Sophomore Linebackers Seeing Their Stock Rise

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The weekend has come to a close and we turn the page to the next week of high school football in Texas. Today, I'm looking at which 2027 linebackers are beginning to see their stock rise. They've had a huge impact throughout the 2024 season and have impressed me on tape. Being that they're only sophomores, I expect them to only get bigger, faster, and stronger over the next two years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As always, If you have someone you think I need to see, please DM them to me on Twitter at @hsfbscout!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>[player_tooltip player_id='473807' first='Cade' last='Haug'] 6'2" 215, Kingwood</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Haug reads his keys and triggers at a moment's notice, he plays with his pads square to the line and has the lateral quickness to redirect on cutbacks. He's strong taking on blocks at the point of attack, has the body control to make tough 1 on 1 tackles, and is quite slippery at the second level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Landon Traylor, 6" 225, Carter</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A sudden blitzer that can penetrate and make impact plays behind the line of scrimmage. Traylor has heavy hands, he can corral ball carriers out of awkward body positions and shows impressive instincts. He plays downhill and is an absolute menace against the run. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Skyler Faimoa, 6'1" 210, Abilene</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Skyler stalls backs in their tracks between the tackles, he dominates taking on backs in pass protection and shows terrific closing burst. He plays with an edge to him, he's willing to put his body on the line and is a merciless tackler on contact. He'll go toe-to-toe with any blocker and not give an inch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>[player_tooltip player_id='1562602' first='Austin' last='Moilan'], 6'2" 195, Bastrop</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A highly productive pass rusher with good bend, active hands, and a non-stop motor. He knows how to retrace in his rush lane if he is too far up the field, he can quickly detach from blocks and fold back inside and does a good job keeping his shoulders square to the quarterback when left unblocked, making it a tough read for the opposing quarterback. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>[player_tooltip player_id='1879366' first='Dyllon' last='Bennett'], 6'1" 205, Ridge Point</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An aggressive inside linebacker who can close on ball carriers in a hurry and has the balance to bring down shiftier backs in space. He's disruptive, can evade blocks using his quickness, and will speed his feet when engaging a ball carrier. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>[player_tooltip player_id='1660706' first='Davon' last='Smith'], 5'11" 200, Westfield </em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Smith is smooth in zone coverage and is a natural at reading the quarterback's intentions. He can climb the ladder to get his hands on a pass, he consistently chases the football, and is a punishing tackler who loves contact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->