St. Francis Xavier Top Prospects Breakdown

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past week I had the chance to get out to watch one of the top programs from the Halton region, St. Francis Xavier. St. FX is high powered program with some great studs across the board. They posses great athletes with high motors but their season fell a little short as they lacked depth in the trenches. In today's team break down, we zero in on the top performers from the St. FX Knights program. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Adrian Jimenez","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2410","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"St. Francis Xavier","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"Burlington Stampeders","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"The first thing you instantly notice when when watching the Knights is they have some absolute speed on the perimeters of the field. One of the most eye catching performers is All-Ontario Wide Out Adrian Jimenez. Jimenez is a game breaker whenever he's on the field. He's used in a lot of motion concepts to take advantage of his fast and twitchy movements. Jimenez often gets put in a lot of press man situations trying to limit his room to work off the stem routes but still manages to find himself in open space. With a high receiver IQ, Jimenez will often find work when there isn't any, and manage to put himself in spots to be a threat on the field. A lot to like about the senior pass catcher.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1150134' first='Noah' last='Hopkinson']","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"St. Francis Xavier","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"Burlington Stampeders","_player_evaluations_1_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_1_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_1_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"When you look down the line you'll notice next to the fast No.1 Jimenez is No.2 [player_tooltip player_id='1150134' first='Noah' last='Hopkinson']. Hopkinson is probably the best all around athlete you'll find coming out of the Halton region. Consider him the Travis Hunter of the region. As a true shut down corner and a guy who lines up on every other teams No.1 receiver, Hopkinson is going to make them work for every inch of the field. The big plays are limited or usually zero when teams attack his side of the field. With great length and range at 6'1,160-pounds, Hopkinson can battle for balls on deep vertical routes or close the catch radius on Redzone fades. As a pass catcher Hopkinson lines up usually out of the slot and is going to take opposing defenders for rides on lots of deep shots. With great ball skills, and ability to high point the football Hopkinson is always one play away from putting up 6.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"Hayden Buczek","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"St. Francis Xavier","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"Burlington Stampeders","_player_evaluations_2_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_2_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_2_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Now if you're going to have great high flyers, you need someone to get those guys the football. Well luckily for the Knights they have U16 Team Ontario gunslinger and class of 2026 QB Hayden Buczek. Buczek is a true sophomore with great intangibles. As a younger QB you need to be able to take command of the offense, and that's exactly what comes with a player who's been on the highest national stage. Buczek stands in at around 6'0, 170-pounds and is a very prototypical pocket passer. However, Buczek possesses a very uncommon trait for a young QB, he's completely poised play after play. Watching him there was a series where his O-line let up some major holes that he was sacked on back to back plays. Rather than getting flustered going into third and long, Buczek stepped back into another high pressured pocket and sailed a 40 yard dime to the strong side of the field that saw Hopkinson scurry down the sidelines for 6. It was an impressive poise play by a young but talented QB.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"Marcus Thorpe","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"2405","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"St. Francis Xavier","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_3_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_3_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"I mentioned the Knights really struggled between the trenches but one guy who stood out as a man amongst boys, was senior guard Marcus Thorpe. Thorpe in all honesty does not have a massive presence at about 6'1, 260-pounds but does he ever have a motor. When you talk about the hog bellies getting down in the trenches and playing the game based on inches and not yards, that's the only way to describe the way Thorpe plays. You can tell every inch matters. With a low base and not being overly top heavy, Thorpe possesses a center of gravity push that allows him to be dominant in the run game. He's also got a very quick first step out of his stance and always was making first contact on every rep I watched him. A lot to like about the powerful guard, but just wish there was a bit more length. Would not be surprised to see him be a starter at the OUA level.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"Lucas Richards","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"St. Francis Xavier","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_4_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_4_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Finally, we should probably discuss the guy who you could tell was the work horse of this team, class of 2024 RB Lucas Richards. Richards a power back at 6'0, 210-pounds plays the game the way it was meant to be played, violent. Walking up and down the sidelines before the game I was taking in each team and instantly your eyes are drawn to Richards, big, solid, built, mean looking and does have that wow factor when you watch him play. He's going to run between the tackles and hit the right gap almost every play which is the reliable part about his game but not the best part about it. What makes this kid so unique is the gazelle like running movement. He has elite acceleration at the point of carry, where you often see the burst at the first step he gets the ball. I counted 33 carries for him in the game that saw him go for a little over 200. He was moving at about 6.1 yards per carry and they were not light runs. He is a power back first, he wants to run through every player but knows he needs to get outside because he's dangerous in the open field. Richards will definitely be a feature back at the next level.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-654a84597250b"} /-->