PRZ Dakotas 2023 All-Oklahoma Drill Team
In this article:
The Oklahoma drill is one of the most common and most popular drills for football coaches. It separates the men from the boys real quick and also shows who really wants to win on Friday Nights. The most common form…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe Oklahoma drill is one of the most common and most popular drills for football coaches. It separates the men from the boys real quick and also shows who really wants to win on Friday Nights. The most common form of this drill is a ballcarrier and blocker squaring off against a Defensive Lineman and LB and may the best side win. It quietly tests an offenses and defenses technique, quickness, patience, and grit. This article has my picks for an All-Star Oklahoma drill of players who would be really fun to watch in the drill. Take out all other factors and trap some good athletes in a small space and have them duke it out between the cones, a football version of one-on-one. Check out my picks below!
Offense:
First Team
OL- Elliott Renville Elliott Renville 6'4" | 285 lbs | OL SF Lincoln | 2023 State , Sioux Falls Lincoln
Renville’s versatility in the Offensive Line is what impressed me most. He moved between Guard and Tackle depending on the Patriot scheme that week. I liked his pad level and explosion off of the snap, mixing his technique in with those led to pancakes for days.
Kael Miedema Kael Miedema 6'8" | 310 lbs | OL SF Washington | 2023 State , Sioux Falls Washington
Miedema is a very large man, with really bad intentions for the opposing Defensive Line. He knows how to use his size and strength to bury any lineman who either doesn’t engage him properly, or doesn’t get away from him fast enough. Bodies will hit the ground if you cross him.
RB- Gavin Ross Gavin Ross 5'11" | 205 lbs | RB Harrisburg | 2023 State , Harrisburg
Ross was the Tiger workhorse in the backfield this season. He made sure the opposing defenses respected the Harrisburg run game anywhere on the field, of they didn’t it was either a big gain or six points. Agility, vision, speed, power, the kid had it all and made it a nightmare for the defense, making sure they defended the whole field on each play.
Brenden Begeman Brenden Begeman 6'2" | 195 lbs | RB Herreid/Selby | 2023 State , Herreid/Selby
Begeman has a huge motor that really stuck out this season. He made sure that the defense would finish the play on every play. Many times he would find his way out of the pile and rip off a big gain when the defense stopped before the whistle.
Second Team
OL- Joel Edland Joel Edland 6'5" | 270 lbs | OL Bismarck Century | 2023 State , Bismarck Century
Edland looked like he was hunting defenders when he got off the ball. He fired off the snap and zeroed in on the biggest threat on that play and made sure he was on the ground before the play was over. He played fundamentally sound, with good hand placement and not drawing flags.
Jarrett Theisen Jarrett Theisen 6'5" | 295 lbs | OL Watertown | 2023 State , Watertown
Theisen wasn’t a flashy, overpowering lineman on every play, but he was going to get the job done on every single play. He didn’t need to take the defender to the ground on every play, just as long as he did his job and made his play. Another fundamentally sound blocker.
RB- Hadley Wallace Hadley Wallace 5'10" | 190 lbs | RB Hanson | 2023 State , Hanson
Wallace is a home-run hitter on the offensive side of the ball. He’d get the ball, stretch it outside as far as he could to the perimeter, then hit the open gap and gash the defense for a big play on every play. He carried enough power to not go down on first contact as well.
Trey Heinrich Trey Heinrich 6'0" | 175 lbs | RB Kindred | 2023 State , Kindred
Heinrich used his set of skills and put them in a different order of importance than most other RB’s. His patience stood out to me, he waited for the blocks to develop, but then threw the hammer down and exploded into the open field to really rip off a big play for the offense.
Defense:
First Team
DL- Karter Menz Karter Menz 6'5" | 215 lbs | DL West Fargo Sheyenne | 2023 State , West Fargo Sheyenne
Menz in the defender that every QB has nightmares about. Quick off the ball, good hand technique to shed blocks, and strong enough to run through his blockers. He also is very violent on contact when making a tackle, positions himself well and wraps up.
Reis Kirschenman Reis Kirschenman 6'4" | 245 lbs | DL Tea Area | 2023 State , Tea Area
Kirschenman loves to disrupt an offenses flow. He is off the ball so fast and takes a great angle, where if it needs time to develop, it will not develop. He wraps up well and is also very violent on contact and attacks the football.
