2024 Section V Returning Players to Watch
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Right back to you with more football players from the Section V area that are returning in 2024. These players in the upstate NY area are young, but all have some skills that can be utilized to greater heights for…
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Continue ReadingRight back to you with more football players from the Section V area that are returning in 2024. These players in the upstate NY area are young, but all have some skills that can be utilized to greater heights for their teams this upcoming season. Check it out below!
Zach Couch
Zach Couch
Zach Couch is a 6’0”, 220-pound LB from McQuaid Jesuit that will be entering his senior season and is looking to have an even better campaign than he did this past year. In this past season, Couch racked up 52 tackles, 7 TFL’s, 2 sacks, and had 1 forced fumble. It will be tough for Zach to have a better season, but there is no doubt he has the natural talent to do so. When you turn on the tape, the speed, aggressiveness, and ability to recognize the play as it unfolds was present heavily. Zach has an amazing first step quickness that was outstanding to watch on his tape. The ability to read a play, get moving, and shoot the necessary gap of where the ball carry is running towards showed up multiple times. The ability to move sideline to sideline and attack with an endless amount of pursuit shows why Couch is one of the best, if not the best LB in Section V. Always rallying to the football and playing with that high emotion is such a major factor to this McQuaid defense. When playing against the run, Couch has no issue in block shedding and wraps up ball carriers with good form. Additionally, Zach is also an asset on the offensive side of the ball as an FB. Making a lot of key blocks at the goal line on tape for the RB showed when Zach played the FB position. It will be a huge senior season for Couch, that will be certainly flying around the defense for McQuaid.
The 5’8” speedy Noah Collins-Howard Noah Collins-Howard 5’8″ | 150 lbs | WR The Aquinas Institute | 2027 NY is an upcoming sophomore WR for Aquinas Institute that is ready to take that next step this upcoming season. Collins-Howard is a playmaker that was utilized all over the offense for Aquinas, including on end around’s and out wide as a dynamic WR. For the next season, I expect to see Noah’s role to continue to evolve to get him more evolve because of the athleticism that he possesses. In addition to the WR position, Collins-Howard also has some playing experience at the CB spot, coming up with a turnover on one play. Flipping back to the WR spot, the ability to separate from DBs was evident on Noah’s film, especially in his pure route running. I was impressed with Collins-Howard’s ability to make tough over the shoulder catches as well, even snagging one for a TD. The ability to concentrate and focus on the football deep down the field was present. Additionally, Collins-Howard was also a factor on special teams, being utilized as a returner. A very young and talented player that Aquinas can build around for years down the road.
Highlights
An upcoming sophomore RB for Rush-Henrietta High School that stands in at 5’8” and moves at a very good rate of speed when the ball is in his hands. When Justin Medina Justin Medina 6’0″ | 170 lbs | RB Christ The King | 2026 NY got the ball in his hands, the ability to accelerate and get going was quick. Being able to make precise decisions on the fly and cut through an opening was present on tape. This is also an RB that was used heavily in the screen game as well. What was also a major factor when watching Justin play the RB position was the effort that he displayed when running with the football. Always trying to fight for extra yards and keeping his legs moving when defenders were trying to bring him down made it a challenge to tackle at first contact. Since Justin stands in at a lower height, it does give him an advantage at times when it comes to his lower center of gravity. One thing is for certain is Medina is not afraid to get physical and run over a defender in open space, as he did it a few times in the open field. A major goal for Justin coming into this next season will be to finish off some of these big chunk runs for TD’s. Being able to out-run the last set of defenders in the last level of the defense would be an explosive addition to his sophomore tape. Rush-Henrietta has a very talented RB to utilize for the next set of years.
Kaleb Condello
Kaleb Condello
A brute force in the trenches for Rush Henrietta High School. Kaleb Condello loves to battle and will continue to as a senior this season. Condello plays on both the offensive and defensive lines for Rush Henrietta. Starting on the defensive line, Kaleb did play some snaps on the outside DE position, but major came at the inside. I was very impressed with the quickness and power that Kaleb displayed off the snap of the ball. There was a ton of effort to attack that was displayed right when that ball was snapped. Kaleb does a great job at being able to work his hands against his blocks, being able to rip and get into the backfield quickly. This is a player that will fight through double teams and eat up blocks at a high rate. Condello also does long snap for his team as well. Even on one punt snap, he showed tremendous effort getting down the field to recover a muffed punt. When it comes to the LG spot, the power once again stood out a lot as Kaleb was able to easily push opposing players around that stood in his way. If Condello had to get to a certain spot on a screen or pull action block, he quickly could because of the extreme athleticism that he has. A very high intense player that has a high motor for this Rush Henrietta football team.
Taiden Makubire
Taiden Makubire
Taiden Makubire is an upcoming senior QB that put together a solid junior campaign this past season for Irondequoit High School. On tape, Makubire was able to make some impressive throws outside the numbers, connecting to his TE’s on multiple occasions for some big-time gains. Taiden was even able to get outside the pocket on the move a few times and make some great throws on the run. Even on a few plays, Taiden was able to scramble to move the chains or gain a huge amount of yardage. When it comes to the passing mechanics, I would like to see Makubire scan more from his first and second reads more often. Standing in the pocket a bit longer before running out and finding his receivers, are two goals that Makubire can hit this season because he does have the arm talent to do so. A huge plus to Taiden was being able to utilize play action, which really allowed Makubire to find his intended man quickly. A lot of sprint options were run by this Irondequoit offense, which really leaned heavily on Taiden’s legs, getting him on the move near the sideline. It should be a big senior year for Taiden and this Irondequoit offense.
Myles Wynn
Myles Wynn
Flipping to this upcoming senior from Irondequoit High School, who put together an uplifting junior campaign for his offense at the RB spot. Myles Wynn no doubt has the speed and acceleration in the open field to outrun any defense. Many times, Myles was able to burst out into an open lane and out run defenders for six. Even in the open field, Wynn can put any type of move on a defender, including a wicked spin move and could cut on a dime. What was amazing is Myles is not the most physical running back, but he no doubt had a nose for the end zone, as he would always be fighting to score for 6. There were times when you would say “no, no, yes!” from Wynn making something out of nothing behind the line of scrimmage when a lane was not present. There was not much receiving work on Wynn’s tape, so I would love to see more receiving work his senior season. No doubt that moving forward this coming season, Irondequoit will lean on Wynn in the run game. This is an outstanding offensive player that can be stable for their offense.