Blitz and Outside the Huddle are counting down who they feel are the top 50 individual players in northeast Indiana heading into the 2024 season.
Today, we continue the march to No. 1 with positions No. 35-31.
No. 35: DL James Early, senior, North Side
Entering the fall with five Division I scholarship offers, colleges love the measurables (6-foot-5, 230 lbs) and the potential of Early.
Early is SO fast off of the edge. He carries his weight well and his length gives him an advantage when shaking off blocks. His back-side pursuit is exceptional and his eye for the ball and making sure tackles beyond the line of scrimmage makes him an absolute menace.
Early had six sacks and 10 tackles for loss a season ago, as well as 32 tackles. Expect all three of those stats to make a jump in 2024.
COACH’S QUOTE ON JAMES EARLY
“The kid has great size and is very fast! We are expected a huge season from James. He has all the tools to cause havoc and live in opponents’ backfield every play.” – North Side coach Ben Johnson
No. 34: RB/DB Nate Starks, senior, Carroll
Set for his fourth season of considerable playing time at the varsity level, Starks has been an institution in the offensive backfield for the Chargers.
Last season, Starks rushed for 375 yards and a pair of touchdowns while also hauling in seven receptions.
Expect Starks’ role to increase on defense in 2024, with the veteran expected to see considerable time in the secondary. Couple with his running prowess, Starks will be another key cog in the Carroll machine this season.
COACH’S QUOTE ON NATE STARKS
“Nate is a tremendous leader and great talent. Nate will see time on both sides of the ball for us in 2024 at DB and RB.” – Carroll coach Doug Dinan
No. 33: QB/DB Calder Hefty, senior, Garrett
Pick your poison with Hefty.
Behind center, he threw for 1,154 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2023.
On the ground, he went for 417 yards and five touchdowns.
And defensively? He had five interceptions, a pair of forced fumbles and 80 tackles.
Hefty is one of those two-way players that thrive in any situation. When they off the field, you can tell. That’s because they impact the game in so many different ways that their absence is obvious.
With Garrett on the upswing heading into 2024, Hefty is in line for a huge senior campaign.
COACH’S QUOTE ON CALDER HEFTY
“Hefty is good at football. He is an all-in player, a natural leader, smart and tough. His strength numbers rival linemen, but his instincts are off the chart.” – Garrett coach Chris DePew
No. 32 DB/LB Drew Fleek, senior, Woodlan
When you talk about prototypical outside linebackers at the prep level, Fleek checks all the boxes. He is aggressive coming around the edge, he is a sure tackler and loves physicality.
Need a kick blocked? Fleek is your guy, evidenced by his pair of blocked kicks against Heritage last season.
With his 2023 campaign shortened due to injury, Fleek had a team-high 38 tackles a year ago, while also leading Woodlan in tackles for loss with seven. He also added an interception against Eastside.
Fleek runs the ball like he plays defense, with intensity and toughness. Offensively, he averaged over 100 yards per game on the ground, finishing with 506 yards and three touchdowns.
COACH’S QUOTE ON DREW FLEEK
“Drew is an ‘old school’ type kid. He is a four sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball and volleyball) who really loves to compete. He’s had a good summer in the weight room and is excited about his senior year.” – Woodlan coach Brock Rohrbacher
No. 31 LB Graham Blythe, senior, DeKalb
Blythe has been a do-everything type defender for DeKalb for multiple years. Now in his senior campaign, expect him to end his prep career with a big exclamation point.
At 5-9, his lack of size makes him almost more effective as a defender, able to fit through the smallest of holes to get to the ball carrier. He can play in the middle or on the outside and be adept at the principles of both. He is rarely caught out of position, an instinctual attribute that comes from playing a lot of Friday night football.
As a junior, Blythe was second on the Barons in tackles with 78 with six tackles for loss. He had three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries, as well as an interception and blocked kick against Angola.
COACH’S QUOTE ON GRAHAM BLYTHE
“Graham has been a solid piece of our defense for the past two seasons. He has a very high football IQ and has a nose for the football. Graham is also a leader on and off the field.” – DeKalb coach Seth Wilcox
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