Uncovered Gems #13 - OAA Red Defense #2

Another day looking at the OAA Red, and guess what, we still have plenty of prospects to cover! This is a league that I HAD to fully evaluate before I really dive into the rankings, because every year, I find several gems to put in the rankings.   Today, we're looking at six more defensive players. This time, from West Bloomfield, Clarkston, and Adams.    Some VERY good highlights for Kaliq. I'd first like to highlight his second play (0:30)- he drops back into coverage, notices the WR going into the flat, and right as the ball is thrown, he jumps in front of the receiver, picks the ball off, and sets his team up in the red zone. His third play at 1:00 showcases a great PBU on a goal-line fade. Fourth play at 1:17 is a great PBU on a slant. I could go on and on.   I haven't seen Kaliq at a camp, yet this offseason, but his tape looks D2 caliber, at the absolute least. He could be a late-bloomer MAC prospect! Regardless, he'll be ranked in the next update.      Charlie has built up a great skillset and has a chance to make a difference on Varsity next season.   I like his JV highlights from this past season. His first highlight is an excellent sideline-to-sideline tackle for no gain. The second highlight is an excellent inside run stop with a HARD hit. Both plays are examples of what I look for in a linebacker tape.   1- you need to be able to go sideline to sideline. 2- you need to be able to react quickly and stop the inside run. 3- you need to be physical. In the first two plays alone, Charlie checks all three boxes.   The rest of Charlie's tape is pretty similar. A lot of inside run stops, some blitzes, and overall great LB play at the JV level.      By all accounts, Jack had a successful Junior season. His highlight tape is good- consisting of a good balance of pass and run defenses. The first play I'd like to highlight is at 1:12. Here, Jack goes sideline to sideline, making an excellent TD-saving tackle. Great effort- a lot of players would give up.   Another solid play is at 0:24, where Jack earns an excellent PBU defending a curl route (man coverage on an island). The next play at 0:32 shows excellent anticipation and tackling on a quick WR screen. These plays showcase a good, well-rounded skillset. I will say that I don't know how good of an athlete Jack is, and the routes he defends on tape aren't the most well-run routes, but that's not Jack's fault. Regardless, I think Jack could probably earn Division 3 offers this Spring.      Another Clarkston defender, another round of good highlights. He plays both linebacker and corner, plus has solid stats. This year, Tyson totaled 50 tackles, 5TFLs, 1FF, 1 Sack, 1 INT, and 3 PBUs.   Tyson's first highlight is his sack on a DB blitz. The running back picked up the other blitzer, leading Tyson an open lane to hit the QBs blindside. His next highlight is another DB blitz, this time, he hurries the QB and forces an incomplete pass. Skipping ahead to 1:01, Tyson drops back into zone coverage and gets a solid PBU. The rest of his highlights show a lot of the same- several blitzes, good effort, and decent athleticism.   Depending on camp performances, I think Tyson should be able to earn D3 offers. With excellent performances, D2 isn't out of the question.      Liam plays one role and he plays it exceptionally well- he's a run-stopper.   Not too complicated of an evaluation here. Play after play, Liam is able to anchor down, fill a gap, and either make a tackle or force the RB to cut back, usually resulting in his teammates finishing the job. Look at 0:39. Against a great rushing offense (IKE), Liam simply stays put, refuses to be moved, and the RB (a great prospect himself) runs right into him. If Liam wants to be highly recruitable, he'll need to get a little faster, a little stronger, and develop a few great block shedding moves. But for now, he's a phenomenal role player for the Clarkston defense. No doubt he helped that team win a lot of games.

Another day looking at the OAA Red, and guess what, we still have plenty of prospects to cover! This is a league that I HAD to fully evaluate before I really dive into the rankings, because every year, I find several gems to put in the rankings.