Published Jan 29, 2021
Friday Film Session: Jan. 29th Edition
Cody Cameron  •  ArizonaVarsity
Lead Analyst
Twitter
@codytcameron

Welcome to a brand new year of the ArizonaVarsity Film Session. Joining me for this segment is former 3-Star University of Nevada LB and current Rivals Analyst Alec Simpson. Every Friday this Spring, Alec and I will spotlight Arizona High School football players from the 2022 class. Our goal is to continue to dedicate our platform for these athletes and to help them reach their goal of becoming student-athletes at the next level anyway we can. If you wish to nominate a player for articles for upcoming weeks, hop into the TeamAZV message boards on ArizonaVarsity.com to nominate a football player.

Advertisement

Independence High School ATH Valentin Gbafore 

Cody Cameron: Gbafore only played in five games last season, but man did he make the most out of his opportunity. Gbafore racked up 899 all-purpose yards and seven touchdowns last Fall. The 5’9 160-pound two-way standout also picked off three passes and caused a fumble from his secondary spot for the Patriots. The thing that jumps out on his tape is his speed. Gbafore shows electric speed with a great burst of acceleration.

info icon
Embed content not available

The opening play on Gbafore's tape does a great job of putting his lightning speed on full display. Gbafore takes a simple outside sweep 80+ yards down the left sideline, blowing past the second and the third level of the defense showing off his acceleration. Another play that really stands out to me on his film is the catch at the :49 second mark. Gbafore runs a quick hitch on the top of the screen and immediately makes a man miss with two more defenders ahead of him by 5-10 yards. Gbafore beats both defenders down the sideline cruising into the end zone for a touchdown. Both defensive backs had the angle on Gbafore to make the tackle near the sideline and he made both miss.

Gbafore currently holds no reported offers, but with another off-season of lifting and a full track season, I'd expect college programs to start taking notice.

Desert Ridge High School DE/OLB Lance Holtzclaw 

Alec Simpson: At 6-5 200 pounds Holtzclaw moves very well for a guy his size. He played defensive end and WR in high school For Desert Ridge, but translates best as a edge rush DE/OLB. Two plays into his highlight tape it was easy to diagnose that he moves like an Edge rush/OLB in a 3-4 system where he could potentially cover tight ends in man in a 9-tech concept. He could also play five yards off the ball as well and really be able to read run if needed. He has the athleticism, and just needs to learn the reads and concepts. He is a real fluid athlete and brings a firing burst off the line of scrimmage in his get off. I love his pursuit to the backfield in his pass rush and to continue to keep his motor high speaks volumes of his work ethic. He has a real wide frame to be able to add another 25-30 pounds and be a dominant force on the edge.

info icon
Embed content not available

At 0:25 on his junior season tape, Holtzclaw is coming off the edge on the strong side of the field, he quickly bursts off the line of scrimmage in his pass rush, continued his bull rush with solid arm extension on the opposing lineman, and once the quarterback rolled out of the pocket Holtzclaw kept his motor high to sack the Cal QB commit Kai Milner for a loss. His ability to keep his pursuit to the backfield consistent while the quarterback flushes to the opposite side of the pocket is one of many reasons he’s a division 1 talent.

The ceiling for Holtzclaw is high and don’t be surprised when his offer list climbs this off-season.

info icon
Embed content not available
info icon
Embed content not available

Cody Cameron: I love Holtzclaw's motor. I got to watch him in person this year against Higley and was blown away by his athleticism. Holtzclaw has great length matched with a great understanding of leverage and center of gravity. I truly think if he puts together a strong first half of tape next Fall his recruitment is going to explode. The offer sheet might stack up way sooner then that if we get a Spring Eval period this year. College Coaches will have new Desert Ridge Head Coach Roy Lopez' cell phone # saved on speed dial if the NCAA dead period ends like it's supposed to in April.

