The CMU committed linebacker put on a heck of a performance on Friday. His man coverage was far above most linebackers, and his size and athleticism overwhelmed a lot of receivers. From the ability to change direction, ability to play the ball and display good hands, Reynolds holds all the cards to be the best LB in the state before the end of the season. Central Michigan is really fortunate to have landed his commitment.

Athletesism.

Elijah is one of the highest-upside players in this class, largely because of his athletic ability and size profile. There are a few examples of great athletic ability on tape. 0:23 is a very good interception showing off solid change of direction and good hands. At last year’s GVSU prospect camp, Elijah flashed high-end athleticism during each and every drill. He’s still a bit raw and slow to react at times, but the upside is unquestioned. As long as Elijah can work hard and commit to improving the little things at the next level, Elijah could be a great college football player.

Elijah is the biggest “sleeper” on this list. Just a month ago I shared my evaluation of Elijah from my rankings spreadsheet. Here’s the link to that article, and here are the cliff notes of my evaluation.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Elijah is currently my #2 linebacker in Michigan. Looks the part, is very athletic, long, and had a lot of success this past season. Needs to become a better tackler + better play speed. Too often does he lay down a shoulder instead of wrapping up. Struggles to play with the play speed + explosiveness I know he’s capable of.
Division 1 upside- high-tier GLIAC prospect likely.