2nd Round Playoff Game: 7 Key Impact Sophomores
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As the 2nd round of the playoffs approaches, it’s important to take a closer look at the impact sophomores who could make a difference in the upcoming games. Here are 7 players to keep an eye on, based on their…
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Continue ReadingAs the 2nd round of the playoffs approaches, it’s important to take a closer look at the impact sophomores who could make a difference in the upcoming games. Here are 7 players to keep an eye on, based on their performance so far this season.
Mabson is a strong runner who has a burst to get upfield. With natural feel and patience, Mabson lets holes develop, and then he has the quickness to dart upfield after deciding to go North-South. His strong build allows him to power through tacklers, and he finishes runs well. Mabson has lower body strength and contact balance to maintain his feet while pushing through defenders. The compact build lends itself to Mabson running behind his pads with good knee bend, and he opens things up in the open field to break off long runs.
After the catch, Landrew is a nice contributor, using his size to fight through tackles and pick up yards after contact. He has good feel to know which way to break and cut after making a catch to give himself more space for yardage. Landrew is tough and physical as a runner, showing the ability to drive through defensive backs to get extra yardage. On wide receiver screens, Landrew is very capable to get upfield for good gains.
Walker Turner
Walker Turner
Turner has a natural ability to put pressure on the quarterback. Turner is quick off the ball, possessing a fast first-step and a burst to get upfield. With serious speed, Turner can run the arc around offensive tackles and fly to the quarterback. Once he gets to the signal-caller, Turner will be physical and often dish out a violent hit. Turner is not a dirty player taking cheap shots, but he will aggressively take the quarterback to the ground. In pursuit, Turner is a fast defender with a burst to close and is quick to flow to the ball. He can redirect to get pointed to the quarterback and is not a stiff rusher. He is a dangerous speed rusher.
Lyles plays with an attacking mindset, bringing sideline-to-sideline range and high-end closing speed. He sifts through the trash at the second level and closes the gap on the ball carrier, at times surprising them as he lays a big hit. He’s tough and physical as a tackler and plays with good quickness and flexibility. He flashes the ability to dip under blocks and slip into the backfield to blow up a play. He’s a blur off the edge as a blitzer and shoots through gaps to get into the backfield. Lyles looks comfortable covering backs and has the reactive athleticism to carry pass catchers up the seam and hang with them step for step.
Highlights
Aaden Shamburger
Aaden Shamburger
As a passer, Shamburger is a dynamic playmaker. He stands tall in the pocket, showing excellent composure and patience to let routes develop. When Shamburger decides to pass, he has a quick throwing motion with a fast arm whip. The most important attribute for any quarterback is accuracy, and Shamburger has it, showing the ability to fire passes by defenders into tight windows. Shamburger has decent natural feel and instincts, so he is able to throw into tight spaces, but he is also not reckless with the football. He displays impressive decision-making for a gunslinger style of player.
Ja’Michael Jones
Ja’Michael Jones
Jones has good vision and extraordinary juice as a runner. He has great foot quickness and changes direction on a dime, accelerating instantly to shoot through gaps in the line or to beat a pursuit angle. He’s the right mix of patient and decisive, with a knack for letting his blocks set up before exploding downhill. He drafts off of pulling blockers and sets up downfield defenders with head and shoulder fakes before juking the other way. He runs with fly-by-wire control and staccato footwork, navigating tight spaces without being touched. He eludes tackle attempts with hurdles and strafes and regularly reverses the field when it looks like a defense has him contained. If you give him an inch, he’ll take a mile.
Braylon Outlaw Braylon Outlaw 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB Pike Road | 2026 State AL
Braylon Outlaw Braylon Outlaw 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB Pike Road | 2026 State AL
Outlaw shows good range to run sideline to sideline chasing down running backs or ball-carriers. He’s a good tackler with legit stopping power. He stacks and sheds against the run; showing upper body torque to take on and defeat blocks. He has solid vision and awareness at the second level, scanning the backfield and tracking where the run is going. Outlaw brings good closing speed and plays with an aggressive downhill style, always looking to dislodge the ball from the ball-carrier. He showed instincts in zone drops, identifying routes and anticipating throws. He was frequently lined up over the A-gap, at times dropping and at others slicing through the line at the snap. He flashed the ability to line up on the edge and rush the passer, drawing on a surprising array of pass-rush tools and bendy flexibility. He used an arm-over swim move and long-arm stab to control opposing offensive linemen and once he was in the pocket showed the ability to bend and chase his target to finish his rush.