Colorado 2028 Initial Watchlist – O-Line/D-Line Breakdown Part 2
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Use PROMO CODE: ALPOPS40 for a DISCOUNT on your Prep Redzone Next subscription. The game is won in the trenches–something I firmly believe. In a state like Colorado where the weather can be an enormous factor, theline play becomes even more crucial in securing…
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Continue ReadingUse PROMO CODE: ALPOPS40 for a DISCOUNT on your Prep Redzone Next subscription. The game is won in the trenches–something I firmly believe. In a state like Colorado where the weather can be an enormous factor, theline play becomes even more crucial in securing a victory. A lot of the top dogs in the state play both offensive and defensive line, with many of them separating themselves from the pack already.
The initial Prep Redzone Next Colorado 2028 Watchlist is live and will be updated three more times before August 2024. Continue to check out the other position breakdowns as they’re released on PrepRedZone.com/Next.
Brandon Anchondo Brandon Anchondo DL CO of the Colorado Jr. Buffs holds a special place in my heat/mind because the two-way lineman is getting it done on the football field, despite having a brain tumor he is set to have operated on in late September. Anchondo is the type of kid that will be a very good player through high school career and possibly beyond, because of the effort he puts in, specifically as a defensive end. He’s a disrupter with a motor that doesn’t stop running. On he film he doesn’t have measurables or athletic traits that jump off the chart, but he hustles to the ball and never quits. For proof of that, look no further than four forced fumbles in his last seven games.
The Highlands Ranch PREP Mountain Lions are a loaded squad and Nicholas McChesney Nicholas McChesney OL CO is a two-way lineman that is going to be a very good one over the next four years. McChesney is the son of former Colorado Buffalo and five-year NFL/NFL Europe vet Matt McChesney and the apple certainly doesn’t fall far from the tree, here. After the snap, Nicholas’s first step is as quick as I’ve seen in the country for an interior defensive lineman. He shoots his hands and makes first contact with his opponents chest, which often results in winning the play/rep. I feel he has future D1 defensive tackle written all over him, but just like as his Dad did in the NFL, a switch to offensive guard can’t be ruled out–because he gets it done there, too.
When I started this write up I had Elionai Lefotu-Maiava listed as a defensive lineman, but after watching some recent film, I like what I see out of him as an offensive lineman even more. A lot of the same traits carry from one side of the ball to the other for Lefotu-Maiava, namely his toughness and athleticism. He moves very well for an interior lineman at this level, something probably credited to him playing Rugby in the off-season. Offensively he plays Center for the Highlands Ranch PREP Mountain Lions and is part of a very good front five there.
Tanner Barnes Tanner Barnes 6’3″ | 255 lbs | OL CO of the Spillionairs plays the game the way every aspiring offensive lineman should play: Tough, Mean, Physical and Relentless. Primarily an offensive guard, he’s a very good run blocker who wins a lot of reps with brute strength and force. His newest film has him listed at 6-foot-3; I had him listed at 6-foot-1; So he’s likely in the 6-foot-2 range for height and is right around 250 pounds. He can play a little high at times and will need to work on that at the next level, but for now he’s able to withstand the blow, re-anchor and win most reps. Would love to see what he can do as a defensive tackle too. His skill set may lend itself nicely to the opposite side of the ball.
Highlights
Reinart is an exciting defensive end/edge/athlete to watch in this Colorado 2028 class. At 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds (size not verified), he’s a unique athlete that can make his own quarterback happy by getting open as a receiver and can make the opposition’s quarterback really uncomfortable as a pass rusher. He’s the prototypical edge right now, as he stands up and rarely puts his hand in the dirt, which allows him to explode up field and gets the offensive tackle to open up his shoulders. He collapses the edge very quickly and has no problem chasing down plays going away from him. Might be safer to list him as more of an ATH right now more than anything else