Round 2 Fallout: Standouts from Eliminated Teams

The playoffs are a fascinating time. They expect the best from each individual player. However, football is a team game and sometimes even the best performances don't result in a win. Today, I will be discussing a handful of players who were eliminated in round 2. Some are seniors who have closed the book on their high school chapter. Others are players ready to make a stamp on Colorado's scene. Let's dive into it!   Another reminder regarding the Stock Up Showcase! It happens with a month and if you use my code TATEPRZ2024 at checkout, you get $10 off! I will be in attendance, and I hope to see you guys there!    Adams showed out against the Titans. The standout 6'3 185-pound safety from Arapahoe had a 15 total tackles (14 solo, 1 assisted), 1 PD, 1 FF in the loss. He plays both safety positions, and gets some action as a corner too. Adams has very good athletic ability due to elite acceleration, very good speed, jumping, and good change of direction. His athletic ability allows him to patrol the field and get action on every play. He uses his reactive and instinctive abilities to excel in zone coverage. Adams comes down from his deep zone to attack the run. Very good run stopper. Adams is a hard-hitting safety who uses his very good strength to terrorize ball carriers. Even in the loss, Adams showed why he deserves to be on a college team by producing at the next level of competition in the playoffs.     Valor is no joke, and for a freshman QB to go into that stadium and put up good numbers is impressive. Regis has a good one on their hands. Rubley threw for 30/40 263 yards, a season high 75% completion rate, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception. He has an elite release. It's almost instant. Rubley has a cannon of an arm. Very good throw power. His mental processing really stands out to me. He will go through his progressions, and find the open man downfield. He's not forcing things. If no one's open, Rubley dumps it off to the RB for an easy completion. Very good ball placement. Rubley is consistently threading the needle. One instance, he stood tall with pressure in his face, throwing an accurate pass in between 3 defenders. Another was he threw a TD in between 2 defenders. Good throw on the run as well. Every time I throw on the film, I'm thoroughly impressed with what Rubley puts on. I'm excited to see how he develops the next few years.     Ibarra was a defensive force these past couple of weeks. He was consistently all over the field, making his presence felt. Ibarra uses his very good athletic ability to be wherever the ball carrier was. He has very good speed and acceleration paired with very good lateral agility. His very good mental processing was on full display. He would identify which gaps to rush through, meeting the running back for a TFL. Ibarra watched the QB's eyes, tracked the ball perfectly and got the interception. Even though his team lost, Ibarra showed why he deserves more recognition.     Payne was a consistent cog in the machine for Monarch. The 5'11 150-pound sophomore carried the ball 24 times for 102 yards and 1 touchdown. Payne has very good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, speed, change of direction, and good balance. He is a downhill runner. Very shifty feet. Very good vision. He hits the hole with a burst of acceleration running past the 2nd level of defense. Uses dynamic jump cuts to completely change direction at the line of scrimmage. Gains yardage after contact by trucking through defenders. It's evident his playstyle thrives with physicality. Great building block performance to propel him into next season !     Collins had a season high night against the defending champs. The 5'8 190-pound senior had 15 carries for 109 yards and 1 touchdown. Collins has good athletic ability due to very good acceleration, good change of direction and speed. Collins demonstrated very good vision and mental processing to choose which hole to run through. If the hole started to close, he used dynamic jump cuts to change direction, shifting into the next hole. This shiftiness was keeping Columbine's defenders on their toes all night. He has very good strength too. Collins would put his shoulder down and truck though the defender. He was a trusty weapon for the Cherokee Trail offense. Great performance by the senior, who saved his best for last.     Balistreri had himself a big evening. The 6'1 160-pound junior had a season high game. Accounting for 10 receptions, 188 yards and 1 touchdown, Balistreri balled out. He has very good athletic ability due to very good jumping, acceleration, good speed, and change of direction. He has very good release. He used his very quick feet to beat the DB at the line of scrimmage. Balistreri used his very good athletic ability to create separation. Very good ball tracking skills. Very good catching. His hands were a magnet to the football, catching everything that was thrown his way. Uses his lengthy arms to pluck the ball out of the air in combination with his suction hands. Even in the loss, it was a promising performance for the junior. Him and [player_tooltip player_id='760059' first='Noah' last='Meurer'] make a dynamic receiving duo who will keep defenses up at night next season.

The playoffs are a fascinating time. They expect the best from each individual player. However, football is a team game and sometimes even the best performances don't result in a win. Today, I will be discussing a handful of players who were eliminated in round 2. Some are seniors who have closed the book on their high school chapter. Others are players ready to make a stamp on Colorado's scene. Let's dive into it!