Holtzclaw currently holds one offer from Boston College

Casteel High School Safety Connor Clinton 

Alec Simpson: Connor Clinton is a BALLER out of Casteel S/ATH. But he definitely projects best as a safety. He is 6-1, 190 and has a solid frame and has a tremendous work ethic in the weight room. Clinton definitely plays well in space and displays terrific ball skills and honestly flashes a high level of athleticism. He had a productive junior season for the Colts in 8 games with 49 tackles, 1 sack, 2 caused fumbles, 1 int, and 4 passes deflected. When filling his run responsibility in the alley, I would like to see him being more of an enforcer in the run game. When watching his tape, he shows flashy instincts, ability to play in space, and is a playmaker in the open field. His ability to read, then react quickly toward the football, is definitely a standout attribute in his game.

info icon
Embed content not available

The first play on tape Clinton does a nice job of scanning the field in shifting to the motion side from a two by two receiver set to a three by one receiver set to the wide side of the field. Clinton is patient in his back pedal and intercepts the ball for a solid return. To sniff out that interception and have the patience as well as the ball skills to make that play are proven points of why Clinton is one of the more productive safety prospects in the Grand Canyon state.

Clinton has no reported college offers but is gaining interest from multiple D1 programs.

Hamilton High School WR Christian Anaya 

Cody Cameron: Anaya had a great Junior campaign as he led the Huskies in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns last fall. The 6’1 175-pound wide receiver proved to be one of the top pass catchers at the slot position in all of 6A last year. Anaya did a fantastic job of not telegraphing his routes off the snap of the football, showing off his quick footwork and getting inside releases consistently on nickel defensive backs and outside linebackers. Anaya also did an amazing job of finding the soft spot in zone defenses, and once catching the pass, showed a burst of getting north upfield to maximize yards gained.

info icon
Embed content not available

I love his first play to open up his film. Here we have a simple whip route. Anaya gets inside release and sells the inside slant hard. He breaks down and reverses out, the defensive player over pursues the inside route creating major separation. Anaya hauls in the pass and out runs Centennial’s defense for a big-time touchdown. The route is ran perfectly and Anaya does a great job of selling the slant. I expect Anaya to be a focal point in Hamilton's offense once again next season.


Anaya picked up his first Division 1 offer earlier this month from the University of Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Conference.

info icon
Embed content not available

Casteel High School Center Rudy Varela 

Cody Cameron: Rudy Varela is one of the most athletic centers in the entire state. The 6’4 285-pounder has a great understanding of leverage that is matched with solid footwork that is evident throughout his entire film. This isn’t a player who stays stationary in the A-gap during running plays, Varela does a great job of working to get to the 2ndlevel after blocking zero and one technique defensive linemen. Varela also does a tremendous job of pass blocking, showing a balanced stance keeping his hands tucked inside the defender’s chest plate.

info icon
Embed content not available

I like what I see from the play at the 1:44 mark of his tape. We have a sprint out left and from the snap, Varela high-tails it working alongside his left guard down the line of scrimmage to protect his QB. Varela shows off his athletic footwork and disciplined eyes and finishes the play by unloading a defender into the dirt. Also really like the play at the 1:51 mark. He gets off the snap of the ball pressing the defender inside and takes him for a ride into the end zone never stopping his feet. He is a great size interior OL with a ton of athleticism.

Varela gets it done in the classroom boasting a 4.2 GPA and is a multi-sport athlete at Casteel High School. He currently holds zero college offers, but I would expect that to change during this recruiting cycle.

info icon
Embed content not available

Chandler High School Cornerback Alfred Smith 

Cody Cameron: Alfred Smith has a lot working for him in this film session. For starters, I always enjoy breaking down Chandler Wolves player’s tapes. They are always so fundamentally sound and well-coached. Secondly, being a former secondary player back in the day, I love evaluating defensive back film. Smith checks both of these boxes and showed massive improvements to his game from his sophomore year in 2019 to his junior campaign this past Fall. The 5’10 160-pound cornerback really impressed me this season with his man-to-man technique in press coverage and his footwork never letting receivers gain too much separation in Cover 1 or 0 schemes. Smith also improved a ton in his tackling. Multiple times on tape you can see Smith T-step out of his back pedal and drive to the ball carrier with great speed.

info icon
Embed content not available

Turning on the film I absolutely love the opening play. Smith does a great job of shedding the blocker and getting his hands on the football, stripping the ball carrier and recovering the fumble. I also really like the play at the :29 second mark. The Chandler defense is in a Man Cover 1 with a LB blitzing off the right edge. The single high deep safety floats to the trips side to Rob over the top, leaving Smith on an island with the lone WR on the right side of Hamilton’s formation. Smith’s in a press man technique and doesn’t give up his inside leverage. He presses the opposing WR to the sideline, puts the WR on his hip pocket, and causes an incompletion with his tight coverage.

