Tale Of The Tape- Pt. I

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>As I continue to discover more prospects, I also continue to deep dive new Hudl films as well. I'll be doing a new series deep diving some new prospects I haven't yet evaluated, as we proceed to add to our ever expanding player database! Let's check out 5 new prospects making their Prep Redzone evaluation debut! </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1529477' first='Pierce' last='Pittsley'], </strong><em>WR, Marquette- </em>I was actually taken by surprise that I hadn't yet heard of this kid. He's a 6'0 athlete in the class of 2026 that actually shows some really nice upside. He has a very abrupt release, runs really clean and fluid routes, and does a really nice job of tracking the ball in air and adjusting to make the play. It appears he is a really good deep threat that will stretch some defenses. He shows some superior athletic traits that I think as they develop, the GLIAC teams in the UP will be salivating over. Overall this was a really nice way to kick things off, with a solid discovery I think will end up being a playmaker down the road! </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Jaiden Mabins,</strong><em><strong> </strong>DL, Livonia Franklin- </em>Jaiden is another kid that I am really surprised has eluded me to this point. He's a big body at 6'1 265, and he really moves well. A peek into the 2025's tape showcases his sheer strength as he is able to knock some really good offensive linemen off their platform and disrupt both passing and running plays. Mabins stays low, maintains his gap assignment and makes really sure tackles when they come his way. I have a good feeling he will be one of the best defensive linemen in the KLAA in 2024. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Cole Groening, </strong><em>LB, Flushing- </em>Cole is a pretty interesting prospect. The 2025 LB comes in at about 6'1 215. When I dove into the tape, I noticed right away how quickly he can diagnose the play and get where he needs to be. He does a good job of wrapping up and not trying to arm tackle. He's one I think I would feel a lot better after seeing him in person, but his Hudl definitely gives me some reasons to expect good things from Cole going forward. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>Rashad Waller, </strong><em>RB, Loy Norrix- </em>I've known a little about Rashad for a bit now, but I don't think I have ever sat down and actually done a deep dive on his film or wrote about him here. He ran for over 1,100 yards last season, and has a nose for the end zone. He has nice breakaway speed, and between the tackles he can blow through arm tackles. He also gets a ton of work returning kicks, and if he finds any small gap, he hits it at full speed and has the speed to take it the distance. He has a nice spin move and some abrupt stop and go moves that make him a tough one to bring down in the open field. I'm looking forward to seeing if he is able to take the next step and become one of the elite backs in the state this season. </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1118669' first='Edem' last='Denoo'],</strong><em><strong> </strong>DL, Forest Hills Eastern- </em>Edem is a prospect I am starting to be very high on. He's incredibly strong, fires off the ball, and has the size and athleticism to play both inside and on the edge. He's disciplined to staying in his gap, and I love that his versatility allows FHE to run stunts with him to get him running free to the backfield. He's a fairly polished pass rusher and can stuff gaps in the run. I have multiple reasons I would really like to see FHE in 2024, and he is quickly becoming one of the top reasons! </li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list -->