Another new name and unranked prospect being added to our Pennsylvania database, continuing the theme of this article. This time, we’re looking at a 2028 linebacker currently listed at 5’11, 170 pounds who has already established himself as one of the more productive defensive players in his area. Local media has recognized him as a two-time league Defensive Player of the Week, and he also participates in wrestling and track, where he competes in the hurdles. That multisport background is encouraging, particularly for a linebacker whose game relies heavily on movement ability, balance and tackling in space. Through nine weeks, he has recorded nearly 70 total tackles, including more than 40 solo stops, along with nearly 15 tackles for loss, a couple of sacks and multiple pass breakups. He has also contributed offensively with a couple of receptions, including one that resulted in a touchdown. Those are excellent numbers for an underclassman, and I can already say with confidence that he will be entering our 2028 rankings as a linebacker.

I also appreciate how active he has been on Twitter throughout the season, and I strongly encourage him to continue that approach. He currently has an eight week highlight reel pinned to his profile, running approximately three and a half minutes, which makes it extremely convenient for college coaches and evaluators to get an immediate look at his abilities. This is exactly the type of recruiting activity I want to see from a talented young prospect who is beginning to establish himself. His production and athletic background make him a recruitable player, particularly for local college programs looking to identify underclassmen who could develop into significant recruiting targets by their senior seasons. He has already done an excellent job making his film accessible, and the next step is continuing to build on that exposure as his game develops.

His opening highlight features him aligned a couple of yards off the line of scrimmage as an outside linebacker in what appears to be a 3-4 base defense. He does an excellent job attacking the edge while maintaining his contain responsibilities, positioning himself to force the developing play back toward the interior of the defense. He doesn’t recklessly abandon his assignment in pursuit of the football, instead establishing the edge and maintaining leverage until the quarterback eventually ends up directly in his path. He finishes the play with a sack, providing a good introduction to his understanding of defensive responsibilities. I appreciate that he can create a negative play while still operating within the structure of the defense. That discipline is particularly important for an outside linebacker who is frequently asked to balance edge responsibilities with pursuit and coverage assignments.

His second rep is an even better example of what makes him interesting as a linebacker prospect. He is working in zone coverage from his outside linebacker alignment when he recognizes a swing pass developing toward his side of the field. He reads the quarterback, reacts quickly and breaks down under control as the ball carrier attempts to turn upfield. What follows is an excellent one on one tackle in open space, with very little positive yardage allowed. I love the tackling form and body control here. He doesn’t overrun the play or throw himself recklessly toward the ball carrier, instead getting into position and finishing the tackle with confidence. For a 170 pound linebacker, demonstrating that kind of reliability in space is particularly encouraging. His ability to recognize the developing pass, close the distance and finish without assistance is exactly what I want to see from an underclassman working toward a collegiate projection.

Another outstanding rep has him aligned much farther outside, near the hash marks and essentially head up on a slot receiver. The offense attempts to execute a wide receiver screen, but he immediately recognizes the concept, defeats the receiver attempting to block him and attacks the ball carrier before the play can develop. He completely blows up the screen by himself, turning what could have been a productive offensive opportunity into a defensive win. This is one of my favorite plays on the tape because it demonstrates several important traits at once. He has the awareness to identify the screen, the physicality to shed a block in space and the movement ability to reach the ball carrier before the offense can establish any momentum. That is a game changing defensive rep, particularly considering how much ground he is responsible for covering from his initial alignment.

His comfort operating in coverage continues to show up throughout the highlight reel. Another rep features him handling flat and curl responsibilities within a zone coverage concept, keeping his eyes on the quarterback and remaining aware of the developing routes around him. He follows that with another excellent solo tackle in open space, once again demonstrating the ability to break down, maintain leverage and finish against a ball carrier without requiring additional help. The consistency of those reps is what stands out most to me. He isn’t simply making tackles because he is playing close to the line of scrimmage and finding himself in the middle of the action. He is repeatedly being asked to operate in space, recognize offensive concepts and make individual plays against athletes who have room to work. That is an extremely valuable quality for a modern linebacker, especially one who may eventually be asked to handle a variety of coverage responsibilities at the collegiate level.

Overall, I’m very impressed with this discovery and believe he has a chance to enter our rankings in a relatively strong position. His production through nine weeks is excellent, but the film is what really reinforces my confidence in his potential. He is a disciplined edge defender, an effective run stopper, a capable zone coverage linebacker and, most importantly, a reliable open field tackler. His wrestling and hurdling backgrounds make sense when watching how comfortably he moves and finishes plays in space. At 5’11, 170 pounds, he still has physical development ahead of him, and I want to see how his game progresses as he adds strength and faces larger offensive players. However, there is already a tremendous amount to like about his instincts, versatility and defensive production. He is clearly a recruitable 2028 prospect, and I expect him to be ranked well when we finalize our next update. I’m excited to continue following his development and strongly encourage him to maintain the consistent recruiting exposure he has already established.