Postseason Review: OAA Blue Juniors

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For most of the state, the 2025 season has come to an end. For me, it's time to dive into end-of-season highlight tapes. Checking out the OAA Blue, we already have over 30 high-quality full-season tapes to take a look at. Today, let's look at a few juniors from Bloomfield Hills, North Farmington, Seaholm, and Farmington. </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":"Jad Almsaddi","_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":"160","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2411","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bloomfield Hills","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-691f4f46b7e32"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Jad is one of several non-seniors at Bloomfield Hills who made a massive impact. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The tape kicks off with an impressive 40-yard jet sweep touchdown. What makes this play great is Jad's patience and vision. He cuts inside to avoid the safety, then hits the hole right behind his fullback's block. Promising vision, and good top speed to finish! </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Further, there are some moments of great route running. 1:28 showcases a nice whip route in the red zone, and 4:40 shows a solid 10-yard out. Finally, there are some promising defensive and KR highlights on tape. Looks like Jad was a high-volume receiver, and he'll absolutely be a massive part of the 2026 Bloomfield Hills squad. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/20318399/68ec6625ed4b1e3e02ec469e' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-691f4f46b81d6"} /--> <!-- 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":"Caden Whitmere","_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":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"205","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2407","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Bloomfield Hills","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-691f4f46b832d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Caden is a flat-out football player. The perfect player for the fullback position. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>His first few highlights show some of his best blocks. Lead blocking, Caden did an excellent job all season of finding a man to block and hitting hard. Much of the time, Bloomfield Hills found success running off of Caden's hip. Finally, there are also a few carries from Caden, which show good, short-yardage plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Caden seems to have done a great job at fullback this season. No doubt, he'll be a very important part of Bloomfield Hills next season as well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/20112669/6902158fed2d4d71b149f436' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-691f4f46b835c"} /--> <!-- 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":"Ben Swisher","_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":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"205","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Seaholm","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-691f4f46b88c7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">By all accounts, Swisher had a breakout season for Seaholm. Offensively, Swisher did a nice job as the inside-the-tackles option in Seaholm's Veer offense. Plays like 1:19 showcase good, downhill running. Swisher is the type of runner who is going to run downhill and earn as many yards as he can. Not super flashy, but runs with power and efficiency.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Defensively, Swisher showed some promise as an OLB/DB, especially against the run. There are a few scenarios where Ben does a nice job of cutting off rushing lanes and not allowing the ballcarrier to earn extra yards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Looking forward to Ben's senior season. He has a chance to truly take off in 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/3/19891872/6913eebbbc2272d60c034659' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-691f4f46b88f1"} /--> <!-- 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='1558694' first='Elijah' last='Cobb']","_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":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2409","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"North Farmington","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"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-691f4f46b8990"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">QB from North Farmington with a big arm. His first three highlights showcase that big arm, and good downfield accuracy. First, a 55-yard drop into the bucket- got it exactly where his WR needed it. Second, another deep pass downfield, this time with a little less arc, and even better accuracy. Then, at 0:43, we're able to see a bit of Elijah's abilities as a runner. He keeps on the read option, and does amazing work in the open field to secure the score. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>At QB, I like the deep throw highlights. We know that Elijah is able to make those big-time throws, but I like him even better as an athlete. As long as his testing numbers back up what I see on tape, Elijah should find some luck in the recruiting scene this offseason. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/19582932/68ff6aa9af6539dcf8e8b9ac' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-691f4f46b89ba"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1298608"],"_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-691f4f46b8c54"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">I continue to be impressed with Gillings' performances for Farmington. In his first season with the Falcons, he managed to have quite an impressive season. 1200 yards, 15 TDs, 4INTs, and 5PBUs. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We've seen it over the years at Novi, but this season, Gillings was able to fully showcase his route running and speed. At 0:53, Gillings simply runs past the defense, gets wide open, and makes an easy TD catch. At 1:03, Gillings forces the opposing DBs hips to turn inside. He then cuts back outside, earning easy separation and another explosive play. Needless to say, Gillings is a very fluid athlete and an excellent route runner. Defensively, he showcases that same fluidity and burst. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gillings is likely to earn a rankings boost, and I feel he'll find luck this offseason in the recruiting scene. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/26569108/6912bbbc1e7a4800429cb208' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-691f4f46b8c7b"} /-->