Film Review: 2023 Wide Receiver Brandon Inniss
It’s fitting to start off the 2023 recruiting profiles with Brandon Inniss. He’s a rare prospect because he wants to compete no matter the situation. Whether he’s playing seven-on-seven for South Florida Express 7v7 or playing in a live high school football game, Inniss plays hard.
Beyond his competitive nature, Inniss also possesses the physical and mental attributes that college coaches covet. His savvy style of play combined with very good overall athleticism make him a problem for defensive backs.
Brandon Inniss
Vitals: 6’1”, 190-pounds
School: Plantation (Fla.) American Heritage
Recruiting: National prospect with offers from the likes of Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Notre Dame, Clemson, Florida State, Auburn, Oregon, Ole Miss, Miami, and Ohio State.
Physical Attributes
Strong lower half that helps him accelerate nicely. He’s physically mature for his age, yet still holds the potential to add mass to his lower body as well as his torso. Should reach the 200-pound range before he leaves high school. Good arm length and definitely a player that showed good flexibility as well.
Athleticism
Quickness would be the first noticeable trait. He rarely gets jammed at the line of scrimmage because of how quick he comes off the line and then adds a move to throw off the cornerback. Inniss does a really good job of driving into his route and then making sudden stops to help create separation. Additionally, he will turn with a natural fluidness that allows him to keep up his speed.
Evaluating the Film Combined with In-Person Evaluations
After watching Inniss several times over the last two years, there’s no question he’s one of the nation’s most impactful players. He beats teams several different ways. Inniss plays well against man coverage, zone, off coverage and bump-and-run coverage. He’s really difficult to defend.
Play off of him and he runs good routes to get the football in his hands underneath the secondary and make plays after the catch. Play bump and run coverage and a cornerback better jam Inniss or it’s going to be a wide open wide receiver down the field. He simply does not miss when opportunities arise. No matter how one defines it, Inniss makes big plays.
Whether it’s climbing the ladder and catching a fade ball in the back of the end zone, or blowing by a safety during a double move, Inniss delivers in the most opportune moments. There’s ample reason for that being the case.
Inniss finds the soft spot in the zone and knows when to “sit down” in that spot to allow his quarterback to get him the football. That’s the definition of a high football IQ. He’s also a player that beats bump-and-run coverage at the line of scrimmage with quickness and good hands to keep the cornerback from disrupting his route.
In short, it’s really hard to defend Inniss. He’s a natural athlete with a very competitive nature. Further, for his age group, he understands the nuances of playing the wide receiver position. Hard to imagine how difficult it will be to defend Inniss once he reaches the college level and adds additional experience.
With two more years of high school remaining, this is a young man that did not yet reach any place near his full potential. He still needs added strength. That will come with time. He will continue to gain knowledge about how to stack a cornerback that plays tight coverage and also how to set up a defensive back with a variety of double moves. It’s all a part of his football maturation process.
This type of player does not come along often. His willingness to compete regardless of the situation, natural size and athleticism, and overall football IQ are a phenomenal combination. When combining what Inniss already accomplished to go along with his high upside, he’s truly one of the class of 2023’s top overall players.
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