SI All-American Candidate Jack Hollifield Highlights and Evaluation
Prospect: Jack Hollifield
Status: SI All-American Candidate
Vitals: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
Position: Linebacker
School: Shelby (N.C.)
Schools of Interest: Virginia Tech, Maryland, North Carolina, Tennessee, NC State, Michigan and South Carolina, among others.
Projected Position: Off-Ball Linebacker
Frame: Broad shoulders and a big chest. Above-average length in arms. Sturdy lower-base with thick thighs.
Athleticism: Mike 'backer with a decent range to reach wings versus the run. Good A-gap and B-gap quickness to factor heavily in a tight box. Flashes good hand usage to shed well in take-on phase versus blockers. Fair to weave in tight traffic. Good downhill trigger and consistently achieves a good fit and wrap on ball-carriers.
Instincts: Eager anticipation and feel for the run game. Very good mesh-point vision and rarely fooled by misdirection. Good to read keys versus folds and pin and pulls. Assertive in clear-path alleys and takes proper angles to ball-carriers when hunting.
Polish: Plays Mike linebacker with decent hand usage and very good physicality. Mostly a hug-player on passing downs and can be outflanked. Needs to increase production in coverage. Must improve lower-base flexibility and hip fluidity.
Bottom Line: Hollifield has the skill set of an old school inside linebacker. He’s tough, rugged and plays physical versus the run. He lacks elite speed and twitch, which limits his coverage ability, but is dangerous versus interior run concepts and hustles to flanks.