One of the most explosive athletes among the DBs was the Bethlehem Academy DB. Oliver measured in at 5’7” 162 lbs, and tore up the combine with a 9’1″ broad jump, 35.2″ vertical, 4.52 40 yard dash, and 6.97 L-Drill. As a junior, Oliver used that top of the line athleticism to make an impact on offense, defense, and special teams. His vision, elusiveness, and speed make him dangerous with the ball in his hands. On defense, Linnemann is a surprisingly effective tackler. He closes very quickly and knows to go low and wrap up to bring down the bigger athletes. Oliver also shows off very quick feet in his backpedal and can transition from backpedal to running with receivers in an instant. You can see the confidence he plays with out wide. He trusts his talent and what he reads. Don’t miss out on the athletic three way impact.

Oliver was not the biggest defensive back at the Tommies prospect camp last Friday, but man did this young man play his tail off with plenty of intriguing skillsets. This young man had one of the most noticeable twitches with his change of direction I saw amongst the defensive back and that certainly stuck out when the Tommies ran Oliver thru the County Fair drills, which Oliver showed high levels of endurance and always finished each drill with plenty of range within his lower body. Oliver was also extremely physical in coverage as a scrappy 5’9 160 pound defensive back that played with a fearless demeanor no matter what size the size was of the WR prospect he was defending. His best skillset I watched in coverage was how balanced yet feisty he was from the top of the route, as this young man did a great job with his read instincts to startle the WR out of position super early in their rep. This kid is a defined swiss-army knife that will be an asset on special teams as well on Saturdays, as Oliver’s recruiting is still in my eyes under the radar.

Linnemann is a nightmare for defenses in the open field. He is one of those guys who can make multiple cuts in a very small area. When he gets space, he has the speed to outrun defenders who think they have an angle on him. With those open-field skills, it was no surprise to me to see he is a dangerous kick returner. Dangerous on end arounds, his hands compliment his speed. He is also a threat to throw the ball too. He has a nice arm for a non-quarterback, and neither he nor the coaching staff has trouble letting him use it. As a corner, his quick-cutting ability and speed translate perfectly. Although he is smaller than most guys on the field, he is a great tackler and can get off blocks in the open field.

A top standout from December’s PRzMN Stock-Up Showcase, I was particularly excited about Bethlehem Academy’s 2024 CB Oliver Linnemann after the 1-on-1 competition portion of the event, where the smaller yet feisty corner was tough and sticky in coverage and won a ton of reps over the course of the afternoon. Also a standout WR and returner, not to mention a productive member of the Faribault hockey squad, Linnemann’s quite an athlete, with speed, burst out of his cuts, excellent COD skills and body control, and a playmaking mentality no matter where he lines up at. In his offensive and returner highlights he’s very shifty and hard to get a hand on when running routes or with the ball in hand, and I also like how he defends the edge and tackles low in run support from the CB spot. He can do it all on the gridiron and is an athletic and exciting 5’7, 150 lb. package. Bethlehem Academy has some good-looking prospects returning for this fall.