The Best State Championship Performances: DL

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We end our in-season coverage with a look at the defensive standouts from the State Championship games at Camp Randall Stadium. Today, I have seven defensive linemen who stood out from the crowd with their talents and impact during their respective games. This group is filled with next level talent. There are seniors to know, and juniors to keep an eye on over the next year as they continue their development. Let's get started with a stud DL that is headed to The U.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["31425"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cemu003eStats: 2 Tackles, 2 TFLs, 1 Sack, 1 PBUu003c/emu003ernrnDuring the D2 State Championship game we saw the 6'2u0022 250 lbs DE line up in a two and three point stance. We saw him win from both as well. Sam, while not the biggest DL, is blessed with special explosive quickness and power. He gets out of his stance quick, closes cushions, and gets penetration with his quick reaction to first movement. Sam also is a gifted pass rusher. He possesses the edge speed and flexibility to be able to run the loop to the QB. The senior DE/OLB was the most disruptive lineman in the game. He was constantly getting in the backfield, and even without a huge stat line Coufal was able to impact the game. Miami has a great piece leading the way for their PWO class.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a56ce8"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12940757/637add874df60c0f70d52c42' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a56d53"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["268941"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cemu003eStats: 4 Tacklesu003c/emu003ernrnThere are a lot of things to get excited about when it comes to the 6'2u0022 230 lbs junior DE with a 6'7u0022 wingspan. The part of his game that you don't see from a lot of HS kids is his hand use. Sam does a great job using his hands to shed blockers and win hand to hand battles in the trenches. He does a really good job with hand placement, is very quick with the hands and his punch, and locks out the blocker consistently thanks to superior strength. McGivern is also one of the state's most disruptive defenders. He penetrates the line of scrimmage while maintaining eyes on the ball carrier. He is a player that teams struggle to defender on a snap to snap, and week to week basis. The future is very bright for the standout junior. Look for him to make a run at being the top defender in the state in 2023.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a56dcd"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Martell Harris","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2025","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'3u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Catholic Memorial","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cemu003eStats: 7 Tacklesu003c/emu003ernrnMartell was a new name for me, but it didn't take long to find the 6'3u0022 365 lbs sophomore once Catholic Memorial took the field. Harris is a massive DT/NG that is going to quickly make a name for himself over the nest two seasons. The young man has exceptional strength and stoutness. He was able to stack and neutralize blockers while maintaining leverage. Martell was asked to control the interior of the line, and he was up to the task. Martell is a mismatch, and is going to become a dominant force by his senior season. Columbus had to focus the interior of their OL on Harris to get any success. Even then, attacking between the guards was not effective. I'm excited to watch Martell a bunch more over his HS career. He is budding into a name to know.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a56ebb"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Noah Knobloch","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2023","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'2u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Regis","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cemu003eStats: 2 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 Sacku003c/emu003ernrnAnother senior who made far more of an impact than his final stat line suggests is Noah Knobloch. The 6'2u0022 220 lbs DL is committed to Minnesota State University- Moorhead. There I believe he will play out on the edge, but for Regis he aligned on the interior. There he was able to win with body control. Noah was able to take hits from multiple angles without being  displaced. He demonstrated the agility to be able to make blockers miss or not land solid shots on him. The All Conference wrestler also proved to me that he understood how to play with leverage and used that to his advantage. Lastly, Noah is a rugged player. He plays with grit and toughness. he engages with intent and violence. It looks like he enjoys the battle that takes place in the trenches. Good luck at the next level Noah!","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a56fd9"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='379966' first='Shane' last='Willenbring']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2024","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'5u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Aquinas","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cemu003eStats: 5 Tacklesu003c/emu003ernrnOne of the top two way linemen of the entire State Finals was the Aquinas LT/DL. The 6'5u0022 240 lbs junior overpowered opponents on both sides of the trenches allowing Aquinas' run game and run defense to control the flow of the game. It was impressive how much of Shane's game is consistent to both sides of the ball. His hand placement and use is strong, and amplified with his superior length. His ability to be stout against the talented Mayville OL was key to slowing down one o the most explosive run games in WI. With so much room to continue to fill out his frame with more strength, the sky is the limit for his potential. He is going to be a quick riser over the next year.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a57090"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["270655"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cemu003eStats: 7 Tackles, 2 TFLsu003c/emu003ernrnThe 6'2u0022 235 lbs junior spent all of his time on the DL this fall, and it has me excited for his future. Andrew spent time at RB before this season, and having the athletic profile for that position lining up at DT led to Baumgart winning a lot of snaps. Simply put, the junior was far too quick for interior OL to get their hands on him. Baumgart has excellent explosive quickness. The instant he saw first movement the dude was shot out o fa  cannon through his gap. Andrew was one of the most consistently disruptive defenders I saw live. He was in the backfield or right at the line of scrimmage all afternoon. I'm excited to see what he looks like next fall after an offseason of growth and development. A need to know name.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a57104"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14537004/637914a79a91ac038cc84722' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a5712d"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["271776"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cemu003eStats: 2 Tacklesu003c/emu003ernrnWhile it wasn't the most productive day for the 6'1u0022 235 lbs DT, Cole still demonstrated the talents that should have the next level's attention. Cole is a stout defender, but he was his most dangerous when he mixed in his short area quickness. He could get out of his stance quickly, slide laterally so he could get to a gap or the ball carrier, and could burst from his blocker to the ball carrier. The junior is another two way player with the motor and stamina needed to play with high effort and competitiveness. Pay attention to this kid next fall.","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a57194"} /--> <!-- wp:acf/hudl {"name":"acf/hudl","data":{"embed_code":"u003ciframe src='https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14763390/6377c1daff020603a4156ee5' width='640' height='360' frameborder='0' allowfullscreenu003eu003c/iframeu003e","_embed_code":"field_62daf7995fd8c"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-63855a6a571bb"} /-->