MPSSAA Restart: UCBAC Players to Watch

Prep Redzone provides coverage of a recenet combine in Kansas.

Michael Morgan

February 4, 2021 @ 11:41 AM

COVID-19 threw a major wrench into the high school football world this past fall. Like many, Maryland decided to postpone the public school season until Spring ’21. Well, we made it through and high school football is right around the corner. With high school practices set to start on February 13, let’s take a look at some of the players to watch in the UCBAC. [player_tooltip player_id="90612" first="Kelvin" last="Mendez"], Harford Tech, 5’8" 185lbs RB, JR [player_tooltip player_id="90612" first="Kelvin" last="Mendez"] burst onto the scene during the 2019 season as a sophomore for Harford Tech. Accumulating over 1700 yards and 13 TD’s, Mendez was the driving force for the Cobras. As a young runner, the two traits that stand out are his vision and patience. Mendez never seems panicked behind the line, seemingly always making the right read. And, once he hits the open field, he has the ability to pull away from defenders. A junior season similar to 2019 could see Mendez jump onto the radar of college coaches. [player_tooltip player_id="90565" first="Tommy" last="Fisher"], Aberdeen, 5’11" 250lbs, RB/DT, JR [player_tooltip player_id="90565" first="Tommy" last="Fisher"] is a versatile player for the Aberdeen Eagles, playing RB/FB and DT (listed as MLB, but plays mostly with hand in the ground as DT). What stands out about Fisher, outside of his versatility, is his raw power/speed combo. As a DT, Fisher’s speed and power show up when beating double teams and slower offensive lineman. This combination allows him to assert his dominance at the line of scrimmage. Consistency and his ability to develop as a rusher will be key for Fisher to take the next step. <strong>Lavar Banks</strong>, Edgewood, 5’10" 170lbs, SB/CB/Returner, JR Brother of University of Maryland DB Deonte Banks, Lavar looks to continue as the swiss army knife for the Edgewood Rams. Predominately used on defense, Lavar is an aggressive DB who is not afraid of making tackles. This upcoming season is a big chance to show improvement in his pass coverage and overall play speed. If Lavar can improve these two aspects, then he will take his game to another level. <strong>Ian Brown</strong>, Elkton, 5’11" 215lbs, RB/OLB, JR As a running back, Ian Brown was hidden behind a loaded backfield in 2019. As an OLB, Brown stood out. With 6 sacks his impact was immediately felt. Brown showed a good ability to shed blocks in passing situations and use his speed to beat down blocks in run and play-action. What also stood out was his recognition to get his hands up for screens and quick passes. Seeing his development from sophomore to junior year is something to watch.