The rankings are completed for ALL 2016 Long Snappers that participated in the Rubio Long Snapping National Event: VEGAS XXV!
Approximately 300 Long Snappers came in from nearly every state in the country and even Canada to learn from the best and get the most exposure possible for Long Snappers. This was what you call a true national event to see how you really compare against the best in the world. As I stated before, there is nothing like Vegas and this one definitely did not disappoint. Testimonials are coming in non-stop regarding the weekend. With the addition of an agility and tackling station, athleticism really played a role in the rankings.
Next ranking opportunity will be at any Rubio Long Snapping spring and summer camp.
This group was simply amazing with the level of talent they brought out to the field on both days. I could make this post 20 pages long talking about each and every one of them. Here are the best of the best….
- John Shannon: This kid snaps with as much power as anyone I have ever worked with in over a decade. The ball explodes out his hands towards the punter. He uses his whole, strong, body really well. Athletically, he moves with purpose and runs very hard. His lateral movement is excellent. I would like to see him control his body a bit more by VEGAS XXVI. He is ready NOW for the next level.
- Johnny Den Bleyker: Den Bleyker is EXTREMELY athletic and just destroyed the agility and tackling station at VEGAS XXV. He moved flawlessly and made it look effortless. Not only is he a great Long Snapper, but a true athlete as well. Den Bleyker has very quick hands when he is snapping. The ball flies out of the gate and is almost hard to time. He has a great attitude and work ethic. He is always improving. He is ready now for the next level.
- Jake Cesear: He is built EXTREMELY long and is, easily, one of the top athletes in his class. Cesear has a frame that will be able to put on another 40 pounds in the next couple of years. That will definitely make a difference on punt coverage. His starting form is very good and he is using his whole body really well. He needs to make sure he is keeping his weight back so he doesn’t fall forward and is able to block more efficiently. There is TON of upside on this kid.
- Ben Wyatt: It was easy to choose Wyatt to be a member of the TOP 12. Athletically, he ran very well and had a nice release. He moved with purposed and was full of aggression. He has very good control of his body. Wyatt is a true student of Long Snapping and is always improving. He has made incredible advances in a very short amount of time. This kid has some severe raw power and tries to hurt the punter. I love it. Watch this kid.
- Geron Eatherly: Eatherly is definitely coming into his own and making a name for himself as one of the best Long Snappers in the country in his class. His form is excellent and he uses all of his body. I want to see him snapping as hard as possible each time, making sure he is fully reaching back on his follow through, and that he remembers to keep his balance back. He has really easy fixes that I would expect are completed by VEGAS XXVI. Athletically, Eatherly needs to be able to control his body a bit more when moving forward and laterally. He runs very hard. I would like to see him have lighter feet over the bags. He is headed towards greatness…quickly.
- Koby Walsh: He snaps with an incredible amount of confidence. He is a Long Snapper that ALWAYS expects to win and I love it. Athletically, he runs hard and with a purpose. Walsh blocked well, had a good release, and a solid tackle. The more he drives his elbows and just lets the ball fly, the better he will be. He ALWAYS improves for me. He will make a college coach very happy in the near future.
- Damon Johnson: Athletically, he was, EASILY, one of the top Long Snappers throughout the weekend. He runs really well. He was fast, agile, and moved effortlessly through the agility and tackling station. Johnson is definitely going to be a factor on punt coverage. His form is excellent and the more he trusts it, the better he will be in the long run. He can easily snap in the .7s and can get in the .6s IF he snaps as physically as hard as possible. Getting his head up quickly after he snaps and making sure his spiral is completely locked down is going to be key in moving up. You should keep a close eye on him as we finish off his junior year.
- Charles McDonough: Another solid jump in the rankings by McDonough after his performance at VEGAS XXV. His form is looking very good and he is snapping with good power. Locking down his spiral is going to be key for him. He is rapidly moving up the rankings and could take the top spot by the summer time. Athletically, he moves really well and showed great agility throughout the weekend. Keep a very close eye on him.
