Sac-Joaquin Section’s Top 5 Returning Tackle Leaders at Linebacker
The Sac-Joaquin Section has a great history of turning out some impressive linebackers. Before playing in seven Pro Bowls for the Chicago Bears, Lance Briggs made a name for himself by dominating at Elk Grove High School back in the…
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Continue ReadingThe Sac-Joaquin Section has a great history of turning out some impressive linebackers. Before playing in seven Pro Bowls for the Chicago Bears, Lance Briggs made a name for himself by dominating at Elk Grove High School back in the late 1990s. More recently, current Carolina Panther and Grant High alum Shaq Thompson was a five-star recruit at the position.
Those two are just a couple of the names that have helped put the area on the map and pave the way for the new generation of linebackers in the section. This year’s class has plenty of talent and below is a look at what the top five returning tackle leaders bring to the table.
Ryan Enney – Oak Ridge – Class of 2021
2019 Stats: 142 total tackles, 103 solo, 10.9 tackles per game, 10 TFLs
Enney ranked third in tackles among the section’s linebackers last season, and that doesn’t happen without a high football IQ. Against the run, he has very good mental processing to diagnose the play combined with good quickness and acceleration to fill open gaps. That quickness along with his good use of hands and play strength helps him to avoid or shed blocks from offensive linemen, and he has good tackling form by using good pad level and wrapping up the running back’s legs, limiting the ball carrier’s yards after contact. Against the pass, the Trojan is good at reading the quarterback’s eyes and has good change of direction skills to take away options as the hook to curl defender in zone coverage. Also, as a blitzer he has good quickness and acceleration to close and force the ball out of the QB’s hand. If he can improve upon his agility to increase range on outside running plays, he’ll have no problem becoming one of the top linebackers in the area, again. Enney also displays a lot of versatility as he also plays tight end, full back, and special teams.
Zachary Brooks – Davis – Class of 2021
2019 Stats: 123 total tackles, 10.3 tackles per game, 3.5 sacks
The best way to describe Brooks’ game is to call him an “old school” linebacker who craves contact and is physical at the point of attack. He has good mental processing and instincts to quickly diagnose inside runs, and he’s good at tackling in his gap using good pad level, wrapping up, and good play strength to prevent yards after contact. In open-field tackling situations, he displays good effort, takes efficient angles, and maintains his good tackling form. The Davis native also has a knack for stripping the ball out after initial contact. When dropping back in zone coverage, he’s good at reading the quarterback’s eyes with solid quickness to close on receivers as the ball arrives. Also, Brooks has good ball skills with good hands and timing to get interceptions and pass breakups. He does have a false step out of his stance that reduces some of his acceleration and could use his hands more when taking on blocks, but his physicality and overall playmaking ability is something that coaches at the next level will be more than happy to work with.
Thomas Froberg – Rio Linda – Class of 2021
2019 Stats: 116 total tackles, 64 solo, 11.6 per game, 10 TFLs
Froberg can make plays with some impressive athletic ability. Especially when blitzing, he has good to very good acceleration to penetrate the offensive line and play in the offense’s backfield. Against zone runs, he has good change of direction skills to account for his gap responsibility and factor into the play when the running back bounces outside by a gap or two. The knight also has good range on outside runs to make plays in the opposite C gap when lined up over the backside guard due to good effort, acceleration, and angles. At the point of contact, he’s a sure tackler who has good play strength to put ball carriers on their backs. There is some room for improvement in Forberg’s instincts and ability to read offenses, but that should come with more time and experience at the position.
Malcolm McGlothin – Sheldon – Class of 2021
2019 Stats: 106 total tackles, 67 solo, 11.8 per game
McGlothin is just about every coach’s model player as he is the definition of a snap to whistle type of player. He displays good effort and hustle against the run and has a nose for the ball as he’s consistently in a position to make tackles on his own or help his teammates. Also, the linebacker has good play strength and pad level to bring running backs down when tackling in his gap. In coverage, he has good eye disciple as he’s good at reading the quarterback and finding the closest receiver, and he has good ball skills to get interceptions and pass breakups. McGlothin’s high effort level also shows up when blitzing as he has a good pass rush motor to get coverage sacks. If the Sacramento native can play with a little more physicality at the point of attack and start taking on blockers with his hands, he’ll be catching a lot of college coaches’ eyes this season.
Nekhi Broadway – Monterey Trail – Class of 2021
2019 Stats: 104 total tackles, 60 solo, 8.0 tackles per game, 5 TFLs
Whether it’s in coverage or as a run defender, Broadway has some impressive instincts and athletic ability. Against the run, he’s quick to diagnose the play and recognize when he can leave his gap responsibility, with good quickness and agility to help his teammates on gang tackles. Also, he has good acceleration to make plays between the hash and numbers when lined up on the opposite side of the field against outside runs. In coverage, the Monterey Trail product has good to very good eye discipline, and mental processing, which combined with his quickness and agility allows him to read the quarterback’s eyes and make a play on the ball or make contact with the receiver at the catch point. Some time in the weight room should do Broadway well as he has a lean frame and adding some size and strength will help him take on blocks and become a more impactful tackler, without having to sacrifice too much of the athleticism that makes him a special player.