Smith currently holds a 3.6 GPA in the classroom and has yet to receive an offer. College Coaches call Chandler Head Coach, Rick Garretson, Smith can ball!!

info icon
Embed content not available

Mesquite High School LB/WR Andrew Morris

Alec Simpson: Morris is a wide framed two-way athlete at the high school level, but is someone who definitely projects best at the next level as an inside backer. At all of 6-3 215 pounds, he brings a lot of length and a solid level of athleticism to the front seven at the next level. Morris is someone who’s constantly around the football, whether that’s making a tackle in the backfield or creating turnovers with the football. He had a team-leading 2 interceptions and 2 fumble recoveries including one forced fumble in the 2020 season. As a blitzer, Morris does a great job of consistently hitting his gap responsibility and making a presence in opposing backfields. His pursuit to the football is definitely intriguing as he continued to be a standout for the Mesquite defense last fall.

info icon
Embed content not available

At 0:19 seconds on his junior season highlight tape, Morris is blitzing from depth and does a nice job of creeping in right before the snap of the football. He’s blitzing from the wide side of the field and hitting that strong A-gap as his nose guard hits the opposite A to open the blitz lane for Morris. The ball is snapped and Morris shoots the gap beautifully for a solid 5-yard tackle for loss. His ability to be patient and allow that lane to open up at the snap then time it perfectly for the tackle for loss shows the instinctual part of Morris’s blitzing game.

A couple of areas I’d really like to see Morris take the next step in during his senior season which all all starts right when the ball is snapped. As in an inside linebacker the read step should always be forward and never backward, as there were numerous times on film Morris is stepping backward in his read step at the snap. He needs to make sure his first read step is forward, read the guards feet, read the situation if pass or run, then react and fly to the football to make a play. Having that first read step forward allows the linebacker to read the flow of the game and to fly to the football to make a play. At times Morris was behind the play when he could’ve been there for multiple tackles for losses. Would also like to see him be more violent with offensive lineman that approach the second level and shed those oncoming blockers quicker to make plays on the football. He has the strength and athletic ability to be able to quickly improve these portions of his game.

Overall, Morris is definitely an intriguing prospect that could see himself playing for a group of 5 program come signing day of 2022.

Morris currently holds offers from the University of New Mexico and Northern Arizona University

info icon
Embed content not available

Cody Cameron: Andrew Morris is one of the top two-way players in the state of Arizona. Morris is an absolute tank and Alec's evaluation of his play is spot-on. This is a player who will benefit big-time if college coaches are able to step onto campus this upcoming Spring. The more eyes who get to see this young man in person, the more offers he will receive.

Williams Field High School DB Donovan Guyton 

Alec Simpson: Guyton is one of the more fundamentally sound safeties the state of Arizona has to offer out of Williams Field high school. He’s a solid 6-feet and 195 pounds. Guyton does a nice job of covering in space and has the ability to track the football while it’s still in the air. He’s very disciplined in his backpedal and reacts to the football in a timely manner to make plays. Guyton also shows a level of physicality needed to dominate the middle third of the field. If any receivers cross his face, he’s sure to let them know his presence is there. Guyton had a productive junior season for Williams Field with 32 tackles, 2 interceptions, 1 caused fumble, and 7 passes deflected. Often times Guyton is found making plays on the football which shows his ability to fly around and be a playmaker in the secondary.

info icon
Embed content not available

At 0:42 on his junior season highlight tape, Guyton does a nice job of reading the flow of the game as it’s a deep pass on the other side of the field. He quickly changes direction, goes from sideline to sideline and closes in on a terrific open field tackle to save the play from a large open field gain. That ability to play the open field and play sideline to sideline proves this young man can play.

