The Film Room: #TN2025 Evals (Part V)
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After a busy few weeks out on the 7v7 circuit, we are back in the lab to provide you Evals on some of the best senior prospects we have from our #TN2025 recruiting class. Jayden Neal TN #WL QB #11…
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Continue ReadingAfter a busy few weeks out on the 7v7 circuit, we are back in the lab to provide you Evals on some of the best senior prospects we have from our #TN2025 recruiting class.
Strengths – A multi year starter with a lot of experience in games and with his off-season work, Neal is one of the more seasoned quarterbacks we have from our #TN2025 class but also someone with enough talent to work his way into an FCS scholarship, even maybe a sniff from some D1 schools. The Fighting Irish senior is a pure pocket passer with nice mechanics and the arm strength to push the ball down field or make some tough throws that you see on the collegiate level. He remains poised in the pocket while under duress, keeping his eyes down field, always looking for the open receiver. Neal shows nice zip on his passes along with timing. He is also a good athlete that can tuck it and run if needed but Neal would prefer to remain in the pocket and deliver the pass. When it comes from a pure passing standpoint, Neal is one of the best that we have in the state with room for growth. This guy is tough, someone you want under center and a leader that will give his all to watch his team succeed.
Improvement – You can’t fix size. You can only hope Neal grows a few more inches to boost his stock even further but if that doesn’t happen, to me it’s not that big of a deal because this East TN talent can definitely spin it! Neal must also work on his footwork. He’s a good athlete that moves but increased foot speed will allow him to climb the pocket faster and get the ball out in a clean fashion.
Overview – Neal is a good football player that has dedicated himself to his development and work over the years, placing himself on the map these days as a potential Top 10 quarterback in this state. One of the best pure passers from our #TN2025 class, Neal can provide a good option to the QB room as someone with strong football knowledge and the willingness to win. His ability to stay poised and drive the ball down field are strong traits that should appeal to collegiate coaches. He of course like everyone else must continue developing his overall skill set and smarts but the tools are there to become a potential starter on the FCS level with some upside to be looked at by some D1 programs.
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Strengths – Daughterty is headed into his senior year with some good buzz behind his name at the moment and the upside to watch his recruitment take-off over the next few months with continued development and work. The Panthers senior interior O-lineman is a tough and rugged competitor with experience playing the center position as well as other roles across the offensive front. On film, Daughterty shows good bend and explosion coming out of his stance along with the strength to drive his man back to the 2nd level on a consistent basis. He gets out of his spot quickly as well when it comes to pulling. Daugherty is a smart young man who understands how to release from his initial block and pick up other rushers in his vicinity. This East TN talent knows how to use his hands to lock onto his defenders and keep them in-check and away from his quarterback. The Panthers senior O-lineman also provides versatility up front as Daugherty could handle all three interior positions while also having enough athleticism to give snaps at right tackle. He provides a lot of value up front and he is still far from a finished product, so his best football days are certainly ahead of him.
Improvement – The biggest thing for Daugherty to work on the most this off-season is his overall athleticism and lower base agility. He is a good athlete but if he can increase it and take his athleticism to another level, there will be a spike in his recruitment. He also needs to continue forming his body. Daughterty has good size and a frame that can be molded along with packing on more muscle.
Overview – This is a good prospect that is beginning to pick up steam on the recruiting trail with a recent offer from MTSU. College coaches are starting to take notice of this East TN talent and his ability to provide versatility across the offensive front. Daughterty has college size. He is big enough with the mobility to become a starter at guard or center on the next level with continued work. Coming off a breakout sophomore year where Daughterty earned Region O-lineman of the Year, this 6 ‘4 O-lineman is looking to take his game to the next stage with enhanced explosion and burst off the snap along with being more agile, so he can work better in space. If he can enhance those areas, watch out for Daughterty’s recruitment to take another spike and start placing himself on the map towards more D1 programs.
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Strengths – It’s hard to find D-linemen that sport the proper size, athletic skills and upside to excel in the college game but this Memphis area senior has it with plenty of room for growth. Hollowell is a big boy at 6’7 230 pounds with long arms and a great frame that can take on plenty of weight that should immediately appeal to collegiate coaches. When you turn on his junior film, what you see is a big presence on the edge of the defensive line that has good burst along with range to chase down the ball. Hollowell does well at using his big hands to shed blocks then get up field quickly. The Pharaohs senior D-lineman has good speed that can develop further with more growth and maturity. Where I think his pass rushing abilities may fit best on the next level are inside as a 3-technique where he can use his size and athletic abilities to his advantage. Hollowell also shows on the film to become a stalwart against the run due to his natural power and ability to get off blocks. I like this guy’s versatility and his ability to potentially play multiple positions across the defensive front with his best work possibly coming from the inside.
