Inside The Film Room 2028 Special

With a little bit of time before I get into some team and conference previews, I will be digging into the film of players all across North Carolina and giving my thoughts and analysis in a new series I'm calling Inside The Film Room!   If you want me to take a look at your film and consider providing a breakdown, send me a message on Twitter/X at @pepman704. Now let's keep it going with five more talented players from the Class of 2028!    I saw Hezekiah up close last month at the CFI Carolinas MEGA Showcase, and he looks like a dynamic athlete who can do some special things on both sides of the ball, so I'm excited to dig into his film. In the first clip, Hezekiah makes a beautiful over-the-shoulder catch for an interception deep downfield, 2nd clip he high points the football on an out route for an interception. In the third clip, he does the same thing. Ballhawk, period. Especially when he's on an island. Hezekiah excels in press-man coverage and does a good job of trusting his eyes. Hezekiah is physical and can tackle receivers well in the open field, a trait that is hard to find in high school defensive backs. As an offensive player, you can see Hezekiah's speed on display with the football in his hands. If he weren't such a good corner, I would say I like him on offense more, but defense is his calling card. Hezekiah received offers from Tulsa, West Georgia, and Campbell in June since attending the CFI Carolinas MEGA Showcase.     A lot of people are high on this young man's potential at the quarterback spot, so I wanted to take a look at the film and see why people are excited. First off, he just looks natural in the pocket with his size and arm strength. But the thing I like is that he can move - he's not a statue, prototypical pocket quarterback. He can make some off-platform throws when he faces pressure. When he's in rhythm, the accuracy is very good in all areas of the field. I wouldn't classify him as a dual-threat, but he can run the ball if his targets are covered downfield and get you a first down. Based on this film, I see why people are excited. Levi currently has offers from Wake Forest, Charlotte, East Carolina, Coastal Carolina, and North Carolina.     Deacon is a returning All-Conference offensive lineman who boasts on his Twitter/X profile that he had 23 pancakes last season and no sacks allowed. My kind of offensive lineman. First clip, Deacon absolutely drives a defensive lineman 10 yards and pancakes him. Impressive. His strength is definitely run blocking - there is an impressive consistency in his footwork and fit on run blocks in their scheme. Pass blocking, I think Deacon does a good job of getting his hands on a defensive lineman first and stunting the charge of interior push upfield with good strength. Deacon is on track for another strong season up front and an All-Conference selection.     I had a couple of people highly suggest that I take a look at this young man, so let's dig into the tape. I was told Javin has been a varsity player since his freshman year. The instincts and speed with which Javin diagnoses plays, it really shows that playing early is a big advantage for a player if they are ready physically. There are plays where Javin, as an inside linebacker, gets outside of the numbers in a flash and makes a big tackle for no gain or a loss, or he's breaking up a pass in the flat that he has no business getting to. That's a special talent. He's a player I would like to see in a camp or showcase setting to get a better idea of how he moves in space, mainly because a lot of teams were heavy run on film, so it was hard to diagnose how athletic he is, but he LOOKS like an explosive player when he comes downhill to tackle all over the field.     I was intrigued by this young lineman for an Ardrey Kell team that will be retooling this season under a new head football coach. I like his size, and as a left tackle prospect, I'm always intrigued to see how athletic a player looks on film. Khari is patient in his pass protection and lets defensive ends come to him, and then he gets his hands inside the frame well and shows the ability to make them "run the hoop" to try and get pressure on the quarterback. As a run blocker, Khari does a good job on the initial fit against defenders, and he's in a good position the vast majority of the time. As he gets older, the nasty streak will come where he uses his strength to mash defenders in the ground - he's not there yet, but he's got a nice base to build from.

With a little bit of time before I get into some team and conference previews, I will be digging into the film of players all across North Carolina and giving my thoughts and analysis in a new series I'm calling Inside The Film Room!