2028 Rankings Update: Scout’s Notes for Players 5-1

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>Be sure to follow me on Twitter at</em>&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/BrendanScoutsNJ">@BrendanScoutsNJ</a>&nbsp;<em>for the latest prospect-specific coverage both during the season and off-season.</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><em>For my complete, comprehensive coverage for the class of 2028 rankings, scroll down the bottom of this article to read more!</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Enjoy our newest rankings release by using promo code “mankarious30” for 30% off your first subscription to Prep Redzone New Jersey</em></strong>!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unlike other media outfits in the industry, <a href="https://x.com/PrepRedzoneNJ">@PrepRedzoneNJ</a> provides the industry's deepest high school ranking pool for each graduating class in the Garden State... AND we share our team's scouting notes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>See those notes below.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#5: [player_tooltip player_id='991979' first='Thomas' last='Mitchell'] 2028 5'9" 160 WR Don Bosco Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Receiver that can foot fire release and blow past coverage untouched; punt returner; can make a man miss, break a low tackle, and also absorbs contact and keep going; uses hands well; will use defender's tackling leverage against themselves to keep upright and go; tracks ball deep nicely, can make awkward falling catches; will slow play routes and manipulate speeds when appropriate to get deep or find holes across the middle; route tree is developing, but on breaking routes you can see his hips snap very lo at times to create separation - level somewhat inconsistent though; as good as he is at getting open, he is equally proficient at using his hands, tracking the ball, and staying upright; one defensive clips he showed outstanding backpedal</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#4: [player_tooltip player_id='1597979' first='Tahj' last='Gray'] 2028 6'2" 205 EDGE St. Joseph's Regional</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Looks like he played varsity; tackles low when squaring up; does not always take diagnose step, sort of hops, but will get to his run fit; played with hand in the dirt off the edge at times, relinquished ground but showed he understands leverage to shed block and make a play; good instincts matching the hand; rallies to the ball nicely; angles are <em>almost </em>perfect; will stop in space, rather than move; very good low, wrapping tackler; leverage tackles as well; if he continues to grow and get stronger might project out as an edge player</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#3: [player_tooltip player_id='1597948' first='Jackson' last='Vaughn'] 2028 6'3" 220 DL Bergen Catholic</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Varsity player; no need for 8 minute highlight film; quick second and third step allows him to get around people; will dip and rip to get home; seems to play only one side of the line; body stays low as he goes through his rush; seems to have the understanding on how to pass rush as a team, working back inside when him and his adjacent interior lineman are within phase of each other; works back to quarterbacks well; gets hands up if does not get home; hips can improve, but are advanced, especially for a freshman - gets them through as part of secondary rush rather than with primary move; constantly breathing on the neck of quarterbacks; knows to attack the ball, rather than the man; have not seen clips of him as a run defender; asked to play in space at times as a true linebacker</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#2: [player_tooltip player_id='916571' first='Phoenix' last='Evans'] 2028 5'9" 155 DB Don Bosco Prep</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Major burn played on varsity; studies film, makes great play on scouted formation and look; has tremendous closing speed, ran run in every direction; keeps his feet through contact, will come up and smack someone, cleaning up gang tackles; wrapping is a little better than 5050; will fight to maintain force if he get sucked inside; sticks to every matchup we have seen of him; can accelerate and get downfield in a hurry; hips can flip with ease, quickly, and fluidity; runs well in each and every direction; want to see him drive legs a bit more when profile tackling; have not seen hard presses/jams; does an excellent job of covering and staying with receivers without touching them</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>#1: [player_tooltip player_id='1206968' first='Tahmere' last='Brown'] 2028 5'11" 190 RB Pennington School</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li>Tailback; has an immediate burst and continues gains speed as he climbs into a defense's latter levels; linebacker that can accelerate after being stonewalled, has balance to get up off the ground; does not tuck the ball, carries it like a loaf of bread; on outside zone stretches it along well and can cut up when he sees daylight; poor tacklers will bounce off of him, will hurdle a pile; absent from film is him in pass protection and as a pass catcher; will lower the shoulder against someone, particularly if they are passive; want to see more runs in between the tackles, following his track - seems to rely on speed to get to the outside; very good leverage roll tackler, takes diagnosis step; need to see clips of him in zone/man coverage</li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Class of 2028 Rankings Release</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-114-101">Ranking Notes, Player #114-101</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-100-91">Ranking Notes, Player #100-91</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-90-89">Ranking Notes, Player #90-81</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-80-71">Ranking Notes, Player #80-71</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-70-61">Ranking Notes, Player #70-6</a>1<br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-60-51/">Ranking Notes, Player #60-51</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-50-41">Ranking Notes, Player #50-41</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-40-31/">Ranking Notes, Player #40-31</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-30-21">Ranking Notes, Player #30-21</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-20-11">Ranking Notes, Player #20-11</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-10-6">Ranking Notes, Player #10-6</a><br><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/01/2028-rankings-update-scouts-notes-for-players-5-1">Ranking Notes, Player #5-1</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->