Rising Upperclassmen in Central Illinois
To football or not to football….that is the question! As we rapidly approach the time of year where Friday Night Lights become the drumbeat in towns across this great nation, we are cautiously optimistic that whistles will be blown, yellow…
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Continue ReadingTo football or not to football….that is the question! As we rapidly approach the time of year where Friday Night Lights become the drumbeat in towns across this great nation, we are cautiously optimistic that whistles will be blown, yellow bean bags will be tossed, and players will sweat, bleed, and scream football. Regardless of whether or not the pads will be worn this season or not for keeps, coaches and players are training as if the opening kickoff will occur as it has for over a century. We can do no less in meeting those young men and bringing them to life for all of our faithful readers. The smell of the game, the sounds of highly tuned athletes, fill the air, and you can feel when mass hits mass as players of all sizes, shapes, and colors are bigger, faster, and stronger than seemingly ever before.
OL/DL: Clayton Leonard Clayton Leonard 6'5" | 265 lbs | OL Iroquois West | 2022 State IL , 6’5, 260 Iroquois West, 2022
Clayton rode a growth spurt from a stout 6’3 230 to an inspiring 6’5 260, and you cannot teach size. He is nimble on his feet and moves very well for his size, especially his kick step. It is one thing to see him on video; it is another to see this huge man move on the field in person. He is relentless, and he uses his hands as smooth as a conductor to gain leverage and press the attack. Combine this with his ability to finish blocks while locking in at the point of attack, and he goes where he wants. His skills easily translate to a pulling guard for a Division I school, and he will be serving up breakfast on Saturdays by pancaking whoever gets in front of him.
DE: Thomas Conroy, 6’3, 235 Mascoutah, 2021
Thomas is a rising senior who has a fantastic junior season—good enough by earning First Team All-Conference in the Mississippi Valley and First Team All-Area. What pops off the page is his innate feel for the game and his patience to let the play develop in front of him, reading where the ball carrier is going, and then attacking with speed and power that belie his smoothness and size. You can tell he is a student of the game with a remarkably high football IQ, as he always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He uses power to get into position, and once he puts his hands on an opponent, they stop. He plays like a thumper with great athleticism (4.65 40/4.26 Shuttle/ 325 BP), and I’ll be watching to see how much stronger he gets for the spring season.
QB: Jay Lemenager,6’1, 196, Clifton Central, 2021
This young man has exceptional pocket awareness with superb accuracy, and his arm is strong enough to challenge defenders all over the field. What sets Jay apart is his ability to make plays with his legs as he is definitely a dual-threat (4.6 40) on the ground. He sees the field like a genuine general and follows through with a command of the offense that would fit alongside West Point cadets from long ago. He has excellent vision and breaks down a defense quickly, making plays with speed and precision, both with his arm and his legs. There is little doubt saying this young man will play at the next level, and whoever gets him is getting a playmaker with leadership qualities and the kind of player you want in your locker room for years to come.
RB: Bryson Boes, 5’9, 195, Maroa-Forsyth, 2021
Mr. Boes is a beast in the gym, losing over 40 pounds recently while simultaneously surging in strength and power, breaking two personal/ school powerlifting records (Power Clean-345lbs Squat-520lbs). Not only is he strong as an ox for his size, he is lightning quick not only off the line but in sprint speed (4.49 40). He hits the hole hard with a low center of gravity as he runs low to the ground with both balance and force and refuses to go down on initial contact. You must bring at least two to stop this young man. As rock-solid as he is behind the line, he has soft hands while running wheel routes and finding space in the flat, hauling in passes on the run and instantly accelerating downhill in a heartbeat. He is just as lethal on the other side of the ball, wreaking havoc as a heat-seeking LB that disrupts plays sideline to sideline. It seems as though this young man spends as much time in the backfield playing LB as he does RB. Bryson works hard—brings his lunch pail to the field—is exceptionally focused, and is ready for this coming season.
QB: Eli Downen, 6’4, 210, Carterville, 2021
Eli is big and plays that way. He has the prototypical size that schools at the next level are looking for, and I’m positive that he’ll fill out that frame even more as he matures. He has a big arm that zips the ball all over the field, but what sets him apart from other big passers is his ability to paint the ball where he wants with his great touch. He has excellent footwork that buys him time in the pocket, but he’s not standing in concrete back there as he will dart out from time to time. He’s a load to bring down and fast enough to move the chains (4.91 40) when he does decide to tuck it. Expect Eli to take that next big step in his senior season and churn out some wins for Carterville in Southern Illinois. He’s setting up his table nicely not only for this season but also for the program that invites him to join their feast on Saturdays.