Regional Finals Standouts-Rockford
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Rockford showed off a ton of talent on Saturday night, even in a losing effort. Offensively they weren’t able to punch it in much, but the still had a few standout performers, and defensively they showed some strong prospects for…
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Continue ReadingRockford showed off a ton of talent on Saturday night, even in a losing effort. Offensively they weren’t able to punch it in much, but the still had a few standout performers, and defensively they showed some strong prospects for the next level. This article is going to highlight the Rams that impressed me.
Louis stuck out pretty early to me. He was quick, and showed a great a great ability to stay in the pocket of his receiver and make plays on the ball. He has good closing speed and typically maintains good position. He didn’t bite on fakes or anything, and always knew where he needed to be. I really like what he can do and I am seeing some D3 schools do as well with some offers.
Highlights
Ryan Ahern
Ryan Ahern
Ryan is a true 2 way player, and is an impact player on both sides of the ball. Offensively he was super impressive. He was making some hard runs look easy, breaking tackles and making guys miss for extra yardage. Defensively he was stuffing the run quite well. He was able to shed some blocks, and throw his body around when he got to the hole. I knew he would be a big piece of the game, and he did play quite well, but wasn’t able to pop off the big home run play. I still think he is going to be a lights out player at the next level as he continues to evolve his game.
Drake had an eventful night. He was able to throw for a touchdown, but the Davison defense forced some turnovers and ill advised throws. Overall, I thought he handled it fine and was able to shake it off and get back into the next drive with no issues or fear of pulling the trigger. He stayed in the pocket and was able to deliver some good throws still against some pressure. I was impressed with him still, and I liked what I saw from him in the face of adversity on Saturday.
Isaac gets my imaginary game ball for Rockford. He was everywhere on defense, and he was really putting his team in good position on kicks and punts. Defensively there are so many good qualities. He is physical with receivers and does a great job of reading the play. From the safety position, he was more than willing to come downhill to stop the run as well. On special teams, he returned a kickoff for a TD and was close to popping a couple more punts and kicks. It was a spark they desperately needed and he was able to provide that, even when they didn’t capitalize on it every time.
Zane was as physical as expected. He was firing off quickly, driving his hands and keeping a good base. I like where he is as a pass rusher already, and I also like the ability to break free from blockers quickly and go nearly unblocked. Overall he did a really nice job on bull rushes at the passer, and utilizing his strength to get good push into the backfield. If he continues this trajectory into the offseason and heading into next year, the sky is the limit for what he can do.
Highlights
Camden Kruisenga
Camden Kruisenga
The lone Rockford TD on offense came from a deep ball to Camden. He showed he has some great route running, can be a consistent deep threat, can go up and get the ball, and be physical. He’s also a track kid who can turn on the jets to get by defenders. He displays a clear football IQ as well, as he knows how to get to a soft spot in the zone defense and sit down and move with the zone to stay an open target for his QB. I think he’s definitely an interesting prospect for some of these small schools looking to add some good hands to their offense.