Stats: 5 Carries, 25 Yards, 1 TD, 2 Receptions, 28 Yards, 18 Tackles, 1 TFL, 1 FFrnAs the stat sheet shows, Ean was all over the field Friday night on both sides of the ball. In the end, Ackley is an LB at the next level. That was more than clear watching him in person. Ean has developed a strong football IQ and that leads to excellent instincts at the LB position. He reads and flows with the OL, filling his gap even as it moved. Ackley also did a great job of finding the ball and even made some impressive highlight plays cutting back against the grain, mirroring the RB and making the tackle at the line. Even out in space, Ean is a good matchup on RBs. He is a strong,s tout defender against the run but can move and change direction out in space. Ean has a well rounded game, and it is great to see the D2 level extending him offers. If you haven’t watched his highlights, do it today.

Rankings Jump: 17 SpotsrnThe biggest riser among our LB group is the Sun Prairie West standout Ean Ackley Ean Ackley 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Sun Prairie West | 2024 State WI . The 6’1″ 210 lbs senior is one of the best as a blitzer. His blend of great timing and burst through the line of scrimmage makes him nearly impossible to cut off. That burst is also key to his roaming the front seven. He dominates from tackle to tackle thanks to his quick play recognition and then his burst/closing speed gets him to the ball quickly. Ackley also has the range to be able to chase down plays outside the tackles. Ean separates himself with the power he adds to the athletic side of his game. He is able to fight through blocks, shed OL, and still make tackles. Ean has a well rounded game, and the D2 level has taken notice. He holds offers from Augustana and Sioux Falls currently.

Ean is a Sun Prairie West prospect I have been tracking for a bit from my hometown, and was one that certainly popped out with his athleticism at the UND Flagship Camp in Grand Forks. He showed off plenty of smooth physicality from the Indy drills reps I watched as a linebacker prospect that plays with a high football IQ in space. Ean also caught my eyes with his first steps in every rep I watched from him in Grand Forks, as he demonstrated a solid knack with his vision and has solid technique when within range of the ball carrier. With his recent tape from his junior season, Ean shows plenty of consistency with what I saw up in Grand Forks, as a feisty inside linebacker that has quick hands with his shedding ability and a downhill trigger that meets the ball carrier quickly. Ean has a handful of NSIC offers and should gain more attention in the coming months as a prospect that I believe is slightly under the radar. Twitter

The 6’1″ 210 lbs LB/TE is a key piece for Sun Prairie West on both sides of the ball. Because of that, we have him ranked as an ATH. On offense, he can be utilized as a FB or H-Back. He was a reliable receiving option in the short passing game, and was a hard, downhill runner after the catch. On defense, Ean was all over the field from his ILB position. He is a very smart, quick processing defender. That made many of his highlights look like he knew where the ball was going. Ackley’s tape also shows that he is an excellent blitzer. His timing and acceleration easily allow him to get through gaps. Ean is also one of the most reliable tacklers we have in this Class. The playmaker is starting to earn D2 offers. Don’t miss out on him.

Ean was a productive, impactful two way athlete for SP West in 2022. Due to his size, 6’1” 205 lbs LB/TE most closely fits as an LB at the next level. While not being the biggest athlete, Ackley plays big. He fights through blocks to get to the ball, and delivers big hits. Ean is very effective at timing his blitzes. He knifes through the OL in those scenarios quick enough to beat them out of their stances. The LB stepped up in the big moments too. I watched their must win season finale, and Ean took over the game on the way to the victory. Don’t overlook the under the radar athlete.

Sun Prairie West has gotten off to a solid 11-5 record this season. Ean has been a great role player for the talented roster with his 8.8 points per game. He makes his biggest impact on the boards with his 11.6 rebounds per game. That doesn’t surprise me, though. The same way that Ean is able to establish position on the glass is the same way that he is able to bully opponents on the football field.

On the field, Ean is an impactful two way player. He plays TE and LB for West. On defense, Ackley led the team in tackles. He was able to read plays quickly, and has the athleticism to get to the gap to stop the RB or make play play sin coverage. On offense, Ean is a reliable target with soft hands. He is a very hard runner who has gained a lot of his 303 yards after the catch. He is going to be a senior to watch among a talented 2024 class.

Stats: 7 Receptions, 106 Yards, 1 TD, 15 Tackles, 3 TFLs, 1 SackrnThe most impressive performer of the night was the junior LB/TE. His most consistent plays came from his defensive efforts. The 6’1″ 205 lbs junior was a monster between the tackles. He timed his blitzes perfectly. Allowing him to get free runs at the QB or RBs. Ackley also did a good ob of mirroring RBs in the run game. He was able to slide and scrape laterally with the RB and meet them in the hole for stops. His instincts for the position caught my eye over and over, and they show up in his highlights from the night. Lastly, Ean made multiple key stops in big situations like 3rd or 4th down. Ackley’s play at TE really stood out in the second half. He doesn’t have typical TE size, but hew as able to use that agility to get open for his QB. Ean has naturally soft hands that lightly pluck the ball out of the air. The junior delivered over and over in a big game. It was fun to watch!

Stats: 13 Tackles, 1 TFLrnwith Sun Prairie splitting into two schools we have gotten to see several more athletes breakout this season. I have covered a few of them, and the mos recent is now Ean. The junior LB/TE navigates the trash between the tackles well. He slips off blocks, makes them miss with his lateral agility. His blitzing highlights shows an athlete with good timing, and the ability to get to the ball. He doesn’t just fly into the backfield out of control. The 6’1″ 205 lbs athlete did a good job of finding the ball, and getting to it. Good to see him get his chance to shine in the middle of the West defense. Name to follow.