Southern California Class of 2021 Sleepers (Part 4)
California is loaded with high school football talent and top college programs flock to the state every year to fill their rosters. While there are a ton of Power 5 caliber players in the area, there are even more players…
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Continue ReadingCalifornia is loaded with high school football talent and top college programs flock to the state every year to fill their rosters.
While there are a ton of Power 5 caliber players in the area, there are even more players who can excel at the FCS, Division 3 and NAIA levels.
The players listed below are talented players that vary in their college appeal. Some of them have Division 3 offers but are worthy of FCS offers. Some of them have FCS offers but could easily play for a Group of 5 school. Some of them have no offers at all, but should.
It has been 28 days since I last wrote about sleepers in Southern California and what better way to commemorate a Halloween weekend that to show some spotlight on some under-recruited athletes in the Sunshine State?
In early September, I wrote about six Southern California sleepers to keep an eye on this upcoming season.
For my birthday on September 18th, I published a free article highlighting a new batch of sleepers.
In case you missed it, I highlighted a group of sleepers on October 2.
Here are a few more sleepers in the Southern California area to watch when football starts in 2021. We have a good mix of Orange County, San Diego and LA prospects.
David Arana, Tackle/Defensive End, Castle Park, Chula Vista
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 220 pounds
GPA: 3.5
Analysis: Arana fits really well in Castle Park’s offense and can play on either side of the offensive line, which isn’t very common anymore. He could improve on his pad level in the running game and sometimes relies on his strength to overpower weaker defensive linemen, but there isn’t much else to nitpick about him. He is athletic while bouncing to the next level, quick enough to pull and he is an excellent pass blocker. He doesn’t lean forward in pass protection and has solid footwork. Arana could bulk up and be an offensive lineman for a Division III school or be a tight end type. He has offers from Carthage, Pacific and Ripon College.
Saturday 6:30am @CP_Trojans Warrior workout
David Arana OL/DE ’21
6’3 202lbs
GPA 3.4
2nd Team Offense All-LeagueDavid has gained 15lbs and dropped 4% body fat since the 2109 season ended. Played LT at only 187lbs in his first year of football. pic.twitter.com/KdTDmaEFjU
— Louie Hernandez (@LOUIED619) January 11, 2020
Zevi Eckhaus, Quarterback, Culver City, Culver City
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 190 pounds
GPA: 3.8
Analysis: Eckhaus led all juniors in the Southern Section in yards (4,456), yards per game (342.8) and touchdowns (59) last season for Culver City. When I saw these numbers, I opened his highlight film expecting to see a system quarterback who has a lot of high-percentage throws against bad teams. What I saw was an athletic quarterback who throws the deep ball well and takes a surprising amount of risks. He keeps his eyes downfield while scrambling and can throw on the run. Culver City played a decent schedule and was 12-0 before losing to St. Paul in the semifinals. I get that he isn’t the biggest guy in the world and some of those risks he takes may backfire at the next level, but I can’t figure out why he isn’t more respected as a prospect. Eckhaus has offers from Colgate, Sacred Heart and William & Mary. I expect him to get many more FCS offers during his senior year.
Eckhaus with the money pass 🤑@ZeviEckhaus 👉 @DuveTanner@CulverCityFB | #PrepZone pic.twitter.com/g5WnfO3oV5
— FOX Sports Prep Zone (@prepzone) October 12, 2019
Brandon Roberts, Running Back, Sunny Hills, Fullerton
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 180 pounds
Analysis: Roberts became eligible for Sunny Hills midway through its season last year and he made an immediate impact. The Lancers run a modified Double-Wing offense and it allows them to use Roberts as a fly-sweep running back and use him in the passing game. They run this gorgeous play where they fake the fly sweep and he runs a fade down the middle of the field from the wing position and it’s a guaranteed 25 yards a pop. He is a matchup nightmare for defensive coordinators because he is too fast for linebackers and even most safeties to cover on wheel routes. Roberts is also a ball hawk as a safety and makes big plays. He was a top 3 player on a CIF championship team and deserves to be recruited more than he currently is. He holds no offers and would be an excellent Division III player and can even hang at the FCS level.
my life is like a movie but where is this journey going to take me at the next level #2021 #unrecruited pic.twitter.com/jYEXwTf9qi
— brandon roberts (@b_roberts_6) January 14, 2020
Nathan Sanchez, Offensive Line/Defensive Line, West Hills, Santee
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 260 pounds
Analysis: Sanchez is a big guy who often splits double teams and is a load to move. He is naturally strong and most offensive linemen have a difficult time getting a push on him in the running game. The knock on him is that he can be slow off the ball and is doesn’t move very well, which is why I like him more as an offensive lineman. His pad level is better as an offensive lineman and and his footwork is solid. If he works on his agility, I think he can be an offensive lineman at the Division III level.
Drew Sulick, Outside Linebacker, Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 200 pounds
GPA: 3.8
Analysis: It’s rare that the leading tackler on a Trinity League team is under-recruited, but that is the case with Sulick. He led Santa Margarita with 88 tackles and added 2 sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked punt. Sulick will likely be a safety at the college level and he has the athleticism and instincts to play in the secondary. He is aggressive as a blitzer and if he gets a hand on somebody, they are not breaking that tackle. He was First Team All-Trinity League and got his first offer from St. Ambrose University last week. I think he is a shoe in to be a starter at the Division III level and I think some Division II and FCS schools may take a chance on him.
scoutSMART ⭐️ LB Spotlight:
LB Drew Sulick – @DrewSulick43
6’1’’ 200 lbs👨🎓 C/O 2021 @ Santa Margarita HS (CA)
GPA- 3.62019 Stats:
🚨 33 Solo Tackles
🚨 55 Asst. Tackles
🚨 100 Meter Dash: 11.3
🎥 https://t.co/ZEVnojsc7m📈 statSCORE – 5.0
Strong and Versatile LB! 💪 pic.twitter.com/0IfNNmaHer
— scoutSMART® (@scoutSMART_) May 14, 2020
Cole Yoshida, Wide Receiver, Tesoro, Rancho Santa Margarita
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 180 pounds
Analysis: Yoshida is the only receiver who got significant playing time who is returning for Tesoro, a program that loves to move the ball through the air. They used him a lot in the short passing game last season and on dig routes over the middle and it was successful. Yoshida is a natural route runner who excels at finding holes in zone defenses. He can break tackles, return punts and is always one of the best athletes on the field. I expect Tesoro to unleash him as a deep threat this season and for him to put up big numbers. Yoshida has offers from Whittier College, Lake Forest College, Puget Sound, Pacific University and Redlands.