Napoleon vs. Grass Lake Offensive Standouts

I was really unsure what to expect from these 2 teams going into the game on Friday. They were 2 teams that were on my radar, but I have never seen play in person. I was curious about what kind of talent I would find with these 2 teams being in a pretty small division with low enrollment. I was really blown away by how many kids actually looked to have to have some potential for the next level. This article will highlight a few of the offensive players I was most impressed with.   Mason Roth, RB, Napoleon- Mason was absolutely having himself a game on Friday night. His ability seemed to be on full display. He was finding the end zone and finding positive yardage all night long against a pretty solid Grass Lake defense. I love his style, as he is a 1 cut and get up field type of back. He doesn't dance around, and hits the hole at full speed. Just pure momentum was carrying him for yards when he got hit, as he would still fall forward for positive yards. He was able to bounce off tackles and keep his balance as he stayed low with a great pad level. His vision was really solid and I think NAIA/ D3 teams need to check him out, I believe he could be a hidden gem. I hope his squad makes a run because I would love to watch him play again.   Holden Van Poppel, WR, Napoleon- Holden stood out quick quickly during warmups. His size and clear athleticism showed up first for me. Catching balls with ease and running nice routes, and going up to get the ball. After doing some research, I also found that he is an elite Track and Field athlete as well, and it clearly showed up for him in Friday night's contest. I think any college looking for a solid WR with good hands and skillful athletic ability should definitely check him out. He has the tools to really succeed for someone who invests in coaching him up!   Kayden Fowler, WR, Napoleon- Kayden was another athlete that impressed me a ton. He also had some elite route running and athletic ability, and was able to find the end zone. What impressed me the most would be his YAC ability. He ensured he caught the ball, but then would turn up field immediately and make guys miss, stealing extra yardage just based off his vision and natural running ability. While he is a bit smaller than Holden is, he still showed the ability to be a decent prospect if a coach is willing to give him a shot. I really like what he can do.   Jamarcus Goodloe, OL, Napoleon- Jamarcus is a junior that is still developing, but if he continues to put in the work, he could absolutely be a prospect to keep an eye on. He had great fire off on most plays, typically initiating the contact. He was extremely mobile, getting to the 2nd level to make key blocks that would spring the ball carriers for big yardage. When they dropped back to pass, he was pretty solid in his base, and held strong in 1V1 situations. I would love to see him continue to develop in the weight room, and continue to work on his pass blocking. If he does that, he would be another underrated prospect that gets overlooked.   [player_tooltip player_id='1290807' first='Jacob' last='Collins'], WR, Grass Lake- It's a true shame that an injury took him out of the game, because the first half was owned by Collins. He was breaking off fantastic routes, and catching pass after pass, and found his way into the end zone. He looked to be on pace for a crazy day, and Grass Lake even went into the half with the lead, thanks in large part to the efforts of Jacob. I really would like to see Grass Lake play again soon when he gets back out there because he definitely left the game with a ton of positive notes on on my sheet, and I wonder what else he could have accomplished. He really was just getting started.   Liam Metheringham, RB, Grass Lake- Liam was a dual threat back, as he was able to run north and south, but he was also able to take a swing pass to the house for a TD. His speed was fantastic and his vision was very good. The captain showed very high football IQ, and I like the way he was consistently able to get some yardage, even when the Napoleon defense was stacking the box and swarming to the ball. I think GL has a really good shot at making a deep playoff run with Liam contributing like it currently is.   [player_tooltip player_id='1217523' first='Brayden' last='Lape'], QB, Grass Lake- Brayden was pretty good all things considered, but I think there is another level to his game just waiting to be unlocked by the team at the next level willing to give him a shot. Lape is about 6'4 with a big arm, who was really the most efficient with short timing routes. You could tell they had worked on these routes a ton, as he had the ball there just as the WR would be expecting it. A few times he connected on some deep passes down the sideline that were really on the money. Brayden has the physical attributes to be a successful QB at the D3 level or somewhere around there. A college program looks like it would suit him well, and he seems to be a sponge that would take in all the coaching and apply it to the field immediately. He did it multiple times in their game against Napoleon, and I loved seeing how coachable he was. He was a vocal leader cheering on his teammates through the entire game. Coaches and teammates love him, and I think with the physical build and current ability, he has a great chance to develop to another level.   Overall, I was surprised by the talent, but I suppose I really shouldn't have been. These are 2 really solid programs that seem to churn out good players and good teams consistently. I recommend D3, NAIA/ JUCO levels to look at the players from these 2 programs. They may find something they really weren't expecting like I did!

I was really unsure what to expect from these 2 teams going into the game on Friday. They were 2 teams that were on my radar, but I have never seen play in person. I was curious about what kind of talent I would find with these 2 teams being in a pretty small division with low enrollment. I was really blown away by how many kids actually looked to have to have some potential for the next level. This article will highlight a few of the offensive players I was most impressed with.