Previously: Avon (Brandon Peters) vs. Ben Davis (Chris Evans)

KJ Hamler looked strong in all three phases [Dave Nasternak]

Orchard Lake St. Mary's was a heavy favorite against Detroit Loyola in Saturday's first game of the Prep Kickoff Classic at Wayne State. While they won 24-12 and generally controlled the proceedings, they weren't as dominant as expected.

The same was the case for 2017 linebacker Josh Ross, the younger brother of Michigan linebacker James Ross. He had an up-and-down performance, but 2017 ATH KJ Hamler lived up to the billing, showing out in all three phases of the game—Hamler's big-play threat at receiver combined with a strong OLSM run game to give them the win.

Video Highlights

Split into sections for Hamler and Ross. Thanks to Dave Nasternak for manning the camera.

[Hit THE JUMP for scouting breakdowns on Hamler and Ross.]

2017 WR/DB/KR/PR Kahlee "KJ" Hamler (M Offer)

Hamler, known around these parts as Speedy Eaglet, looked like a potential difference-maker in all three phases of the game. He finished with 52 yards on four receptions, made several plays on defense, and had a couple solid punt returns.

Although he looked like a legitimate defensive prospect, I still like Hamler best when he has the ball in his hands. He gets off the line in a hurry, possesses great straight-line speed, and once he gets the ball he's a constant threat to make defenders miss in tight spaces and go all the way. His route-running has improved; he does a great job breaking down at the top of his route on comebacks, when his deep speed kept defenders on their heels, and when Loyola switched to zone he found the soft spots. When he went deep, he set up defenders so he had ample room between him and the sideline.

Aside from one muffed punt that he turned into a solid gain anyway, Hamler's hands looked solid when his quarterback gave him a chance, and he made a couple impressive efforts to grab passes that simply weren't catchable—I like how he tracks and adjusts to the ball.

Hamler also looked excellent as a cornerback and safety. Despite being listed at 5'9", 165, he arguably stood out the most in run support, reading and reacting before closing quickly and finishing plays when he got there. Loyola didn't even bother testing him in man coverage on the outside; he stuck step-for-step with his counterpart. He tallied a nice pass breakup late in the game (1:47 mark), identifying a seam route and undercutting it with perfect timing, nearly coming away with the pick. He looks to have the quickness, speed, and instincts to play corner at the next level.

I was a big fan of Hamler last year and I came away even more impressed with him this time around. He'd be very dangerous as a slot receiver and return man, and it's also quite possible a team could utilize his playmaking ability on defense.

2017 LB Josh Ross (M Offer)

It's easy to see why Ross, who's now listed at 6'1", 225, has been highly regarded for so long. He's an impressive athlete for a player of his size, able to explode through gaps to disrupt plays. He's at his best when his assignment called for him to shoot a gap; he's too quick for guards to get their hands on him a lot of the time and when he builds momentum he can blow up lead blockers.

The issues arise when Ross has to read and react. If he hasn't built up a head of steam, too often he finds himself caught up in the wash, or in some instances even blown off the ball (3:29 is a notable instance of this). He hasn't learned how to use his hands to disengage from blockers yet, so instead of shedding and making tackles he'll lunge to one side or the other, which opens up lanes. He needs to get stronger and refine his technique.

In our group chat, Brian mentioned Ross looks miscast as an inside linebacker, and he'd be better suited playing SAM in Michigan's system, much like his brother. I agree; that would better suit his combination of size and athletic ability while mitigating his issues in tight quarters. He's also really disruptive when he flies up that A-gap—he timed his blitzes well and came away with a huge sack on fourth down—so if he bulks up and learns how to use his hands, I could see him sticking inside, as well. Ross has a ways to go to live up to the hype, but the raw tools are there for him to reach his lofty ceiling.