Improvement – Hollowell has all the size you want but if he wants to reach his maximum capabilities he must continue developing his bend, burst and lower base agility. He can be a bit stiff at times, allowing himself to get locked up. Added power and size will definitely help with that and I believe it will come with maturity and continued work in the weight room. Increasing that lower base explosion is key as well, giving Hollowell a better shot at getting up field and after the quarterback.
Overview – This is a boom or bust type prospect for me and that all depends on how Hollowell progresses with himself over these off-season months. You can’t teach size and Hollowell has that along with long arms and a nice frame but it’s his explosion and overall athleticism that needs to take a step up before he realizes how good he can be. I can see the Pharaohs defensive lineman picking up steam on the recruiting trail before too long based upon the team’s need at the D-line position along with his potential across the defensive front. A big senior year would also do wonders for this Memphis area prospect. If he can show a quicker get-off along with more power, college coaches will start paying more attention.
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Strengths – The Tigers are full of good linebackers but Smith may have the biggest upside of them all. Standing about 6’2 220 pounds with long arms and broad shoulders, this Nashville area linebacker brings good physical traits to the playing field as well as position versatility. Smith is an athletic, bouncy and agile guy that moves well laterally as well as showing the speed to rush upfield. He shows a strong first step off the snap then using his quick burst and speed to chase down the ball quickly. That kind of lower base explosion can be used on the inside against the run or on the edge where Smith can chase down the ball carrier. The Tigers linebacker has strong hands that shows potential to become excellent at shedding blocks and consistently finding himself around the ball. Besides his ability to play in the backfield, Smith also shows the upside to work in space in pass coverage. His best work in this area would be against running backs or tight ends in the intermediate areas.
Improvement – Looking over this guy’s film as well as seeing him perform in person several times, the biggest thing I see for Smith to improve upon is his involvement. At times, this Ensworth linebacker can go missing in action and not involve himself as much as he should. Smith can be very explosive at times but he needs to assert himself much more to become the kind of dominator his game shows. Using his power more is also something I’d like to see out of the Nashville area product.
Overview – Smith has picked up more than a handful of offers up to this point and it’s for good reason. This Nashville based prospect is one of the more versatile linebackers we have in the #TN2025 class as Smith could line up at a variety of spots on defense. His athleticism, physicality and instincts point towards a highly active ball player on the next level that can cause disruptions anywhere on the football field. Where his game might shine the best is inside where he can be a force against the run while providing the occasional pass rush. I do expect Smith to get much bigger as well the more he matures and works inside a college weight room. This guy’s best football could be ahead of him as I feel Smith is just now starting to tap into his abilities to become the kind of player I feel like he will be on the collegiate gridiron.
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Strengths – Playing with one of the best programs in the state, Crisp could be the next great defensive back to come out of the Oakland secondary. Standing about 6’2 180 pounds, Crisp is a tall, long and athletic defender that brings a lot of tools to the field that plays up well on the next level. The first thing that stands out about this Mid-TN product is of course his size but it’s his instincts and range that have me enticed about his upside. Crisp reads the ball well then attacks without hesitation, showing ball hawk tendencies and the willingness to tackle. His wide radius becomes a problem for opposing receivers as well. Crisp is able to use his length to keep coverage over his receiver, making things difficult for the opposing quarterback. Looking over his junior film, Crisp shows work at cornerback, providing a glimpse into his athleticism and versatility for the back end. His best work comes at safety where he can use his range and speed to cut down passes while giving support in the run game. The Patriots senior defender is a good prospect to pursue as he provides steady play on the back end as well as physicality against the run and versatility to handle multiple roles within the secondary.
Improvement – While Crisp sports good height and length, he does need to keep packing on the weight to sustain himself on the college level. He is a little lite in the britches at the moment but certainly has the frame to put on more size. Increased agility and speed are also two areas to develop this off-season for Crisp. If he can enhance those two, his game could take-off, turning himself into one of the best safety prospects in the Southern region.
Overview – There are a lot of tools and traits about Crisp that I like and believe translates well to the college game. His size alone provides an opportunity that many won’t get but it’s his instincts, quick reactions and range that could make him one of the top secondary prospects in the state for this cycle. I wouldn’t say Crisp is a “safe” prospect but he is pretty close as I feel you could place him at safety right now in college and he would contribute. He has a tendency to play around the ball on a consistent basis and that’s a trait any collegiate coach would love to have and place on the back end. More work must be done to reach his potential but Crisp is a definite D1 guy that will be ranked inside our Top 50 prospects for our #TN2025 class.