- Logan Klusman: Klusman really came on the scene and did very well at VEGAS XXV. He is an EXTREMELY smooth Long Snapper that snaps a very catchable ball. The ball is tight and really quick. Making sure he is fully following through will help a ton with his accuracy. I want to see him throw his fingers all the way back and not just flicking them to the punter. He won’t miss at that point. Athletically, he runs hard with good lateral movement. He needs to get a bit more control of his body. This kid should be a 5 Star Rubio Long Snapper by VEGAS XXVI or the TOP 12 camp. Watch him.
- John Aloma: The kid snaps the ball as if he is trying to put a hole in the punter. The ball is beyond fast. His snaps are smooth and very accurate. Aloma is a true student of the position. I would love to see him KNOW how good he is and never snap without confidence…ever. His release point is huge for him and when he adjusts it, it is the only time he even misses his target. Athletically, Aloma snapped, blocked, and released very well. Being smooth and not heavy while going forward and laterally will be huge for him getting to the next level. If he can lock down his athleticism, he is an EASY 5 Star Rubio Long Snapper.
- Connor Kirkegaard: When he was on, he was REALLY on. By VEGAS XXVI, I want it to be one constant weekend of domination. Snapping full speed and with max power will be crucial in getting him to be a 5 Star Rubio Long Snapper. This kid can EASILY do it and needs to know he can do it. Giving his full effort with all snaps will be key. Athletically, he runs very hard and accelerates well. He needs to make sure he is in full control of his body at all times. The ball is in his court and he will be as GREAT as he chooses to be.
- Erik Dickerson: He did exceptionally well at the agility and tackling station showing that he is a true athlete. His movements were very smooth and fluid. I have no doubt he will be a presence on punt coverage. His snapping is very solid with good accuracy and speed. He is able to hit in the .7s and has a good spiral. Dickerson needs to make sure he is focused on getting his strong lower half fully involved to create more power on his punt snaps. To increase his accuracy, I would love to see him make sure he gets his eyes all the way through and not pausing them towards the middle of the snap. There is TONS of potential and upside on Dickerson.
- Scott Meyer: Meyer is a very smooth Long Snapper with tons of upside. When he is relaxed and just letting the ball fly, there is no one better in the country. Athletically, he blocked well but needs to work on his agility. Moving forward and laterally should be pretty darn flawless. Aggression with his running and snapping will be key as well as he moves towards the next level. I would like to see him make sure he doesn’t pop out his feet when he is snapping so he doesn’t lose any power. Snapping with his full power will be big for him. Keep an eye on him.
- Anthony Ratliff: Ratliff had a great weekend at VEGAS XXV and is certainly in the lead for EVENT ELITE at VEGAS XXVI. He is snapping with some very good power on his punts. He snaps with anger and I like it. I would love to see him continue to work on the speed of his hands out of the gate. Quickness and no catchable hitch will be key in rising in the rankings. Release point with his fingers will be a big help with his accuracy. Athletically, he moved with good agility and speed. Ratliff needs to make sure he remains smooth and doesn’t look awkward when moving forward and laterally. Trust me, keep a very close eye on this Long Snapper.
Notables: Donald Reiter, Trent Kramer, Jake Munoz, Gus Karres, Jack Quiggle, Josh Brady, Blevyns Jumper, Jon Letter, & Colton Piatt.
KEY POINTS:
- My rankings are NOT done just from The Rubio Target
- My rankings are NOT done from some mathematical formula.
- My rankings ARE done by me and only me. That is why they take a good amount of time. (Think of it this way, it takes MONTHS to build a Rolls Royce but only hours to build an average car)
- My rankings are based off of this blog I wrote about what makes a Long Snapper great.
- If you would like anything added to your profile page, simply email me (Rubio@RubioLongSnapping.com) the information and consider it done.
- All Long Snappers are ranked after their first fall camp of their freshman year in high school.
A Long Snapper has the ability to adjust their ranking anytime I see them LIVE, not on video.
For the rankings section, simply go to RubioLongSnapping.com rollover PLAYER RANKINGS, rollover which CLASS you are looking for, click that CLASS, click LONG SNAPPERS and find your name.
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