Top Prospect Watch: San Luis Obispo County

<em><strong>Along the California coast there is no shortage of talent and the area is home to some big time schools that have put many players into the Power Five ranks and even the NFL. The 2021 class was loaded with talented players on both sides of the ball heading to the Big Sky, Pac-12 and Mountain West Conference and has made way for the 2022-2024 classes that also have some nice upcoming talent. Here, we will look at some players in San Luis Obispo county that are poised for huge 2021 seasons and who will be just some of the top players returning across the region this Fall.</strong></em> <hr /> &nbsp; <em><strong>OL Caleb Alalem, Mission Prep HS</strong></em> [caption id="attachment_174520" align="alignleft" width="331"]<img class=" wp-image-174520" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-22-at-7.15.56-PM-300x278.png" alt="" width="331" height="307" /> Photo: Caleb Alalem Hudl[/caption] The 2021 prospect is a nasty well put together interior mauler that wins with pad level, first step explosion and toughness at the point of attack. He bends well for his size at the knees/ankles and has a strong initial punch with inside hand placement and a good base through out first level blocking while able to climb and block in space when needed. He also flashes the ability to finish blocks downfield and pull/reach and climb. A very balanced player in pass pro that is patient and moves well laterally without giving up his base, he should see D-III+ interest come his way for his Senior season. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <em><strong>ILB/OLB Luca Cuccaro, San Luis Obispo HS</strong></em> [caption id="attachment_174521" align="alignright" width="333"]<img class=" wp-image-174521" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-22-at-7.17.47-PM-300x258.png" alt="" width="333" height="286" /> Photo: Luca Cuccaro Hudl[/caption] The SLO product is at-least a FCS caliber player when it’s all said and done and will be one of the best linebackers Northern California has to offer in the 2023 class. On tape, he can play both inside and outside while physical and tough enough to play inside and athletic and fluid enough to run in space and flip his hips when needed while in coverage. A fast presence off the edge, he is a natural bender that flashes a quick use of hands at the POA and can dip naturally while turning his hips to his target without waisted movement. He is a strong tackler in space, while pursuing ball carriers well and exploding through his hips upon contact and bringing a nice thump. Overall, he is a very balanced second level defender with a tremendous motor and good toughness. &nbsp; &nbsp; <em><strong>RB/SS Jack Susank, </strong></em><em><strong>Mission Prep HS</strong></em> [caption id="attachment_149488" align="alignleft" width="265"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-149488" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/05/Screen-Shot-2021-05-28-at-7.25.07-AM-265x300.png" alt="" width="265" height="300" /> Photo: Jack Susank Hudl[/caption] Susank is one of the best two-way players in all of Northern California and is a physical and throwback type player that will make an impact at the college level. On his Junior tape, he shows that he is a true vertical runner that wins with strength and power but has sneaky third level speed and strong initial acceleration through the hole. A very tough and physical player, he breaks tackles in traffic and in space while showing consistent leg drive through contact and runs behind his pads with a natural forward lean. On tape, he also shows the ability to catch the ball out of the backfield with good contact balance and body control. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; <span style="font-size: 14pt;"><em><strong>Other Prospect To Note..</strong></em></span> <em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">QB [player_tooltip player_id="145248" first="Darian" last="Mensah"], St. Joseph’s HS</span></em> <em>RB Drew Harrigan, Mission Prep HS</em> <em>WR/TE Tyler Garrett, Mission Prep HS</em> <em>WR/DB Brody Johnson, San Luis Obispo HS</em> <em>FB/LB David Luera, Mission Prep HS</em> <em>QB Colby White, Mission Prep HS</em>