Uncovered Gems #14 – OK Red Defense #3

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The more I cover the OK Red, the more impressed I am with the depth of these teams. Another round of great defenders who I'm catching early- I fully expect every one of these players to have phenomenal Varsity seasons in 2025! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1613826' first='Hank' last='VanderWal']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"225","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Hudsonville","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d936c13"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">These are JV highlights, but these are some of the most dominant JV highlights I've seen in a while. All you really need to watch is the first play- Hank gets off the ball quickly, is very physical at the point of contact, and relentlessly attacks the ballcarrier. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's the tape. Consistently great getoff, consistently great physicality, and a consistently great motor. The Varsity level is a different animal, but I think Hank is definitely ready to step into that role. As long as he has a great offseason, I see him having an excellent 2025 Varsity season. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/20844999/6734d435d828f966e7c176d9' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d936c3a"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Maxton Heintskill","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'9u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"135","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Hudsonville","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d936dc7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Solid highlights for Maxton. Not always amazing fundamentals and there are moments of bad IQ- but he does one thing right that I see very few young players do. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No matter the play, the effort is 100% there. </strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Take 1:04 as an example- Maxton bites on the QB rollout, quickly realizes he's still going to throw, and works his tail off to get back to his WR to earn the PBU. Obviously not a perfect play, but he didn't give up, and thus still made a great play despite a mistake. Or 1:56- Maxton does a great job of immediately tackling the receiver after the catch. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stil a very raw player, but I definitely see the effort needed to perform well at the Varsity level. Whether he starts or not on Varsity next season, I think he'll eventually be a great player to plug and play. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19825123/671f03a7cd261424dabc52a8' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d936dea"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":" Evan Wiman","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"225","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Grandville","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d9373bb"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Another high-effort defender in the OK Red. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Evan is a great run stopper, and a solid pass rusher. There are so many highlights where Evan either plugs the RBs hole, forcing a stop, or moving laterally to help with a gang tackle. I watch a lot of DTs who are solid at stopping the run but end up just being one-note gap-fillers. Evan can definitely be that gap filler, but he can also put in that extra effort. I still think that Evan can improve his overall block shedding and athleticism, but he's still definitely a great defensive lineman in the OK Red. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16847282/673271c2917f8692743044ab' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d9373dd"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1613831' first='Steele' last='Wharton-Bickley']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"185","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Grand Haven","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d937c17"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Steele had a phenomenal JV season, and I expect him to be an immediate contributor on the Varsity level next season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Love a player who plays multiple positions. The highlights below show Steele playing DB, off-ball LB, and on-ball LB. In all those roles, Steele plays with great effort. Take the play at 0:29- Steele lines up on the ball, immediately pressures the QB, and sacks the QB by simply grabbing his jersey. The next play, Steele (lining up on-ball again) sheds a block, forces the RB inside, and earns a TFL. Steele plays his best when lining up on-ball. Great tackler, great at setting the edge, and should be a very good Varsity player in 2025. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16647814/67251c62293ffa7899fdc8d9' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d937c39"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1581331"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d937582"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Finally, we've got [player_tooltip player_id='1581331' first='Ryan' last='Kerry'], someone who had a sneaky-good season for Rockford, who played good Varsity minutes as a sophomore. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The first play I want to mention is at 0:53. Ryan comes in on the blitz, absolutely destroys the blocking RB, and forces a QB pressure. Next, he has a solid inside run stop from Hudsonville. Then, at 1:10, another good stop against Hudsonville.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I like what I see- Ryan is obviously a very physical linebacker. Though, I'd like to see a bit better play speed and decisiveness in the future. Do that, and Ryan will be a great college prospect in the spring of 2026. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/18338858/675ef2862b655d17a9d5c664' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6768c3d9375a3"} /-->