2025 Sleepers: Prospects with Great Film That I Loved, Part VIII

<p><strong><em>Enjoy our newest rankings release by using promo code “mankarious30” for 30% off your first subscription to Prep Redzone New Jersey</em></strong>!</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <p>Perhaps the single element of being on our ranking team that I enjoy the most is the opportunity to unearth hidden gems that are either overlooked, under recruited, or not yet on the radar. Creating media buzz, notoriety, and calling attention for deserving prospects that are is a selfless joy I partake in. That said, independent of any agenda, here are some player's tapes that I really enjoyed and are simply and outright good football players.</p>    <p>Add [player_tooltip player_id='1216611' first='Reynaldo' last='Mercedes'] to the long list of quality linemen that Union City has to their ledger. A year removed from playing, Mercedes is a prospect that I expect the Soaring Eagles to ride into glory with. Mercedes plays with outstanding technique on double teams. Textbook style, you see Mercedes extend, barstool, sit, and swing his hips into the helping blocker. Closing speed is also something Mercedes possesses, showing enough of it for quarterbacks to feel him breath down their necks. An absolute worker, few have the drive that Mercedes has to, on a down-to-down basis, work to create penetration or establish a new line of scrimmage. In doing so, the big-bodied linemen creates a natural void for his linebacker to shoot through. At his absolute best, Mercedes shows that he can get into a pullers hip pocket and make a play behind the line of scrimmage. </p>     <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Rey_szn57/status/1797352335703773447 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">Piscataway has a tremendous athlete in [player_tooltip player_id='1212502' first='Riley' last='Wingate']. Playing both tight end and defensive line, Wingate shows outstanding technique when slanting, allowing him to explode upfield in a hurry. He uses the rip well when slanting and will also use it to shed blocks. Seemingly having a long body, Wingate inherently flusters read-option teams due to his length. At times he will slow play pullers in hopes to force a bounce so he can make a tackle. Wingate does a good job pressing off of his defender too, while backside he works well fighting across the face of cut off blocks. When lined up at tight end he shows good form and bend when blocking, working defenders upwards. Lastly, Wingate is an outstanding special teamer, blocking punts and kicks alike, while destroying personal protectors in the process. Also the Chief's long snapper, Wingate hustles and covers well as the mid-field gunner - recovering two muffed punts in the process. </p>     <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/rwingate2025/status/1808528926039289877 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">The top running back in the state for the class of 2025, [player_tooltip player_id='939692' first='Terrell' last='Mitchell'], calls Somerville home just as much as he calls the endzone his home. A back that has been used differently across two different seasons, his elite, second and third gear speeds make him a star in any scheme deployed. This speed is mixed with vision and patience that allows him to rip off big gainers. Also used in the passing game in both the slot and on screens, Mitchell can turn the hips of defenders in pass coverage in circles. Also a return man, we see him bust off spin moves by getting low. Mitchell's strong legs allow him to break poor tackles and keep balance along the sideline.</p>     <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/terrellmitch5/status/1775236960061202691 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">A unique linebacker/defensive back blend, [player_tooltip player_id='829418' first='Xavier' last='McBride'] is an evolved piece in today's ever-evolving game. McBride explodes down hill on short passes in front of him and is willing to break up passes with his body. He will use his hands to gain a sense and feel of where his man matchup is headed. Likely to play the star position in college, he plays the run and pass both with authority and is even asked to put his hand in the dirt in certain situations. </p>     <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/XavierMcbride16/status/1795599304981397849 </div></figure>    <p class="text-gray-700">We close out with a corner out of Oakcrest in South Jersey, [player_tooltip player_id='354981' first='Zicri' last='Forest']. When a split safety, Forest sees the run very clearly and attacks the ally by bowling in low. Balance is something Forest also has a lot of, tightroping the sideline when he possesses the ball while also evading tacklers in the process. A very good cover corner, he allows very little separation for offenders as they run their route. Forest does a nice job getting his hands on the ball and playing for tips an deflections. When faced against slants we see him press hard and play underneath, allowing his over-the-top defender to protect him. Forest can high point the ball well and use his hands and runs with power that seems to generate from his strong legs. </p>     <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/_Zicri/status/1771254546129432868 </div></figure>

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