The Uncommitted Report: Layne Cotton, QB/S, Faulkton Area (2024)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FAULKTON, SD--</strong> With it being State Championship Week in South Dakota, we wanted to start our <strong>Uncommitted Report</strong> series with South Dakota prospects that won our weekly Big Dogs of the Week throughout the season and thus far, are still uncommitted to playing at the next level. This first prospect we will uncover from the regular season of Big Dogs of the Week is Fauklton Area 2024 QB/Safety <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='825413' first='Layne' last='Cotton']</strong>, who him and the Faulkton Area Trojans will play for a state championship on Thursday morning in 9B against the Avon Pirates. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Q: Introduce yourself, let us know what position or positions you play, what are some skillsets college coaches should know about you football-wise and as a person as well as what you bring to the table at your position? What are your biggest strengths on the football field?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Layne: </strong>My name is [player_tooltip player_id='825413' first='Layne' last='Cotton'] I play quarterback and safety for Faulkton Area. I feel like my best position to play at the next level is wide receiver. I am athletic and am raw to the game of football. I have developed as a runner at the quarterback position tremendously this season as far as my biggest strengths</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Q: What's Your Favorite</strong> <strong>Part About the Position or Positions You Play?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Layne: </strong>I like playing quarterback because I am in control of the offense on the field. I like playing safety because I can fly around and hit people.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Q: Do you plan on playing college football and do you have any schools we can name that are recruiting you currently? </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Layne:</strong> Playing at the next level is an option for me, but I am not in contact with any college coaches at the moment.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Q: What's your “pitch” to college coaches about what you could bring to their program on and off the field?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Layne: </strong>I have a great work ethic and attitude when it comes to all sports I play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Q: </strong>What is something in your past seasons that your coaches told you to develop on this season, and how much work this season have you put into improving on those skillsets?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Layne:</strong> Run the ball hard and use your size. That has helped me a lot this year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Q: Who is your football mentor? Can be any coach, alumni, family member, etc. anyone that's had an impact on your football career.</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Layne: </strong>Our head coach <strong>Shayne Geditz</strong> as he has developed me to be the football player I am today.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Q: What are some things you learned about yourself as a player this season? What are your goals for next season at the next level?</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Layne: </strong>I learned that you need to play with your brain and thoroughly study your opponents so when it comes to game-time, you can play way faster.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='825413' first='Layne' last='Cotton']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Height, Weight:</strong> 6'3 180 pounds</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Twitter Account</strong>: <a href="https://twitter.com/Layne24Cotton">@Layne24Cotton</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Evaluation: </strong>[player_tooltip player_id='825413' first='Layne' last='Cotton'] is a 6'3 180 pound prospect out of Faulkton Area, that if you are looking for an athlete with a massive ceiling at the next-level, he is an ideal fit for a developmental football program. This young man shows off plenty of noticeable explosion with his lower body, as during our Spring Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase he showed consistency in the broad jump logging back to back near 10 foot jumps in Aberdeen. I believe Layne has significant positional flexibility and with his dexterity that we have watched in a live evaluation, he certainly fits at the next level as a free safety or wide receiver in my eyes due to his balanced athletic movement. The reason I lean more towards a wide receiver fit with Layne, is due to his basketball background as he shows off an agile vertical to adjust on the fly with the ball in the air as this young man is soundly mobile athletically. I certainly see Layne as an ideal fit for the NAIA or Division III level in the Dakotas, or an opportunity for a PWO in the NSIC as well. Best of luck to Layne and the Trojans on Thursday morning in 9B!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->