L.A. Area: Under the Radar RB’s
It’s no secret that Los Angeles is loaded with big time talent. However, there is so much talent around LA that oftentimes someone may get overlooked because they’re not a 3,4, or 5 star ranked athlete. Take a look at…
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Continue ReadingIt’s no secret that Los Angeles is loaded with big time talent. However, there is so much talent around LA that oftentimes someone may get overlooked because they’re not a 3,4, or 5 star ranked athlete. Take a look at 5 sleeper RB’s in the LA City Section to get on your radar:
Nova Kebeli, Portola HS (C/O 2022)
Kebeli has solid vision and shows a good initial first step and burst through the hole. He has excellent upper and lower body strength all around as he transitions his 415 squat and 305 bench press to the field nicely without losing athleticism. Kebeli possesses good balance and body control, as if he’s not wrapped up, he’s not going down. He does his best work between the tackles and finishes runs. Overall he shows good lateral agility to jump cut or change direction immediately past the LOS. Physical runner and he does a good job keeping his legs driving to generate forward momentum when stood up in traffic to gain extra yards. Definitely a 2022 kid to get your radar.
Tre Samuel, Westchester HS (C/O 2021)
Although he has limited film, Samuel has the potential to be a game changer at RB. He shows good vision between the tackles and in open space, with a solid initial first step. Samuel shows excellent second level speed and hits top speed almost immediately, giving him massive big play ability. He is explosive out of his cuts and dangerous in open space. Samuel has shown the ability to cut, change direction, or stop and go on a dime and make defenders miss in open space. Haven’t seen any physicality on film, but his speedy skillset gives him a very high ceiling to be a game breaker this season and multiple tools to build off of at the next level.
Kaden Jones, Reseda HS (C/O 2022)
Jones has an athletic frame at 5’10” 190lbs with a strong and thick lower half. Jones shows good physicality at the point of contact with good balance to be able to bounce off opponents and pick up extra chunks of yards. He shows a slight patience for holes to develop, then accelerates fairly well once he sees an opening lane. He is more of a north-style type back given his build, but has shown the ability to be effective when stretching the edge or bouncing runs outside the tackles when needed. Jones has flashed a nasty jump-cut at the LOS to make defenders miss. He is only scratching the surface of his potential, and would be a good 2022 kid to take note of.
Felix Rodriguez, San Fernando HS (C/O 2021)
Rodriguez shows solid acceleration through the hole and can slip his way into open space. He does his best work on the edges, as he has been very effective bouncing runs outside, or running designed outside zones, sweeps, and swing passes from the backfield. He shows good lateral vision and bounce with good speed overall. He’s explosive out of cuts and has shown that one cut and go ability. Rodriguez has shown decent physicality at the point of contact, but tends to rely on his speed rather than physicality. He’s sown big play ability, and has potential to have a breakout senior season.
Jorge Hernandez, Canoga Park HS (C/O 2021)
Hernandez is a workhorse back with good physicality. He’s a strong, downhill runner that can wear down a defense. He frequently picks up yards after contact and does a good job running through arm tackles and finishing runs. He’s more physical rather than fast, but has shown some flashes of good speed once he hits the second level to take runs for big gains. At 5’10” 185lbs, Hernandez shows a strong build and holds solid potential to develop at the next level.