2023 Season Preview Unity Reed

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Unity Reed Lions out of the Western Conference finished their 2022 campaign with a 6-5 record. They're season came to an end with a first round loss to Patriot in Districts. The Lions have a number of returning starters back for 2023 so they should be in line for another playoff run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["358211"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"One of the top running backs in the state this young man is the real deal, check out his sophomore season below. Only at 5'7  Ferguson proves size does not matter each time he hits the hole with warped speed. His footwork and vision are on point, you can see why his name is garnering attention from FCS schools already. Poised for an even bigger role offensively this year, Ferguson could have the interest of FBS schools in due time. He has a 3.9 GPA and you can see his high IQ on the football field as well.rnrnhttps://twitter.com/marcusjr_07/status/1602822178830942208?s=20","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["853809"],"_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":"Typically Unity Reed's man in the middle along their defensive line making plays last fall was this rising sophomore Trey Grayson. He is 6'1 280 lbs. and is quick and nimble on his feet making him a very tough assignment for the imposing offensive lineman.rnrnhttp://www.hudl.com/v/2KMkDd","_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='1404795' first='Moises' last='Perez']","_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":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"Unity Reed","_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":"Regardless if he is throwing a deep ball or scrambling out of the pocket Perez is legit at quarterback for the Lions. Throwing for 20 touchdowns last year as a sophomore only highlighted that and I expect him to cut his interception numbers in half (11 last year) from 2022.rnrnhttps://twitter.com/Moisesp101/status/1598870300740894721?s=20","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["853897"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Another soon to be sophomore worth watching is hybrid safety/outside linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='853897' first='Jamir' last='Brown']. Brown like his teammate Grayson gives Lions fans plenty of reason for optimism on the future as he is a very smart football player. Running both at linebacker and strong safety in his squad's 3-3-5 defense he typically is the one on tape making game saving tackles. He has great closing speed and you do not see him error much and he never plays out of position.rnrnhttp://www.hudl.com/v/2JnwpY","_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":"[player_tooltip player_id='1402756' first='Naamon' last='Eller']","_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":"5'9u0022","_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":"Unity Reed","_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":"Eller is a playmaker at linebacker and stepped up as a sophomore last year for the Lions on both sides of the ball. They have him playing at both defensive line and linebacker and he always seems to be around the football. What I enjoy most is that even when defensive tackles are being blocked into him, he avoids the mess and still is able to make the tackle. Another kid who gets in done in the classroom this rising junior has a perfect 4.0 GPA!","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_5_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"Santiago Hernandez Cordova","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"Unity Reed","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_5_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_5_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"","_player_evaluations_5_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_6_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"Diasian Noakes","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"Unity Reed","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_6_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_6_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"One of the many reasons I am high up on Unity Reed's deep playoff run this year is the key pieces they have coming back defensively and Diasan Noakes is another one. Noakes is very instinctive and physical at defensive back for the Lions and he loves to come up make a big hit. I see him move around a lot on defense and expect a big leap for him as his junior season approaches.rnrnhttps://www.hudl.com/video/3/16328085/637d143466558e0b10ff396c","_player_evaluations_6_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":7,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64d29a671b3c2"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Final Thoughts:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unity Reed is not a very senior based squad for 2023 it seems, but it does not mean they will not compete this year. I firmly believe they will have one of the better defenses in the conference and have enough playmakers on offense to keep the train chugging along. My prediction is they make a deeper run in the district playoffs are a legit state title contender in 2024. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->