Under the Hood with TPS – Edison Eagles
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As we are a few weeks away from spring ball, it is that time to start an “Under the Hood” session with Tulsa Public Schools football teams. These next few weeks, we will highlight Tulsa Public Schools football teams as they are gearing up for spring ball around the corner. We will take an in-depth look at Booker T. Washington, Central, East Central, Edison, Hale, Memorial, McLain, and Rogers. I have spoken with each head coach about 5 players that we will highlight for each team and name who to keep an eye out for.
The next “Under the Hood” feature we are going to talk about is the Edison Eagles. The Eagles finished the season last year at 3-7 but with a 2-game win streak. Last year, Robert Borgstadt took over as the new head football coach for the Eagles. Previously, he was the head football coach for the Sapulpa Chieftains. Coach Borgstadt is excited about this upcoming season as well are the Eagles. Coach Borgstadt stated, “We are looking to be more physical during spring ball, hoping the off-season gains in the weight room will show up on the field. The Eagles will attend Claremore’s Team Camp on May 26-27 at Claremore High School. The Eagles return 6 offensive starters and 4 defensive starters. The Eagles will open up with Hilldale to kick off their 2022 campaign. The players that we will highlight in this feature include; Corey Rowland (JR), Kaiden Jones (JR), Hayden Jeffries (JR), Javon Antai (SO), and Jeremiah Lazenby (SR).
Corey Rowland – 2024 Safety/Wide Receiver – 6’0″ 185 lbs.
The first tape we popped in was for Corey Rowland. Rowland is a returning starter for the Eagles and will help bolster the secondary for the 2022 season. Corey looks a little longer on film than what he shows with his height but he does have long arms and is athletic. He has a good frame to add on as he has had a good off-season so far. Coach Borgstadt said, “Corey is a great kid with a ton of potential. He is a good athlete with tremendous size.” The one thing that I like about watching his film was he will jump to go and catch the ball on both sides of the ball. With him playing safety that is one of many traits that I like to see on the defensive side of the ball. He plays well in pass coverage and has a knack for making plays on the ball when it’s in the air. On the offensive side of the ball, Rowland does a good job coming back to the ball instead of waiting on it to come to him. If Rowland continues to work on his hips being more fluid, Rowland has a chance to be good prospect in the class of 2024. I look forward in keeping track of Rowland for the 2022 season. Corey ended the season with 48 tackles and 2 interceptions.
Kaiden Jones – 2024 Defensive End/Linebacker – 6’2″ 200 lbs.
Jones comes in at 6’2″ 200 pounds with a long lean athletic body. On film, you can see that he is athletic and has a motor on him that doesn’t stop. The first time I saw Kaiden when he was an incoming freshman I knew that this young man had potential to be good. His work ethic is great as he is someone that lives in the weight room. I would like to see him add more weight to his frame as he continues this off-season and there is no doubt that he will. Jones has played defensive end and inside linebacker the last 2 seasons. He can run sideline to sideline and has a nonstop motor, even in practice. Jones shows good hand and footwork movement and will be interested to see what he plays this upcoming season. Coach Borgstadt had this to say about Kaiden, “He has a motor and runs sideline to sideline. He has worked extremely hard this offseason and made a ton of gains, he is primed for a great year.” Kaiden played 8 games and had 62 tackles with 2 tackles for a loss.
Hayden Jeffries – 2024 Defensive End – 6’3″ 190 lbs.
Hayden is another good size kid that stands 6’3″ 190 pounds and has worked extremely hard this off-season. When I asked about Hayden, Coach Borgstadt stated, “Young kid who has worked hard this offseason and is prepared for a breakout year.” When I first watched Jeffries on tape, he comes off the ball quickly. He does use his hands and has active feet. He is long and athletic which helps him get off blocks quickly. Another one that has a good motor and helps anchor the guys upfront. I would like to see him be more violent with his hands when he comes off the ball and to add more weight to his frame. It wouldn’t be hard for him to add another 20-30 pounds. This time next year as he wouldn’t lose the athleticism that helps set him apart.
Javion Antai – 2025 Offensive Tackle – 6’4″ 280
Antai is yet another 2025 prospect that I have been able to watch, in person, and on film. While only being a freshman, Javion stands in at 6’4″ and weighs 280 for a current freshman. Javion was also in powerlifting this year for the first time and ended up being a state qualifier. He ended up placing 10th in the state as a freshman with lifts in bench (310), squat (325), and deadlift (420). Coach Borgstadt stated, “Javion’s size, quick feet, and work ethic make him a kid all college coaches will be looking for. The sky is the limit for this kid.” Exactly what coach Borgstadt stated is what I saw on film. Antai is athletic for a big man and has quick feet to go along with it. He has a solid foundation with his frame that he can work with for the years to come. He will finish blocks on his defenders and does well with a good base. One thing I would like to see this upcoming season would be to be able to see more of a natural bend in his hips since he does play offensive tackle. The Eagles are young and full of talented prospects on both sides of the ball.
Jeremiah Lazenby – 2023 Defensive Back/Wide Receiver – 5’10″ 150
The last prospect that we are going to take a look at for the Eagles is Jeremiah Lazenby. Jeremiah started for the Eagles last season and looks to help Cory Rowland in the secondary. Overall, Lazenby ended the year with 24 catches for 316 yards and 2 TDs. In watching Lazenby on film I liked how he high-pointed the ball. He runs decent routes but the one he runs the best is the comeback. He does a good job sinking his hips when he comebacks for the ball and locates the ball fairly quickly. He maintains good body control and keeps his feet in bounds for the catch. He shows body control when he goes up for the ball to shield the defender away from getting the ball. As a defensive back, he does a good job breaking to and attacking the ball. I would like to see Lazenby add more weight and I hope he took the weight room seriously this winter as it could bode well for him during the season. Coach Borgstadt said this about Lazenby, a “quick athletic kid who has a knack for making plays, always a big-play threat.”