’22 Season District Previews: Linemen – Metro-Maroon North
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District Previews: Metro-Maroon North In this edition of the 2022 season Lineman previews, I will be focusing on the Metro-Maroon North district as I look to dissect which Linemen on both sides of the ball I feel are prone to…
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Continue ReadingDistrict Previews: Metro-Maroon North
In this edition of the 2022 season Lineman previews, I will be focusing on the Metro-Maroon North district as I look to dissect which Linemen on both sides of the ball I feel are prone to have a great season ahead of them.
Grant Chapman
Grant
Chapman
6'5" | 280 lbs | OL
Anoka | 2023
State
MN
| Offensive Tackle | Anoka | 2023
A pulling tackle is somewhat of a lost art these days, but it is an art that Grant is reviving as he can frequently be seen pulling out to the 2nd and 3rd level to engage defenders successfully. My facial shock was displayed when I saw Grant engage a cornerback while pulling; from that point on, I knew Grant’s pulling abilities were supreme for a Tackle at his age. Grant’s pulling talents are enhanced by his excellent handwork as it allows him to get past the first level of defenders and engage their chest plate effectively, not to allow any separation between himself and the defensive players. When Grant has engaged the opposing players’ chest plate, it lights out for those defenders as he is an aggressive player looking for the finish. Grant is a stout figure at 6’5″ and 280 lbs, a figure large enough to see him garner further college attention as the year goes on. However, at such height, I look for Grant to continue his development with his footwork and become more nimble on his feet so that he does not leave himself susceptible to the smaller and quicker defensive linemen. Overall, Grant is an offensive lineman that all quarterbacks can agree they would like protecting them, and I look for that sentiment to ring true as Grant goes into his senior campaign.
Jawahn Cockfield
Jawahn
Cockfield
5'11" | 240 lbs | DL
Stillwater Area | 2023
MN
| Defensive Lineman | Stillwater | 2023
Jawahn is a run-defending defensive lineman, and he makes his gap a hostile environment for any back with a play called towards Jawahn. This young man is an excellent defender and plays so well that he can control his opponent. Jawahn is impressive at getting his hands on the offensive linemen and extending his arms so that he can create space. Once space has been created, Jawahn keeps his head up to eye where the play is going. Once the play is spotted, Jawahn shows that he is strong enough to throw many offensive players to the side as if they are rag dolls. These playing attributes listed are what many defensive line coaches hope their athletes withhold, and Jawahn does them all so well. Jawahn also has a motor on him and chases plays down to the whistle while also taking great angles for the most efficient path to the ball handler. Jawahn is a spectacular run defender, but I would like to see him evolve as a pass rusher and explode off the ball more in his upcoming senior season. Put all this together, and Stillwater has a monster on the DLine this forthcoming season.
Jerome Williams
Jerome
Williams
6'5" | 280 lbs | OL
Osseo | 2023
State
MN
| Offensive Tackle | Osseo | 2023
The linemen battle is often won with the initial step, and Jerome has a significant first step, which is sternally set into the ground in a position that will allow him to turn his defensive opponents where he wants them to go. Simply put, Jerome is a wonderful finisher on the field, and he shows that he is looking to pancake everyone he comes across on the gridiron in how he plays until the whistle blows. More often than not, Jerome is indeed pancaking defenders. That aggressiveness with finishing his blocks sometimes leaves him susceptible to a defensive lineman’s hand moves as he can be seen lunging sometimes; I look for Jerome to continue working on keeping his legs beneath him in his senior season. Overall, an asset for Osseo as they have a stout blocker for their offensive backs this year.
Damarion Pollard | Defensive Lineman | White Bear Lake | 2023
Hard-nose ball player is one way I like to describe Damarion’s game best. Damarion is an intrusive d-lineman for the offensive players in all the best ways as he makes his presence known in the trenches with his intelligent and decisive play. Damarion plays heads-up football off the line and reads the backfield well, which allows him to see where the plays are going and react. Damarion never over-commits like many aggressive players can be caught doing, which makes for intelligent plays on Damarions behalf. Damarion is of a significant size coming off the line at roughly 6’2″ tall and around 245 lbs, which makes for a mass that is often tough for his offensive contenders to handle. As Damarion goes into his last season of prep ball, I will look for him to develop his explosiveness off the line and continue to fine-tune his hand technique. Nevertheless, White Bear Lake has a defender on their side that opposing coaches will be planning around.