Nate has looked solid with the ball in his hands. He’s displayed the ability to score on inside and outside runs. Deanes has 7 TDs and showcased home run ability on a few runs so far. Nate is also a physical open-field tackler that has shown the ability to cover and make plays on the ball. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that this athlete plays DB in college. Deanes has the characteristics of a standout special teamer as well.

Three rushing touchdowns for South Fayette’s Nate Deanes Nate Deanes 5'9" | 175 lbs | ATH South Fayette | 2024 State PA , a kid who I like at corner more than anything. The full skillset was needed and on display against West Allegheny. 136 yards on 17 attempts, with quality reps at DB I imagine as well. Plugging in the Week 0-1 tape on Deanes, you can witness his Week 0 performance on the ground that practically mirrors what he did against WA. He’s just under 300 yards, with six scores through two weeks. I might need to rethink the future projection on this senior. Yes, Deanes carries a slight frame, yet gets the job done at this level.

HAWK’S OPINION:

Nate is a D1-caliber prospect on both sides of the ball. He is explosive with the ball and is a physical player who plays bigger than his size. Nate has great hips and is also very skilled in man coverage. He is an aggressive open-field tackler who runs the alley with bad intentions. As a receiver, he can line up in the backfield or split out wide or in the slot. He runs the ball with good balance, vision, patience and acceleration. He possesses next-level ball skills when receiving passes and also excels at playing the ball from the DB position. Nate is a shifty competitor who has return abilities and overall special teams gifts in his DNA. In my opinion, he is capable of playing defensive back, slot wide receiver, or being a third-down running back at the next level.