Monday, July 22, 2013

2013 Player Spotlights: Lee Spight

Lee Spight.
Lee Spight
SM West

Position(s): Defensive End/Offensive Guard
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 225 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
Spight was a First Team All-Sunflower League selection as a defensive end as a junior after recording 52 tackles (14 for loss), nine sacks and forcing and recovering one fumble.

Scouting Report
In a season in which the league will notoriously be stacked along the defensive line (see Braden Smith, Austin Chambers, Dominique Atkinson, etc.) Spight returns as the most well-known defensive end.  We knew Spight was a special talent after he garnered second team all-league honors following his sophomore season.  This past fall he took his game to another level and he was as important to SM West's state title run as any player on their roster.  The sky is the limit for his production this fall.

The best way to describe Spight on defense is that he's slippery -- offensive lineman seem to have trouble containing him no more how they approach blocking him.  Spight doesn't overpower players with brute force, but he's quick, he's agile and he has an uncanny ability to slide through an offensive line.  He's also very talented when it comes to pursuing a ballcarrier after a play is beyond the initial stages. Several of his sacks this past fall came long after the pocket had collapsed and the quarterback was way beyond the hash marks.

On offense Spight spent last fall rotating at the left guard position and it's presumed he'll play guard again this year.  He's more talented defensively, but that's not a dig at his offensive game.  With his experience and his natural abilities he'll be one of the better guards in the league this season.  In fact, with a new running back to block for, his role on offense may be as important to SM West's success as what he does on  the defensive side of the football.