LB- Richard Benenge Richard Benenge 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Harrisburg | 2023 State , Harrisburg
Benenge will be wherever the ball will be by the end of the play. He does a great job not falling for misdirection and finding the ball o make the tackle each and every play. He positions himself and controls his motor well enough to not overrun plays and breaks down to make tackles.
Josh Balstad Josh Balstad 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB West Fargo | 2023 State , West Fargo
Balstad controls the middle of the field. Pass or run, the play ends with him making the play. He fills his gap quickly and always pops the ballcarrier backwards with a big hit. He wraps up well and finishes through the whistle.
Second Team
DL- Abraham Myers Abraham Myers 6'4" | 215 lbs | DL Sioux Falls Washington | 2023 State , Sioux Falls Washington
Myers plays his position well on each play. He holds his contain and puts pressure on the QB on pass plays. He does a great job funneling the ball back to the middle of the field, and not overrunning plays.
Ty Naaktgeboren Ty Naaktgeboren 6'4" | 220 lbs | DL SF Roosevelt | 2023 State , Sioux Falls Roosevelt
Naaktgeboren has one of the best motors I’ve ever seen on the football field. He wants to make the play anywhere on the field whether the play is in his direction or not, he isn’t stopping until the play is made. He has tons of speed to run plays down from the backside and down the field.
LB- Jaxton Eck Jaxton Eck 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Brookings | 2023 State , Brookings
Eck plays on the perimeter really well, whether its containing run plays, rushing the QB or playing in coverage in the flats. He has the speed to contain the perimeter runs and either turning it back in, or making the tackle. Also shows speed when rushing the QB or running with receivers.
Noah Hutmacher Noah Hutmacher 6'3" | 220 lbs | LB Chamberlain | 2023 State , Chamberlain
Hutmacher was a play-seeker. He sat in the middle of the field, read his keys and the flow of the play. He took good angles and made the play. He used his size to his advantage to overpower both blockers and ballcarriers to make the play.
Hybrid (Both Offense and Defense):
RB/LB- Gabe Gutierrez Gabe Gutierrez 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Lincoln | 2023 State , Sioux Falls Lincoln
Gutierrez showed strong highlights on both sides of the ball, that I had to make a hybrid section for the two way players. He has all the strong traits of a good RB and LB, making him a big asset to the Patriots’ strategy every week.
OL/DL/FB- Jason Maciejczak Jason Maciejczak 6'4" | 320 lbs | OL Pierre | 2023 State , Douglas
Maciejczak was used in many different positions on each play of a drive it seemed. He could literally could play every position in an Oklahoma drill and do well at each of them. His size is really impressive, then add his footwork and strength and it makes him scary.
OL/DL- Charlie Prien Charlie Prien 6'2" | 240 lbs | OL Mount Vernon-Plankiton | 2023 State , Mount Vernon-Plankinton
Prein really prides himself in the trenches and does well on both sides of the ball. He uses his low center-of-gravity to control both sides of the ball. He also has strong technique on both sides of the ball, making him a real problem for the opponent.
Honorable Mentions:
RB- Nelson Wright Nelson Wright 5'9" | 200 lbs | RB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State , Sioux Falls Roosevelt
Carl Henry Carl Henry 5'11" | 190 lbs | RB Bismarck Legacy | 2023 State , Bismarck Legacy
OL- Christian Busch Christian Busch 6'4" | 250 lbs | OL Pierre | 2023 State , Pierre
Jake Vanhout Jake Vanhout 6'3" | 280 lbs | OL McCook Central-Montrose | 2023 State , McCook Central/Montrose
DL- Brennan Palmer Brennan Palmer 6'4" | 240 lbs | DL Fargo Davies | 2023 State , Fargo Davies
Patrick Kastning Patrick Kastning 6'9" | 365 lbs | DL Elk Point-Jefferson | 2023 State , Elk Point-Jefferson
LB- Cole Hebl Cole Hebl LB Hillsboro/Central Valley | 2023 State , Hillsboro/Central Valley
KJ Redd KJ Redd 5'11" | 205 lbs | LB Sioux Falls Jefferson | 2023 State , Sioux Falls Lincoln