Uncovered Gems #2 - Capital Blue

The Capital Area Blue has some talent! Today, we're taking a look at six more players- two from DeWitt, one from East Lansing, one from Holt, and two with Okemos.    Braylon had a super solid season at defensive end.   Time after time, Braylon won because of his speed and explosiveness. He fires off the ball extremely quickly and sometimes finds himself in the backfield for a TFL. Take the first play for example- Braylon absolutely wrecks the counter run. At 0:40, Braylon does an excellent job of getting his hand up to nearly deflect the pass, then running down the WR. Great effort play! Finally, at 0:57, Braylon delivers a big pop to the offensive tackle before earning another TFL.   I really like how explosive and physical Braylon is. He could be a college prospect this spring, but a lot of that honestly depends on how tall he is. I hope to see him at an off-season camp!      Brendan has some solid highlights, most of which are at defensive end.   I will touch on his one highlight at receiver (first highlight of his tape). Brendan runs a solid 5-yard hitch, makes a good catch, and fights forward for an extra five yards. A very solid play!   The rest of Brendan's tape is DL reps, mainly as a 5-tech. He's got some solid highlights! The first one I'll point out is at 2:48. Good getoff, solid physicality, and nearly deflects the pass. I will say, I think this play would have been a great opportunity to bend and get around the edge. Brendan was already lining up pretty far outside (6/7 tech) and he was facing a slower tackle. The next play I'll highlight is at 3:25, where Brendan goes unblocked and nearly earns a huge TFL. Love the attempt, but I would obviously like to see Brendan finish that play.   If Brendan's listed height is accurate, he has a good shot at getting recruited for the next level. One or two elite pass rush moves and great camp performances should earn Brendan D3 & NAIA attention!      This season, Neveon rounded out what was an elite DB room.   The tape begins with Neveon attempting to deliver a big hit, but instead deflecting the ball mid-air while the RB was struggling to bring in the pitch. So, technically a forced fumble* recovered by East Lansing.   At 0:22, Neveon comes down with an interception while he was tasked in playing deep zone. At 0:43, he does the same thing. Great job tracking the ball and having a good return. Lastly, Neveon has a great tackle at 1:09. I hope to see many more great plays next season! I'd love to see Neveon become more physical, and be more willing to stop the run.      Manollo has some good highlights! He has a legit opportunity to be a college prospect this Spring.   Just watching the first minute of his tape, it's obvious that Manollo is a good all-around TE. First, Manollo demonstrates great physicality / blocking at 0:23, 2:16, and 2:56. Usually being utilized as a lead blocker on counter runs, Manollo does a good job of getting in front of a defender, but could be a tad more physical in blocking + driving.   In the pass game, Manollo served as a great vertical threat. His first highlight shows a 37-yard TD on an intermediate crossing route. Most of his other receptions are also on crossing routes, some of them being solid possession catches after the play breaks down (no longer running in stride).   As I said in the beginning, I could see Manollo getting recruited this offseason. In order for that to happen, he needs to test well and he needs to work on his route-running.      Jamaris had a great season based off of these highlights.   In short, he's a solid all-around Safety. In run support, he's not afraid to tackle a ballcarrier in space. Love that. Though he could react a bit faster and accelerate toward the ballcarrier a bit better.   I think that Jamaris is much more aggressive when defending the pass. While he doesn't have a ton of PBUs, Jamaris does a great job of sprinting toward and tackling a receiver right after the catch. Great foundation, and can't wait to see how Jamaris performs next season!      I like Miles' foundation! His sophomore season tape is filled with a variety of blocks, but with inconsistent technique.   One of his best highlights is at 0:22, where Miles gets to the second level and finds an unsuspecting linebacker to block. Then, at 0:36, Miles chops his feet, gets in front of the defender, and executes a decent pass block.   Love the size, and I can tell he's willing to be physical. That's half the battle. Clean up the technique issues while being a little more agile, and Miles could develop into a college prospect!

The Capital Area Blue has some talent! Today, we're taking a look at six more players- two from DeWitt, one from East Lansing, one from Holt, and two with Okemos.