Midseason prospect report: Wheeler Wildcats

A pair of seniors helped lead Wheeler to a come-from-behind victory on Friday night and could be flying under-the-radar on the recruiting trail. In addition to the senior leadership, the Wildcats have a handful of underclassmen who have shined so far this season and could develop into legitimate college prospects. <em><strong>DL/OL, Kendre Oliver, Class of 2021</strong></em> Oliver was one of the best players on the field this past Friday night in Wheeler's 13-12 victory over Lassiter. At 6’3” and 255 pounds, Oliver was all over the field from the edge rush position. Facing a triple-option offense isn’t necessarily preferred for a defensive lineman, but Oliver was able to disrupt the opposition with his penetration into the backfield against both the run and pass. He finished with five tackles (four solo, one assist) and a team-high three tackles for loss. A two-way starter (offensive tackle) for the past two years, Oliver could also potentially play offensive line in college. He finished with three pancake blocks and graded out at 92 percent on Friday. Currently with no offers, Oliver could certainly be a potential sleeper in the 2021 recruiting cycle. <em><strong>Alex Stack, QB, Class of 2021</strong></em> A consistent rain on Friday night kept both team’s passing attacks at bay through the first three quarters, but once the rain subsided Stack began to show his skillset. The senior left-handed passer completed four of his final six passes for 91 yards to help leads a 13-point fourth quarter comeback. His 8-yard touchdown pass with five minutes remaining was the game-winning score and on the season he’s completing 52 percent of his passes (61-for-116) for 641 yards with 6 touchdowns to two interceptions. With excellent size (6’6”, 205), Stack fits the mold of a college quarterback with the ability to drive the ball downfield. Surprisingly agile in the pocket, Stack shows the ability to avoid the pass rush and pick up yards in the run game when necessary. Stack holds one offer from DIII Allegheny College. https://twitter.com/Patrick_J_OShea/status/1314777309078007808 <em><strong>RB, Justus Savage, Class of 2024</strong></em> Savage (5’9”, 180) finished as Wheeler’s leading rusher on Friday with 42 yards on 12 carries, and on the season the freshman leads the WIldcats’ in carries (59) and rushing yards (212). Carrying the load as the primary back for a 6A team in the state of Georgia is no small feat, and Savage should remain on recruiters radars moving forward. [caption id="attachment_59939" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-59939" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/JustusSavage-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Justus Savage, RB, Class of 2024[/caption] &nbsp; <em><strong>Marc Essley, WR/DB, Class of 2024</strong></em> While Savage leads Wheeler in rushing, Essley is the Wildcats’ leading receiver on the season. Essley (5’9”, 150) finished Friday night with two receptions for 36 yards, and his 32-yard catch down the sideline helped spark the second-half comeback. On the season, the speedy wideout has team-highs in receptions (14), receiving yards (190) and receiving touchdowns (3). [caption id="attachment_59940" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-59940" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/10/MarcEssley-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Marc Essley, WR/DB, Class of 2024[/caption] Essley shined on defense as well. He finished with four tackles, one tackle for loss and his fourth quarter interception helped seal the win for Wheeler. Along with Savage, Essley should be a name to remember moving forward. <em><strong>P.J. Wilkins, OL, Class of 2023</strong></em> <span style="font-size: 1rem;">The nephew of NBA Hall of Famer Dominque Wilkins certainly projects well on the gridiron. Wilkins (6’6’, 330) will need to maintain his weight but certainly projects as a college offensive lineman. Could quickly rise up recruiting rankings over the next 12 months. </span>