2023 Kansas City Players to Watch: LB

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As we head into the middle of July, the 2023 high school football season is quickly approaching. To prepare for the upcoming season, I have taken the past couple months to preview some of the top talent in certain areas of Missouri. Continuing this trend, I have started a “Kansas City Players to Watch” series focusing on the top returning players at each position in Kansas City. After covering the offensive side of the ball, I have now turned my attention to the defensive side of the ball. With the defensive line already being covered, I will now focus on the top linebackers in Kansas City to watch this season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1112468' first='Eltoum' last='Murgus']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"North Kansas City ","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='1112468' first='Eltoum' last='Murgus'] is a linebacker that has truly caught my attention recently. He is a versatile linebacker that has shown the ability to play both off the edge and in the box as an off-ball linebacker. Murgus plays with a very high motor, showing the ability to run all over the field to make tackles in the open field. On his way to the ball carrier, he has shown the ability to shed blocks quickly while staying on his path to the ball. Eltoum is also very reliable in pass coverage as he has shown the ability to line up over the slot and use his speed to cover receivers in man coverage. Murgus currently holds offers from Wyoming, Southern Illinois, Lindenwood, Southeast Missouri State, Kent State, Eastern Michigan, Ball State, Northern Iowa, and Toledo, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the Division I level.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["861177"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"[player_tooltip player_id='861177' first='Thomas' last='Coppinger'] is another incoming senior linebacker that I have high on my radar. He had a strong junior season, finishing with 88 tackles, two sacks, and five forced fumbles. Coppinger lines up at inside linebacker and does a great job of reading his keys and reacting quickly to flow to the ball. Against the run, Coppinger gets downhill in a hurry and has the strength to fight through blocks on his way to the football. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he finishes his tackles with a ton of physicality. He has also proven to be reliable in pass coverage, coming away with one interception last season. Thomas currently holds offers from Cornell, Northwest Missouri State, and Central Oklahoma, and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to be a very productive linebacker at the next level.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='904144' first='Jeb' last='Koetting']","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Rockhurst","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Joining Coppinger on the Rockhurst defense is incoming junior [player_tooltip player_id='904144' first='Jeb' last='Koetting']. Although he was only able to play in seven games, Koetting still found a way to produce when on the field last season, finishing with 55 tackles and 13 tackles for loss. He is a versatile linebacker, showing the ability to play both on the outside and inside the box at linebacker. Against the run, Koetting does a great job of reading his keys and using his speed to get to the ball carrier in a hurry. He also has shown the strength to fight through blocks on his way to the ball. Once he gets to the ball carrier, he does a great job of running his feet through contact to secure the tackle in the open field. While Jeb doesn't currently hold any offers, I expect some to come his way soon as he definitely has the talent to play somewhere at the next level.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Michael Taylor Jr.","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"Hogan Prep","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Another linebacker that has caught my attention recently is Michael Taylor Jr. from Hogan Prep. Taylor is coming off an impressive junior year in which he finished with 65 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, and four sacks. He lines up on the outside but still provides versatility, showing the ability to play as an off-ball outside linebacker and also put his hand in the dirt as a true defensive end. Taylor is a dangerous pass rusher, using his speed to blow by opposing offensive tackles off the edge. He has also shown the strength to bull rush straight through offensive linemen on his way to the quarterback. Against the run, he has shown the ability to read the play and get to the ball quickly to make tackles in the open field. Michael currently holds an offer from Central Methodist and I expect more to come his way as he has the talent to play at the next level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Hayden Drake","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"St. Michael the Archangel","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"To wrap up this list of talented linebackers, I have incoming junior Hayden Drake. Drake had a solid sophomore season, finishing with 35 tackles, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He lines up at inside linebacker and does a great job of reading his keys and flowing to the ball quickly against the run. Drake does a great job of exploding downhill out of his stance quickly to meet the ball carrier in the hole. When the play is away from him, Drake takes very good angles to the ball carrier and is a reliable tackler in the open field once he gets there. Hayden doesn't currently hold any offers but should be a player to keep an eye on over the next two seasons.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64adf561186a3"} /-->