There are a few areas of Guyton’s game I’d like to see some improvement in during his senior season. There were times on tape where Guyton was a a bit tentative when tackling in the open field. As a safety, you have to play the open field fast especially when coming downhill in the alley. Would also like to see Guyton really sink his hips a bit more in his backpedal and be more explosive when changing directions. Would really benefit him when either coming downhill to fill the alley and when changing direction to cover a deep third of the field.

Overall, Guyton has the tools to be a solid FCS prospect at the next level and it will be intriguing to see how his recruitment plays out this spring when people see him move in person.

Guyton currently has no reported offers.

Hamilton High School DE/OLB Grant Degraffenreid 

Cody Cameron: Grant Degraffenreid absolutely balled out in his first season with the Hamilton Huskies last year. The 6’1 215-pound defensive end racked up 19.5 tackles for loss, had 35 quarterback hurries, and forced two fumbles in his Junior campaign last Fall. Degraffenreid showed violent and quick hands with an explosive first step off the snap of the football. Degraffenreid sliced through blockers, consistently penetrating through opposing offensive lines to make tackles in the backfield. Degraffenreid lined up against some of the state’s top offensive linemen every week, and most of the time, he won those 1-on-1 battles. This is a really athletic, high-motor football player who has the versatility to play as an edge rusher in an odd front or an outside linebacker position at the next level.

info icon
Embed content not available

Degraffenreid’s tape is one of my favorite defensive films is in the entire 6A conference. The play Degraffenreid makes at the 1:06 mark against Perry is picture perfect. Quick first step off the ball, active hands swiping away the right tackle, slips between the arms of the guard, keeps his shoulder square to the quarterback, and drops him for a big-time sack. Plays like that are consistently present in this film as Degraffenreid made a living in opposing backfields.

Degraffenreid is a multi-sport athlete who has a reported 3.5 GPA. He currently has no offers, but in my opinion, this young man will be a great asset to any school who takes a chance on him.

Brophy Prep DL Zac Swanson 

Alec Simpson: Swanson is a wide framed defensive end who checks in at a solid 6-4 250 pounds and definitely projects best as a true 5-tech. He currently holds 13 scholarship offers from the likes of Auburn, Oklahoma, and just recently picked up USC Monday morning. Swanson proves to be one of the top edge rushers in the west region with his explosive get off from the line of scrimmage and ability to extend his arms with a violent approach in his pass rush as well as shed oncoming blockers to make plays in the backfield. Swanson does a nice job of creating separation from opposing lineman and shows twitchy instincts in his ability to read the flow of the football. Another point in Swansons game that needs to be highlighted is his constant pursuit to the football, regardless of the play direction.

info icon
Embed content not available

At 0:19 seconds on tape, Swanson shows textbook pass rush technique in both the club and rip as well as the swim move. He does a nice job of exploding out of his stance, he then uses a clean club and rip on the oncoming left tackle. The running back then comes for him in pass pro and Swanson demonstrates a fantastic swim move to get by the RB to force the quarterback to throw an incomplete pass. That technique shows how fundamentally sound Swanson is at the defensive end position.

Now, there is some improvement in Swanson’s game that could ultimately take his game to the next level and it all starts with his pad level. Would like to see him shoot low through his gap assignment with his explosiveness and engage violent hands at the point of attack. In the interior, the low man ALWAYS wins.

Swanson is without a doubt a power five recruit and with the debut of his junior tape, more offers will continue to flurry in for the 4-star prospect.

Cody Cameron: Swanson's junior tape is one my favorite defensive films in the entire state. Swanson posted these highlights only a few days ago, and I called Alec immediately after watching because I was so hyped. His explosiveness and nastiness, showing active hands extended through the offensive linemen chest plate, keeping his shoulders square and consistently making plays in the backfield, is whatt sets him apart in this class. That 4-star ranking is very much deserved. You're looking at one of the top defensive players in the state right here.

Make sure to follow ArizonaVarsity.com on social platforms for more daily content!

Facebook

Twitter (Main)

Twitter (Preps)

Instagram


Support our sponsors:

AALL Insurance

People's Mortgage