Small on paper but huge on the field
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Growing up, most of the guys I hung out with were athletes. I was usually the shortest guy in my circle of friends. As an undersized center, my guards and tackles all had at least six inches on me. That…
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Continue ReadingGrowing up, most of the guys I hung out with were athletes. I was usually the shortest guy in my circle of friends. As an undersized center, my guards and tackles all had at least six inches on me. That being said, I have always been partial to football players who might be – um – vertically challenged. My next two entries on prepredzonemn.com will shine the spotlight on guys whose play on the football field is bigger than their stature.
Jones is one of the quickest running backs in this class. He has great speed in the open field, but what sets him apart as a running back is how fast he comes out of his cuts. He isn’t a guy who will make three or four cuts in a small area. He will come out of his first cut with so much acceleration he doesn’t need those extra cuts. He has solid vision approaching the line of scrimmage and in the open field. The junior will catch the ball out of the backfield and the slot. Jones will reset the field position game with his excellent punt return skills.
I couldn’t find a recent highlight package for Yang, but the junior has been playing on varsity since his freshman year. Yang is a fearless corner who has no problem coming up from his corner position to support the run. He is often asked to blitz off the edge – something he does well largely because of his quick first step. He has good closing speed in coverage and chasing plays down from the backside. Yang comes out of his backpedal efficiently, quickly getting him up to full speed.
Vivanco does a great job holding the edge and keeping wide runs under control as a defensive end. He keeps good leverage and uses his hands well to get off blockers. He can play with his hand in the ground and as a stand-up outside linebacker. Vivanco is quick off the ball and has good upper-body strength to hold off blockers at the point of attack. The junior is also the Arrows’ field goal kicker, making 13 out of 17 kicks.
Highlights
Lackey mainly plays as a wing or as a slot receiver. Most of his touches come off jet sweeps, where he uses good vision to determine where he should cut up the field. His vision also translates into the open field as he weaves his way through defenders once he clears the line of scrimmage. He sets up his blockers effectively to give himself space. He has good but not great speed. His big plays come more from finding open space and less from blowing by defenders. He is also a threat in the passing game; he will run downfield routes out of the slot. A solid kick returner, Lackey also plays defensive back. He plays excellent run defense and can play both corner and safety.
Bergstrom attacks the ball playing corner and attacks ball carriers in the running game. His ability to plant and get out of his backpedal efficiently allows him to close on the ball quickly. He is fearless, attacking ball carriers in the running game and when closing on receivers in the open field. To compensate for his lack of height, the junior uses his hands to get into the receivers’ hands to rip the ball out. The Winhawks place kicker, Bergstrom, hit from outside of thirty yards.
Foster explodes out of his cuts and gets up to full speed quickly. He shows good vision in the open field and finds open space once on the second level. With a solid lower body, the Bears’ runner has more power in his game than it appears. He will drive through arm tackles and is able to find creases near the goal line. He doesn’t need much space in short yardage as his power creates space.