Division 1 Senior Standouts on Offense

We have officially gotten into the middle of the Ohio high school football season, and with that, I want to discuss some of the top senior performers in Division 1. First, we will start with the offensive side of the ball, then transition into the defensive standouts in a later article. In no particular order, here are those offensive players who have impressed so far.    [player_tooltip player_id='1582582' first='Tayshawn' last='Parm'] was one of the more enjoyable surprises I came across watching film. Parm currently holds zero public offers which baffles me due to his ability to run block. Parm holds violence within him to shell off defenders in front of him. In an offense that prefers to run the ball downhill, it's on Parm to open lanes and create space for his runners behind him, and he does just that. He is currently a projection in the passing game due to the offense he is in, but in the reps he does have, he is very athletic and can get to speed quickly.      Andrew Leonard is potentially the most fun player I have had the pleasure of watching this season. In weeks 1-5, Leonard sits at 967 passing yards with 9 passing touchdowns alongside 136 rushing yards and 2 rushing touchdowns. Leonard as a passer is a prospect who has a lot to work with. His ability to make field-stretching throws is there and his deep ball is good enough to keep opposing defenses honest. Most importantly, he keeps the ball out of harm's way and can place the ball anywhere on the field. In the pocket, Leonard feels pressure on his frontside very well and can oftentimes make some heads-up plays to avoid losses. His biggest asset to his game is his legs. He is a very good runner and his skill of finding open space from the pocket makes defenses open up in the intermediate passing game. If Leonard decides to play football at the next level, I see him having a lot of success.      Raishad King is currently tearing it up for a run-first offense in Groveport Madison. King is currently averaging just under 10 yards per carry with 668 yards and 6 rushing touchdowns. King makes the runningback position look easy as he looks so natural on the field. His long speed allows him to take off in the second level of the field and when defenders arrive, he can beat them around the edge and take it to the house, or to put his shoulder down and muscle his way further. His vision of what hole to hit is impressive, as he runs behind an offense usually operating either out of the option or a heavy formation.      Jayden Simcox is an absolute gem waiting to be found in Pickerington. Simcox is a guard who already offers a lot in the run game and can hold his own in the passing game as well. In the run game, Simcox often opens lanes by turning defenders away from the run which eliminates any arm tackles or possible contains from defensive linemen. He can both pull and power block and is a very smart player within the offense at Pickerington Central. In the passing game, his lower body strength allows him to stay in battle and keep his man in front of him. Although he plays LG, I believe he could be flexible at both guard and center at the next step.      [player_tooltip player_id='1580080' first='Drayson' last='Peterson'] is a receiver who continues improving throughout his career. Last season, Peterson finished his junior year with 981 yards and 8 touchdowns. At the end of week 6, Peterson sits at 565 yards with 8 receiving touchdowns. Peterson is a vertical threat as he finds himself running past defenders quite often. More importantly, his ball-tracking skills are very impressive, and these skills allow him to catch and take off or get to contested balls at a good rate. He is also a weapon on special teams as he has accrued 318 kick return yards with a touchdown on the season. He is the top weapon for a Newark team that currently sits at 4-2 with an offense averaging 30 points per game.      Kyle Cox is a traditional quarterback who is having a great season with Upper Arlington. Cox boasts an arm that many wish they possessed. His arm talent is state championship-winning level and it will translate to his next step into college. Accuracy isn't an issue with him either and he hits his WRs in stride and lets them make a play. He isn't the biggest rushing threat but he does have good pocket movement and oftentimes stays safe with the ball.      [player_tooltip player_id='1141955' first='Ayden' last='McKinstry'] is the star runningback for a Grove City team that has put up 36 points per game through 6 weeks. McKinstry has accounted for 686 rushing yards with 12 touchdowns and 148 receiving yards tacking on 2 receiving touchdowns in weeks 1-5. In an offense with a lot of spacing, it has allowed McKinsty to get into gaps and burst right away, which he does very well. His ability to get to top speed is impressive, and it allows him to fight through contact very well. When he does see tight boxes and formations in the red zone, he continues to fight through tackles and can make a man miss on outside runs. As a receiver, he poses as a mismatch any time a linebacker matches up against him due to his impressive speed and fluidity.

We have officially gotten into the middle of the Ohio high school football season, and with that, I want to discuss some of the top senior performers in Division 1. First, we will start with the offensive side of the ball, then transition into the defensive standouts in a later article. In no particular order, here are those offensive players who have impressed so far.