Small Town Gems
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In Michigan we have some schools that get recruited on a regular basis, and college coaches are in and out checking on kids they’ve heard about. Once you venture out to some of the other parts of the state, you…
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Continue ReadingIn Michigan we have some schools that get recruited on a regular basis, and college coaches are in and out checking on kids they’ve heard about. Once you venture out to some of the other parts of the state, you quickly realize there are talented kids all over the place! This article will highlight some kids from the smaller schools (D5 and below) that may have some hidden gem potential.
Starting in the trenches, I really like what Evan can do. Fowler is known to play smashmouth, run first football, and he’s grown up in this system and honed his run blocking skills a lot. He initiates contact by firing of the ball quicker than the opponent, and loves the big hits. He has some film where he runs out on a screen and buries the defender. His pass blocking is probably the thing he would need the most work on, since they are such a run heavy squad. He’s extremely mobile at his size, and I think he can figure out the pass blocking well enough to be a solid D2 tackle.
Highlights
Kai is actually a really explosive runner, with a ton of underrated skills. Averaging nearly 10 yards per attempt, he ran for over 1,000 yards against some other really tough nosed teams. He’s really not a huge dancer, usually he usually has 1 move, sticks his foot in the ground and gets upfield in a hurry. He doesn’t have quite have the most breakaway speed, but he hits his top end through the hole and doesn’t go down with arm tackles or on first contact.
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Ryin Ruddy
Ryin Ruddy
I got to see Ryin snag a ring last season, and his performance really stood out to me. His season as a whole was impressive, the numbers just don’t show the full story. Another school that doesn’t pass a ton, Ruddy was still able to snag 8 TD catches, and maintain almost 20 yards per catch. The numbers don’t scream anything insanely impressive, but his film will quickly have you realizing he’s a fantastic athlete. Defensively he has quick reactions, flies to the ball and wraps up well. Offensively he’s got good hops to go up and get it, and has fantastic hands. Overall, I think Ryin is in for a fantastic senior year and could snag some offers soon.
Easton definitely gets some shine here on PRZMI, but overall throughout the state I don’t think he gets enough attention. A 8- Player Division anomaly, Easton is 6’6 225, and is also a power lifter. Defensively, he’s an absolute menace. It is some lower competition, but his long arms keep offensive linemen off him and free to make play after play. He’s pretty quick off the ball, and is a really sure tackler when he gets his mitts on the runner. One thing I really like is he rips at the ball on every tackle, and it pays off as he forced multiple fumbles throughout the season. Offensively he shows a good catch radius, and with his big frame he can box defenders out to go up and make a play on the ball. Overall I think Easton has a lot of potential at the D2 level, as long as he continues to sharpen his skills.
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Like a lot of teams in the smaller divisions, Lukas plays in a run first system both offensive and defensively. On defense, he’s used in a variety of ways. Sometimes he comes downhill from the LB position, but they also line him up at a nose tackle position, and have him fire off faster than the OL and scoot into the backfield quickly. He’s very proficient at both, although at the next level he’s definitely undersized to be playing in the trenches. Offensively, he’s really utilized in the blocking area, lead blocking and leaving pancakes in the way. He’s not quite to the next level yet, but if he keeps racking up tackles from the LB position, he may be someone to watch for with an NAIA/JUCO school taking a chance.
A true 2 way impact player, Karter brings a lot of interesting characteristics to the table. Defensively he wound up with 144 tackles, and offensively he rushed for over 900 yards, finding the end zone 14 times. I like what he brings defensively, as a sure tackler, but also makes good reads and snags interceptions and PBUs on a regular basis. Offensively, he has surprising long distance speed, and plays physical with the ball in his hands. I’m pumped to see what kind of leap he makes heading into his senior season.