Welcome to the ArizonaVarsity.com 2018 Film Session Series, where I'll be posting brief, daily evaluations of a few Arizona prep football athletes. To be considered for inclusion in the Film Session Series, email me your highlights, as well a brief biography to azhsfootball@gmail.com.
2019 Westview QB Chase Pope
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170
What I liked: Could there actually be a 2019 quarterback with over 5,000 career yards passing that is considered "slept on?" In the eyes of some, Chase Pope is that QB. Pope recently transferred from Copper Canyon, where he passed for 5,113 yards and 55 touchdowns over the last three seasons. Pope's best asset is his ability to keep himself upright and fire the ball downfield when the play breaks down. Time will tell how Pope's transfer to Westview for his senior season will affect both his recruiting and his production as a QB. The Knights have historically been more of a run-heavy team, but with Scott Fallers at QB last year, the Knights upped their total pass attempts on the season over 50% from 2016. I'm looking forward to seeing what Pope is able to do with an increased talent level both surrounding and opposing him. If he can keep up the production and cut down on the turnovers, it could set him up to go from "slept on" to sleeper recruit.
2019 Casteel OL Brandon Babcock
Height:6-6
Weight: 265
What I liked: 2018 is a very important year for Babcock. He's got what colleges like as a 6-6 tackle with good hands and a frame that can be built up instead of needing to be slimmed down. This year Babcock is finally going to take on some athletes coming off the edge and trying to take down Gunner Cruz that have the size and speed to truly challenge him. Keep an eye on Brandon Babcock, because if his first four games come out looking like his junior film against smaller competition did, you're going to see colleges falling all over themselves to get him aboard.
2019 Mesquite LB Holden Owen
Height: 6-1
Weight: 195
What I liked: Speed! While I'm not sure tight end is the position that Holden Owen will be playing beyond high school, you have to love the acceleration and athleticism you see on the play at 0:31. As a linebacker, Owen can use that acceleration to do some serious damage this year. I'd like to see him improve his reaction time in getting off the ball so that his primary weapon is that much more lethal. I'd be curious to see if he has enough speed to be looked at as a safety at the next level, because he certainly already has the size.
2019 Mountain Ridge DB Anthony DiGiorgio
Height: 5-10
Weight: 165
What I liked: DiGiorgio sent me his highlights, and he's the second Mountain Ridge defender I've had a chance to look at. This team swarms to the ball, and hopefully with the growth and improvement in the offseason of players like DiGiorgio, they'll be able able to slow some opponents down and string together a few more wins. DiGiorgio averaged four tackles per game in 8 varsity games as a junior. In his highlights you can tell he has no problem giving up his body to make a play. With aggressive tendencies like that, if he can add some weight, hopefully he'll be able to drive through ballcarriers instead of absorbing the impact of the turf from successfully diving at ankles.
