Eastern Arkansas 2025’s Primed for Huge Senior Season
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Throughout the off-season, I will be breaking down regions of the state to highlight as many recruits as possible. In this edition, we are focusing on the 2025 players who show the potential to lead their team both on and…
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Continue ReadingThroughout the off-season, I will be breaking down regions of the state to highlight as many recruits as possible. In this edition, we are focusing on the 2025 players who show the potential to lead their team both on and off the field, potentially carrying their skills to the next level.
Mitrell Lewis Mitrell Lewis 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Marion | 2025 State AR | Wide Receiver | Marion
The Marion Patriots are bringing back an alpha in the wide receiver room for the 2024 season. Mitrell Lewis Mitrell Lewis 6'3" | 180 lbs | WR Marion | 2025 State AR (6-4, 175) possesses the body frame, route running, speed, and contested catch skills to put drives on his back and carry the Pats’ offense in the upcoming season. Lewis emphasizes his route running and physicality in his route patterns, using defenders’ bodies as leverage to create openings. What’s most film-worthy is his ability to make contested catches and his tendency to high point throws over often smaller defenders.
Derick King Derick King 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Blytheville | 2025 State AR | Cornerback | Blytheville
Returning off a junior year stat line of 5 INTs, 9 PBUs, and allowing only ONE catch, it’s fair to admit the Chickasaws are confident in the leap Derick King Derick King 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Blytheville | 2025 State AR (5-11, 165) will make in the 2024 season. King has the ability to completely lock down one side of the field for the Blytheville defensive unit, adding pressure in other parts of the field. He excels in 50-50 balls with elite anticipation, ensuring he gets his head turned around to make plays on the ball.
King possesses an innate ability to read receivers’ body language, locking onto hips in deep routes to create minimal windows for quarterbacks to throw into. As a very aggressive player, King brings a hit stick feature that he utilizes when the opportunity presents itself.
Tyler Ridley Tyler Ridley 6'1" | 235 lbs | OL Newport | 2025 State AR | Defensive Lineman | Newport
Coming from a program notoriously known for its aggressive playing style, Tyler Ridley Tyler Ridley 6'1" | 235 lbs | OL Newport | 2025 State AR fits the persona perfectly for the Greyhound program. Ridley (6-2, 270) approaches the game with aggression, causing his fair share of forced fumbles with his mean-streak tackling attempts, often slinging smaller opponents around relentlessly. He excels at providing excellent outside containment on quicker quarterbacks and outside run schemes. When lining up in the interior of the formation, he does a phenomenal job of dictating tempo against opposing forces and effortlessly splitting double teams up the middle with his impressive lower body strength.
Tonio Phillips | Defensive Back | Newport
One of the more unnoticed recruits in the eastern part of the state, Tonio Phillips (5-8, 160) possesses a blue-collar mentality that has translated into impressive results on game tape. Phillips is a ball-hawking player with above-average instincts, particularly in his reaction time to balls in the air. His instincts are more than impressive, as he reads quarterbacks exceptionally well from the secondary, making great reads to nearby receivers that allow him to pick off passes without the quarterback realizing his jump from the start. Phillips is very well in-tune with his footwork, anticipation skills, and first-read keys on option plays or screen reads.