AL Pops’ 2028 Offensive Line Prospect Potpourri – 11.14.23
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Use PROMO CODE: ALPOPS40 for a 40% DISCOUNT on your Prep Redzone Next subscription. I literally check out the film of dozens, if not over 100, different middle prospects every single day. From coast to coast, farm towns to big cities, mountains to the beaches…
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Continue ReadingUse PROMO CODE: ALPOPS40 for a 40% DISCOUNT on your Prep Redzone Next subscription. I literally check out the film of dozens, if not over 100, different middle prospects every single day. From coast to coast, farm towns to big cities, mountains to the beaches and fertile recruiting grounds to needles in a haystack. Here are five offensive line prospects that stood out to me today from across the United States on November 14th, 2023. Please note the date, you’ll want to remember it in the future.
– Texas-native Ryder Klein Ryder Klein 6’3″ | 240 lbs | OL Center | 2028 TX may be getting ready to attend Center High School next year, but the home of the Roughriders can’t get much more east in the state of Texas. It’s less than 25 miles to the Louisiana stateline, and that’s with going around the Toledo Bend Lake
– Stands a reported 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds right now, with an ideal frame for an eighth-grade left tackle. His build and length also allow him to play right defensive end at a high level at this stage of the game
– Klein does a lot of things correctly for being a 2028 prospect. He’s a smart player that understands sometimes the designed block doesn’t always work with how the defense is aligned. Does a great job of walking the line between taking what the defense and adjusting versus forcing his will on the defense
– When people hear the term “Pop Warner” they often think it means little kid football–which it is. However, Pop Warner is just one of the national youth football league’s across the country and it certainly has some big boys playing at the top level–like 6-foot-2, 225-pound Adam Briggs
– Briggs was a two-way lineman for the Marsh Creek Eagles, a program based less than 35 miles west of Philadelphia. Briggs along with George Parkinson IV and others have the Eagles on the verge of heading to the Pop Warner National Championship tournament for a second year in a row. Has won a lot of 1:1 battles over the last two seasons because of size and strength alone. He’s still developing skill and he’s not even close to his potential, from what I have seen
– During his pre-high school career, Briggs has seen time at both tackle spot’s on the offensive line, in addition to defensive end and tackle. He has excellent feet for a 2028 lineman at this size. Can pull and lead up into the whole with on tackle trap and can also down block the entire side of the line, if asked.
– Listed at 6-foot-4, 295 pounds and double-knee brace’d up, it’s kind of hard to miss Avery at left tackle and defensive tackle for the Fairland Dragons in Proctorville, Ohio. A small town (just 523 residents in 2020) that is literally connected by a bridge to Huntington, West Virginia
– Was part of a team that finished 7-0-1 this year, winning the Ohio Valley Conference in the process. The largest member of a good offensive line that allowed star weapon Owen Burcham do his thing
– Avery checks the box in terms of size and , but he’s going to be a project. Down the line, his size alone will get him a foot in the door in terms of getting looks from colleges at all levels, but athleticism, speed, quickness, overall strength and consistent on-field effort must improve to maximize the physical gifts he has
Highlights
– Good-looking offensive tackle out of Libertyville, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds. Fresh off a The Chicagoland Youth Football League (TCYFL) championship, winning the 4A division, in “America’s Largest Independent Youth Football League”
– Has the tall frame that coaches want in young offensive linemen, along with ever-improving foot quickness. Can absolutely see he has a lot of the physical tools and football IQ needed to become a recruitable prospect by the next level
– If that VanBoening last name sounds familiar, it’s because he’s part of quite the family. His oldest brother Trenton VanBoening was PRZ Illinois’ No.9-ranked offensive linemen (No.40 prospect overall) coming out of high school in 2023 and is now a freshman at Eastern Michigsn; Middle brother Rhett VanBoening is a 2025 prospect and currently ranked the No.12 offensive lineman (No. 99 overall prospect). Oh, and his father, is a retired Marine? I think he’ll have the toughness part down…
– One of the largest pre-high school athletes I’ve seen, since I started covering the middle school age group back in 2010. He’s listed at 6-foot-6 and 280 pounds, up from the 6-foot-4 and 265 I had him listed at a year ago. That size is a huge plus, but it also comes with the fact that he needs to continue to work on staying low
– A native of Connecticut, Budd is playing for the Springfield Tigers out of Massachusetts in 2023. The Tigers are among the best teams in American Youth Football (AYF) and are in the running for a Regional Championship and National Championship berth every year. As of this write up, they are two wins away from a National Championship berth this season
– As one can imagine, the college interest has already started for Budd. He has visited Rutgers, Boston College and UConn up to this point and will expand upon that list this summer