Easily one of the best defensive backs in this league, but Lighten delivered big time on offense as well. He led the AA-1 division with 38 receptions on the year. His pure speed and ball tracking ability made him tough to stop as a receiver. On defense, Lighten had 56 tackles and registered 3 interceptions. He did a great job covering some of the top receivers in the AA-1 and AAA division all year.

The superstar from Moore Catholic is one of the few players that could’ve been first team offense and defense for the upcoming season. Lighten has some big time speed and I decided to put him on the defense because of how reliable he will be next year. He forms a scary duo with Damon Stweart and I could see Lighten shutting down receivers as well being all over the field coming away with key pass breakups and tackles.

Matthias Lighten Matthias Lighten 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Moore Catholic | 2024 State NY picked up a couple offers this past week from two programs already doing work in New York this week. Lighten picked up two more offers from Maine and Bowling Green to add to a deep collection of offers that continues to grow through the spring.

Matthias Lighten Matthias Lighten 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Moore Catholic | 2024 State NY , a top ATH in the entire state regardless of class had a strong past couple weeks with offers from Buffalo and Stony Brook to bring him to 7 DI offers. Lighten is one of the hottest names in New York in 2023, especially when it comes to the Local FCS and G5 schools in the Northeast.

Matthias Lighten Matthias Lighten 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Moore Catholic | 2024 State NY has been trending upward for a while but his recruitment has officially blown open with recent offers from Toledo, Sacred Heart, Fordham, Rhode Island, and UMass in addition to offers from LIU & Temple last season. Lighten’s is one of the most sought after prospects right now from FCS schools but could make a jump up with some spring and summer visits and juniors days to Penn State, Coastal Carolina, Buffalo, Maryland, and Rutgers.

Matthias Lighten Matthias Lighten 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Moore Catholic | 2024 State NY is one of the most explosive WR/CBs in this class. Lighten is a really good route runner and does a good job of creating seperation at all three levels of the defense. Lighten does a good job of using his speed and twitch to create space down the field. When the ball is in the air Lighten does a really good job of tracking it and getting in the best position to make the catch. This is especially true along the sidelines and endzone where Lightens awareness of where he is on the field is elite. Lighten also has very reliable hands and can make difficult catches on a routine basis. As a defensive back Lighten is a really solid corner who mirrors receivers well but can cover guys with his head keyed in on the quarterback. Lighten also is not afraid to adjust in coverage and break to the ball on his instincts. At the catch point, Lighten does a good job of being physical and breaking up passes even being one of the better ball hawks in this class. Overall, Lighten has a really solid impact on both sides of the ball but could continue to add a more physical nature to his game. Lighten is a solid tackler and blocker but could showcase more physical dominance to round out his skillset.

Matthias Lighten Matthias Lighten 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Moore Catholic | 2024 State NY was one of the best two-way athletes in New York this season. The Moore Catholic WR/DB was always going against teams best defensive backs and covering their top WR’s. Lighten is an incredible athlete who makes really quick cuts and has great change of direction. As a receiver Lighten is a bigger target than his size with a incredible catch radius and really strong hands. As a defensive back Lighten is really solid in coverage and breaks on the ball really quickly. Lighten’s ability to keep his eyes on the quarterback in coverage make him a special player on defense in terms of making plays on the ball. I am still indifferent on what position best suits Lighten at the next level and with the tape he has you could argue either way. Lighten has offers from Temple, LIU, and Rhode Island.

Moore Catholic’s speedster had a phenomenal junior year. Lighten was an extremely dangerous deep threat on offense. His ability to fly down field and John Michalski John Michalski 6'1" | 200 lbs | QB Moore Catholic | 2023 State NY ‘s arm strength was a perfect match. He accounted for plenty of big plays in a season where the Mavericks had lots of success. Lighten also was effective as a cornerback. He played very well against the opposition’s number 1 wide receiver. On deep routes, Lighten was so difficult to beat and he also laid some hard hits preventing completions.

Matthias Lighten Matthias Lighten 6'0" | 180 lbs | ATH Moore Catholic | 2024 State NY has come on strong on both sides of the ball this season. A playmaker on the outside Lighten leads an electric Moore Catholic offense with almost 400 yards receiving and 6 TDs. On the defensive side of the ball Lighten has shown his prowess as a ball hawking defensive back where he has 3 INTs this season. Lighten’s skillset is that of a top-tier playmaker in New York. However, his defensive prowess and ability as a defensive back could help him continue to get interest from the D1 level.