Even though the defensive back group was a small group, I was very quick to identify the best defensive back in the building at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase, as it was  Ethan Olson Ethan Olson 6'2" | 175 lbs | LB/DB Sioux Falls Lincoln | 2028 State SD  of Sioux Falls Lincoln that took home the gold on Sunday afternoon. He recorded a 4.44 pro shuttle was intriguing in the L-drill that I watched, but what I saw during the individual drills proved quickly that his change of direction was much more agile in a game-like setting which is what I love about our showcases. I orginally had Ethan graded as a QB, and then a LB, but him showing off his skillsets in the defensive back group paint a great picture at the next-level in that spot as he showed off great footwork, a quick ball-tracking ability, and great suddenness getting out of his brakes to attack the ball anywhere. No doubt that Ethan will be one that moves up our 2028 board in South Dakota

It didn’t take long for me to identify the best defensive back in the building at our Prep Redzone Dakotas Showcase, as it was Ethan Olson Ethan Olson 6'2" | 175 lbs | LB/DB Sioux Falls Lincoln | 2028 State SD of Sioux Falls Lincoln that took home the DB MVP nod. He ran a 4.44 shuttle and 7.53 in the L-drill but what I saw during the individual drills proved quickly that his change of direction was much more twitchy in a game-type setting. I actually had Ethan graded as a QB, and then a LB, but him showing off his skillsets in the defensive back group paint a great picture at the next-level in that spot as he showed off great footwork, a quick ball-tracking ability, and great suddenness getting out of his brakes to attack the ball downhill. Surely one that I feel that could be a mover in our upcoming 2028 rankings update in South Dakota.

Ethan has been a 2028 that each time I peak at his linebacker tape, I see steady growth week by week this season has one that has boosted his football IQ at a different position than we have him graded at the moment. His suddenness downhill to the ball has been a area that I have seen a lot of growth and can be noted from his first clip against Sioux Falls Jefferson as clearly Ethan has the length but the agility this 6’3 180 pounder is boosting is showing more proficency. The efficency Ethan is also showing in pass coverage is another area that I have seen the growth pick up quickly as one of the better pass cover linebackers so far in this SD 2028 class.

I always am impressed whenever I see postion flexibility flourish early in the fall season which is what I have seen out of Sioux Falls Lincoln linebacker Ethan Olson Ethan Olson 6'2" | 175 lbs | LB/DB Sioux Falls Lincoln | 2028 State SD . I have him graded as a quarterback in the 2028 class, but the tape shows that Ethan can cause some chaos with getting into the backfield and around the edges with his lengthy strides at now playing at 6’3 175 pounds. The more I watched Ethan at linebacker, the more I see even more flexibility defensively to the safety position as I feel Ethan could be one that is efficent playing out in space as a strong safety.

Something I have seen open up for Ethan this spring a ton is his position flexibility, which is sometimes difficult to pinpoint for underclassmen during the Spring. Ethan made plenty of splash plays with his hands in the secondary and as a wide receiver with Sanford 7v7, in which most of those plays showed off the pure instincts he brings to the table as a certainly what looks like a flyer to the ball as a safety. He also possesses the long catch radius in the reps I saw in the receiving core. This position flexibility should open up the floodgates for Ethan more in the coming years for sure. Twitter