Baker Season Preview

<p>The Baker Hornets finished their 7-4 season with a playoff appearance. With a load of talent returning on both sides of the ball, check out the key returning players looking to make a deeper run in the playoffs this upcoming fall. </p>   <h2><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id='243256' first='Josh' last='Flowers'] 6'3 210 QB </u></strong></h2>   <p>Flowers has officially arrived as one of the best QBs in the nation. With offers from Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas, it's apparent that he has the pedigree of a next-level quarterback. With a rocket for an arm, Flowers can make all the throws with his elite arm talent. Has solid mechanics and a quick trigger release that consistently produces tight spirals on or off platform. This velocity enables him to throw into tight windows. This, in addition to his consistent accuracy with the deep ball, makes Flowers a handful for defenses to prepare for. Shows excellent pocket presence and mobility when facing pressure and is deadly as an improviser. He is excellent at keeping his eyes down the field and looking for the bigger play. On the run, he's elusive for his size but can break tackles when needed due to his frame. As one of the better QBs in the country- Look for Flowers to be worth the price of admission every Friday. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JoshFlowers2024/status/1506987996167475201?s=20&t=nz23wTDZMftB24ar1MCsbg </div></figure>   <h2><strong><u>[player_tooltip player_id='1098589' first='Kevin' last='Beckham'] Jr 5'10 165 WR </u></strong></h2>   <p>Beckham is No.1 receiver who shows nuance as a route runner and the ability to create space against man coverage. He can get out of his breaks quickly and has an elite burst on his releases on the line of scrimmage. This instant separation makes it easier for him to break guys off at the top of his route and make even more room for the QB to get the ball to him. When the ball is in his hands, he shows shiftiness and dynamic elusiveness and can gain solid yardage after the catch. Beckham can also make contested catches down the field and win occasional 50/50 balls. Look for Beckham to be a consistent threat on the outside and provide production as a go-to passing option. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KevinBeckhamJr/status/1532818697357869066?s=20&t=nz23wTDZMftB24ar1MCsbg </div></figure>   <h2><strong><u>Gary Byers 6'0 200 ILB </u></strong></h2>   <p>Byers is a modern linebacker with an old-school mentality. Though he has the speed and athleticism to cover RBs and TEs, he's also more than willing to get downhill and be a run stopper. Byers is great at reading gaps and beating running backs to the spot. He's physical at the point of attack and can make highlight-worthy hits. However, Byers always maintains his fundamentals when making tackles - making him a stone wall that doesn't give up yards after contact. He can constantly makes plays in the backfield with tremendous closing speed and burst and rack up TFLs and sacks. This explosiveness translates to straight-line speed and is seen when he's covering wheel routes, flat routes, and other common running back routes. As a three-down linebacker, expect Byers to be a tackle machine and an occasional playmaker in coverage. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/0nlyHeadhunter7/status/1537972878724853760?s=20&t=6C9HX76iBD5SCUybowyzYQ </div></figure>   <h2><strong><u>Jaden Campbell 6'0 172 SS</u></strong></h2>   <p>Campbell is a hard-hitting safety that can be an enforcer from the secondary position. He shows solid closing speed when getting downhill for runs and breaking on screens/ quick game plays. In addition to that burst, he has excellent straight-line speed and can make plays sideline to sideline and make touch-down saving tackles. Campbell is extremely physical at the point of attack and is always willing to sacrifice his body when making hits on ball carriers. Campbell also shows solid coverage skills when using his range to get deflections on vertical passes and forcing incompletions. </p>

The Baker Hornets finished their 7-4 season with a playoff appearance. With a load of talent returning on both sides of the ball, check out the key returning players looking to make a deeper run in the playoffs this upcoming fall.