First Look Friday – April 19th

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em><strong>Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!</strong></em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We're deep into the offseason but May and everything that comes with it are close. Spring ball and team camps will be right around the corner. But for now, it's time to continue our new series that will feature an article every Friday called “First Look Friday” and the whole point of this series is to put the spotlight on athletes that we have never covered. The premise is very simple. We want to cover prospects that we haven't had a chance to do so. Now, some of these athletes might already be ranked, have been tweeted about, whatever it may be. But none of the players on these articles have ever had a breakdown and that changes here. Keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more First Look Friday breakdowns!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["876534"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"Berryhill 2026 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='876534' first='Braden' last='Schwickerath'] is on our short list of players in Class 3A that we're fired up to watch this season. Schwickerath is making the transition from 8-man football to 11-man as he has moved from Summit Christian to Berryhill this offseason. So the film that we just watched from his sophomore season is going to look dramatically different after this season. First off, Schwickerath lined up mainly as a defensive tackle and that's not going to happen moving forward. Based on his size, he looks like a linebacker and will either be there or lined up as an edge rusher. So the 8-man film was the first thing that stood out but then we got to watching and there was a lot to like. He is very physical at the point of attack and we can understand why because overall strength is a big part of his game. He looked relentless out there at times and he is always looking to make a play on the defensive side of the ball. Berryhill is one of the more consistent programs over the last decade and they take a lot of pride in physical play. Schwickerath should fit right in with the Chiefs when it comes to that department. 2024 is a big season for him.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["595753"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"Del City 2025 defender [player_tooltip player_id='595753' first='Charvis' last='Kelley'] is one of the more versatile defenders that we've watched this offseason. Kelley was a valuable part of a very talented Del City defense last fall and after watching his film, we're looking forward to seeing what he can do during his senior season. Right now, we have Kelley listed as a linebacker but he has plenty of film showcasing his abilities as a defensive end. But then you also see plays where Kelley is lined up more as an outside linebacker so his future position could really go either way. But for now, we'll continue looking at Kelley as a linebacker. But that could certainly change. Kelley showed a really strong understanding of the game on film. He did an excellent job from a containment standpoint. It never looked like he was just out there freestyling and he was always playing within the defense. And that allowed him to be in a position to make plays on multiple occasions. Del City had a talented defense in 2023 but the graduate quite a bit of talent. So we expect Kelley to take that next step this fall. The Eagles are trying to finish the job with a state title and Kelley will be a big part for the defense.","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["1056540"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"Prague 2025 big man [player_tooltip player_id='1056540' first='Jaxon' last='Smith'] is going to be one of the more intriguing 2025 prospects to watch this spring and summer. Smith is flying under the radar right now but we don't think that lasts long if coaches make an effort to check Smith out. The film is very impressive and he has a very high ceiling moving forward. First off, he is an absolute monster of an athlete and we simply do not see a player of his size and ability at the Class 2A level very often. And when we break down an athlete with that kind of size advantage, we want to see him dominate and that's what Smith did last year. He impacts the game in a variety of ways and even when he's not making the play, his size and skill usually forces the offense away from him. His wingspan and vision is outstanding. There was one play where an offensive lineman had Smith wrapped up but because of his long arms, he was able to just reach out and strip a ball carrier trying to get by him. And when Smith does get free from constant double teams, he is a mean tackler in the open field. He hits the ball carrier with bad intentions and there aren't many guys that are getting away from him.","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["211962"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"Norman 2025 quarterback [player_tooltip player_id='211962' first='Phoenix' last='Murphy'] is the only quarterback on this week's breakdown and his film definitely impressed us from beginning to end. The biggest thing that we're taking away from looking at Murphy's film and his production last season is the growth he had as a signal caller from August to November. He appeared to make a big jump and some of his best plays appeared to come later in the season. There were times when Murphy was an absolute magician in the pocket. With the defense crashing down on him, he had an uncanny ability to wiggle out of harms way, keep the play alive and make something happen out of a potential disaster. Murphy is an underrated athlete as well because there were times when he took off and next thing you know he's in the end zone after a 60-yard touchdown run. But Murphy always keeps his eyes down field and while he can be dynamic as a runner, he's still a pass-first quarterback and he delivered some absolute bullets last season as a junior. There is a lot to like with his film from last season and he's going to be a quarterback to keep an eye on moving forward in a very deep 2025 QB class.","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["1187313"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"Jones 2025 tight end [player_tooltip player_id='1187313' first='Riley' last='Ellefson'] is our final prospect on this week's breakdown and he is in a similar boat to Smith at Prague. This spring and summer could be big for Ellefson in terms of his recruitment and as more coaches see him in person, there's a lot to like with his physical traits and his game on the field. Looking at the film, it's hard not to be impressed with the frame and his versatility in the Longhorn offense. He looked like he was just as comfortable lining up as a traditional tight end as he was split out at wide receiver. And when we looked at his complete highlight, that word kept coming up. Complete. Ellefson has all the tools to be a terrific tight end prospect. First off, with that 6'6 frame, he is an absolute red zone nightmare and jump balls in the end zone became more than 50-50 balls when they were thrown up to Ellefson. But he's not just a terrific red zone threat. He also has plenty of plays from last season where he absolutely punishes a defender and is a very strong blocker. Ellefson might be considered a hidden gem right now in Oklahoma's 2025 class but that shouldn't be the case moving forward. There are a lot of tools here.","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-662285299ab48"} /--> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->