could be a diamond in the rough prospect. Gilmore is the best tight end in this class, his combination of size, speed, and polish is not something you see often at this position in high school.   Liam is a smooth mover and has the speed to get open down the field. He's a natural hands catcher and has solid flexibility and agility to make plays after the catch. In addition, he is a great blocker on the move due to his great lower body strength and leverage.    Liam is one of the most athletic prospects in the state. People may initially look at his offer list and realize that it isnt as lengthy as my adulation for him would suggest. However, keep in mind that Power 5 colleges always overlook solid players and I would be surprised if Liam doesnt earn a Power 5 offer soon.       A solid defensive back prospect Stewart is one of the more athletic movers at the position. At a recent camp, he tested as the top defensive back there and his tape supports that.    It's a beautiful sight to see this young man flip his hips and change direction when covering short and deep routes. He brings solid physicality to the position showing great play downhill and on the edge to make key tackles.   Stewart has much upside at the position and can be a solid collegiate prospect. At 6'0 150 pounds, we need to see Willie get bigger. He has the movement ability, and instinct to be a cornerback that can be good in man and zone. However, I want to see him play as much press-man as possible to challenge wide receivers at the line of scrimmage. I'm excited to see how Willie improves this upcoming season.     Cordoba will be added to the list of players who is good but no one knows about. He's a player who plays wide receiver and defensive back. However, he's going to make the most impact as a defensive back.    As a defensive back, he's got everything you look for out of the position, size, speed, ability to change direction, and positional versatility. He has snaps where he lines up all over the field, but the majority of his tape is snaps out of the slot. However, his defensive coordinator is doing himself a disservice by not letting this young man try every defensive back spot. He has the length and ball skills to be a playmaker at any position on the back end.    And dare I say Cordoba can be a special prospect that will be able to be a versatile chess piece who can do it all on defense. Im shocked he left Syracuse without an offer, but does have offers fro Kent State, Umass, Temple, Akron, Sacred Heart, and LIU.       Weatherington has much upside and will be one the most dynamic players in the state when his time comes.    Zahir is a player where getting the ball in his hands, early and often,  is a good idea. He's a dynamic runner, especially at the running back position. As a running back he has a signature jump cut that's effective and seems to run with little to no wasted movement. He has good burst, agility, and elusiveness, in addition, doesnt get enough credit for his solid contact balance.   Zahir has the potential to be one of the top players in his class, due to his ability to also win and be sudden as a wide receiver. Im excited to see how he pairs with Clifton quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='345433' first='Romelo' last='Tables'] in the backfield.     Plainfield has no shortage of playmakers and Bethune may be the best of them. Another player who has upside as a wide receiver and defensive back, his tape says that wide receiver is his best position.    It's tough for high school defensive backs to cover a 6'3 190 pound receiver ad most time Bethune presents that miss match. Hearing his measurables you would think that he consistently wins in jump ball contested catch situations, but the tape says he can be with his adequate deep speed and he has surprisingly shifty moves after the catch.    One area where I need to improve is his balance. He has too many times on tape where he's falling down in the open field after a long catch, leaving scoring opportunities on the board. In addition, would like to see him hone in on crafting those routes as this would allow his game to skyrocket.     Bethune recently received his first Power 5 offer from Syracuse and currently holds offers from Umass, LIU, Akron, Temple, and Sacred Heart.