Maryland HS Football Senior Spotlight: Five to watch - Pt. 1

Check out Maryland HS Football's top five senior prospects to watch, featuring defensive standouts and explosive running backs!    Rogers is a rangy safety with the size and instincts to make plays at every level. He reads quickly from depth and comes downhill with speed. In run support, Rogers delivers physical tackles and shows the ability to finish plays. His highlights include a strip fumble and a clutch fourth-down stop. In coverage, Rogers reacts well in zone and uses his length to break up passes. He plays with confidence and brings energy to the defense. Rogers needs more reps in man-to-man coverage against receivers. He also must stay consistent with the wrap-up technique. With those slight adjustments, Rogers projects as a versatile safety who can defend the run and disrupt the pass.     Eludoyin is an active safety who shows good instincts and effort in both run support and coverage. From depth, he reacts quickly to the run and comes downhill with intent. Eludoyin makes contact and finishes tackles, though he sometimes stops on contact instead of running through. He wraps up nicely when squared and showed that on a side tackle in space. In coverage, Eludoyin reads routes and closes with quickness. He broke on a short pass to the slot with great timing, delivering a hit for no gain. Eludoyin also stayed disciplined in quarters, taking away a corner route with strong positioning. He brings awareness and toughness, but adding strength and running through tackles consistently will elevate Eludoyin's impact.     Copeland is a strong, downhill back with vision and balance. He hits inside lanes with authority and shows the burst to reach the second level. Copeland's highlights show the ability to finish runs, whether dragging defenders for extra yards or running through arm tackles. He has good cutback vision, slipping through over-pursuit to create positive gains. On direct snaps, Copeland wastes no time getting downhill and can turn small creases into chunk plays. He also shows the patience to bounce runs outside when needed. Copeland is a tough, efficient, and productive individual. Continued work on top-end speed and making defenders miss in space will improve his game and elevate his ceiling as a prospect.     Byard is a versatile defensive back with the size and range to play both corner and safety. At the corner, he uses his length to take away throwing lanes and shows ball skills. His current three-game reel is highlighted by a red-zone interception where he left his man to make the play. Byard reads screens quickly and reacts with confidence, breaking up passes before receivers can gain momentum. In run support, he is physical, disengaging from blocks and finishing tackles near the sideline. When lined up at safety, Byard shows awareness and closing speed. There's a play where he breaks low on the route, disrupts the receiver, and breaks up the pass. His ability to play multiple spots in the secondary, combined with his toughness and instincts, makes him a valuable all-around defender. Byard has a few Division I scholarship offers to choose from.     Younger is a strong, physical running back who can finish runs and create explosive plays with vision and power. He presses lanes well inside, then cuts into open space with confidence. Younger's highlights show him splitting defenders and outrunning pursuit for long touchdowns. His long speed is more stride-based than sudden. He wins with balance, toughness, and the ability to break angles in the open field. Younger also adds versatility as a pass-catcher. There's one play showing his reliable hands on a vertical fade route. Continued work on the first-step burst and sharper cuts will help him maximize his potential. With his frame, strength, and playmaking ability, Younger projects as a dependable back who can produce between the tackles and outside the box.

Check out Maryland HS Football's top five senior prospects to watch, featuring defensive standouts and explosive running backs!