Linebacker Love From The PRZ Next NY|NJ Middle School Combine

Top to bottom, this may have been the most impressive group of middle school prospects ever assembled for a PRZ Next Middle School Combine. With 162 prospects registered from six different states, the talent was deep on paper. Then, when the group showed up and hit the field, all bets were off. Below are the Linebackers that caught my eyes during the combine.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dat Dude | aka The MVP</h2>    Future High School: The Pennington School   Coming into the PRZ Next Middle School Combine, I had a good idea of who the MVP candidates would be at each position. The kid they call "Bam" was certainly on that short list, but he separated himself pretty quickly during individual position drills. He's up seven pounds since the December showcase-now 177-pounds, but his quickness in short proximity was the difference-maker. His performance at the combine was a great way to end the same week, where he publicly announced his commitment to The Pennington School for high school ball.   Testing   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wingspan: 72"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>40-yard dash: 5.0 (hand)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Shuttle: 4.53 (Position Best at the combine)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Broad Jump: 8'9" (Position Best at the combine)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>L-Drill: 7.47</li> </ul>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1st Team All-Combine</h2>    <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Future High School: Red Bank Catholic</li> </ul>   Brennan was neck and neck with Pelzer for the MVP of the Linebacker group throughout the afternoon. Standing out in a Linebacker group that was deep with numbers, and in skill, Brennan took care of business as we expected to him to.   Testing   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wingspan: 72"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>40-yard dash: 4.83 (hand)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Shuttle: 4.65</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Broad Jump: 8'2"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>L-Drill: 7.28 (Position Best at the combine)</li> </ul>     Future High School: DePaul Catholic   I've seen Koc play a number of times over the last two-three years, in various settings (Nationals, tryouts, camps, combines regular season game) and he handles his business every time. With that said, this is the biggest I've ever seen the bruising MLB, who weighed in at a thick 230-pounds.   Testing   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wingspan: 73"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>40-yard dash: 5.16 (hand)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Shuttle: 4.82</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Broad Jump: 7'8"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>L-Drill: 8.09</li> </ul>     Future High School: Delbarton   Perhaps the biggest stock-riser of all the Linebackers in attendance, Brown Jr. had an excellent showing. Up six pounds with increased muscle while appearing trimmed up, he's a prime example of why showing up to PRZ Next Combines can be very beneficial. Not only did he show me, but he showed everyone there, what type of player he is.   Testing   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wingspan: 70"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>40-yard dash: 4.9 (hand)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Shuttle: 4.88</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Broad Jump: 7'7"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>L-Drill: 8.06</li> </ul>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2nd Team All-Combine</h2>    Future High School: Don Bosco Prep   Leone came back to his second PRZ Next Combine and again did his job well. Up nine pounds since the combine in December, Leone did a nice job of changing direction and still being in a good position to make a play.   Testing   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wingspan: 70"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>40-yard dash: 5.22 (hand)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Shuttle: 4.6</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Broad Jump: 7'11"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>L-Drill: 7.78</li> </ul>     Future High School: Don Bosco Prep   Joining his fellow future Ironmen prospect (Leone) on the 2nd Team All-Combine, Lutkins showed up way more muscular and 20-pounds heavier than I had in our database, at 176-pounds. While his combine testing numbers weren't crazy, he competed all day and looked good in 1:1's.   Testing   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wingspan: 69"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>40-yard dash: 4.88 (hand)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Shuttle: 4.78</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Broad Jump: 6'9"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>L-Drill: 7.75</li> </ul>     Future High School: Seton Hall Prep   After seeing Travis play at both PRZ Next combines, and in games at least twice a year, over the last two years, where he best fits remains a debate. Pre-combine he changed his position from WR to LB, but my gut says he'll eventually be an Edge. His testing numbers were near the top in the LB group, but he would have had the best scores in almost every drill when comparing to the D-Line.   Testing   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Wingspan: 74.75" (Position Best at the combine)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>40-yard dash: 4.93 (hand)</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Shuttle: 4.56</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>Broad Jump: 8'8"</li> </ul>   <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>L-Drill: 7.65</li> </ul>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Honorable Mention All-Combine</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1639591' first='Hudson' last='Astolfi'] - The Chatham resident and future Seton Hall Pirate had some nice moments during the PRZ Next Middle School Combine. In particular, for being the third heaviest Linebacker at 188-pounds, I liked how he played to just strengths and used inside leverage to drive RBs outside during LB/RB drills.   [player_tooltip player_id='1630576' first='Jacob' last='Gesumaria'] - Pope John is adding another Gesumaria to its high school program in '29 LB/RB [player_tooltip player_id='1630576' first='Jacob' last='Gesumaria']. The 5-foot-11, 170-pounder turned a solid day's work and was clocked at a 4.69 in his shuttle.   [player_tooltip player_id='1429267' first='Mason' last='Corbato'] - Union City Linebacker prospect [player_tooltip player_id='1429267' first='Mason' last='Corbato'] attended his second PRZ Next Middle School Combine and caught my eye during individual drills. Has some decent upper body size and has the potential to get better by working on lower body and working on his speed.   [player_tooltip player_id='1544708' first='Derek' last='Altman'] - The SJR Green Knights were well-represented with future student athletes. Altman has some fine-tuning to do in terms of making the switch to a full-time Linebacker coming out of a weighted youth league, but there's no denying the athleticism and potential he has. His 8'2" in the broad jump was tied for 2nd, among all Linebackers who tested at the PRZ Next Middle School Combine.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Youth Movement</h2>   [player_tooltip player_id='1061709' first='Mason' last='Wattles'] - At the PRZ Next Combine last spring he stood out as a sixth-grader, and after missing the Winter Combine with a nagging injury, Wattles came back had another great showing. Out of the 24 Linebackers that checked in, he was the fastest/quickest, regardless of age or class. Wattles ran a position-best 4.8 in the forty (hand time) and a position-best 4.34 in the shuttle run--very impressive.   [player_tooltip player_id='1645265' first='Joseph' last='Casario'] - Down in South Jersey, Atlantic County to be exact, Hammonton appears to have a rising star at the Linebacker position in 2030 LB [player_tooltip player_id='1645265' first='Joseph' last='Casario']. He's an athletic kid with a nice build for only being in the seventh-grade. His quickness and size were advanced for his level of play. Spending some time working on lower body strength and explosion will make him even more dangerous.   Jagger Ciofalo - North Jersey 2030 Linebacker, Jagger Ciofalo was part of the crop of younger prospects who came out and opened some eyes with their play. At 5-foot-6 and 165-pounds, the strong, attacking LB moved well for his frame and age--with a 5.07 in the forty and a 4.81 in the shuttle.

Top to bottom, this may have been the most impressive group of middle school prospects ever assembled for a PRZ Next Middle School Combine. With 162 prospects registered from six different states, the talent was deep on paper. Then, when the group showed up and hit the field, all bets were off. Below are the Linebackers that caught my eyes during the combine.