PrepRedzoneWI Showcase Session 2 Standouts/Awards: RB, WR/TE, QB
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I’m pumped to be continuing on with our post-Showcase content from last week’s inaugural PrepRedzoneWI Showcase, and below we’ll follow up the earlier posted article on the lineman and get into Day 2 and our second session of the event featuring the…
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Continue ReadingI’m pumped to be continuing on with our post-Showcase content from last week’s inaugural PrepRedzoneWI Showcase, and below we’ll follow up the earlier posted article on the lineman and get into Day 2 and our second session of the event featuring the “skill” position players. Because we had over 110 preps in attendance for Session 2 of the Showcase, I’ve elected to split up the standouts into offensive and defensive features, especially considering the amount of talent we had on Day 2. To find out which running backs, wide receivers/tight ends, and quarterbacks caught my eye and earned themselves a PrepRedzone Camp Award, all you have to do is scroll. Thanks for reading!
Running Backs
Max Grand Max Grand 5'9" | 185 lbs | RB Ellsworth | 2022 State WI (Ellsworth) 5’10, 190 lbs. 2022. Probably our MVP of the entire Session 2 as well as arguably the MVP of the entire Showcase, the Ellsworth playmaking RB more than showed why he’s being recruited by the likes of Wisconsin, Nebraska, and South Dakota as he tested phenomenally and showed out during the competition portion of the event. He’s got a great frame for a RB and possesses a muscular and powerful build that can generate a ton of force and acceleration off the snap of the ball. He’s also a natural athlete, with quick-twitch muscles and soft hands all built into his 190 lb. frame that helped him RUN A 4.4 FLAT IN GYM SHOES ON ASTROTURF during our testing portion of the event. He was CRUISING, and built on his performance by doing all of the little things right during indy such as starting each drill in the front, listening and staying coachable, helping out other preps, and giving 100% effort every rep. You could tell he was having fun while simultaneously taking the event seriously and treating it as a business trip. During indy and 1-on-1s I also got to see his speed in and out of cuts, vision, and arsenal of jukes and cuts, and it was a sight to see. After having spent almost two decades playing, coaching, and scouting football, you can just kind of tell when there’s a special (Division 1) talent at an event, and Grand had that “it” factor for me in-person, which was really exciting to see. I’m excited to see what his future holds and he has the full support and backing of the PrepRedzone staff. Keep up the good work, Max!
Anthony Moe-Tucker (Kasson-Mantorville, MN) 5’11, 215 lbs. 2022. One of the rare Minnesota representatives at the Showcase initially caught the eye of the our National Scouting Director Jake Lemming during the indy portion of the event due to his fluid hips, great build, and natural athleticism. Moe-Tucker competed at the Showcase as a RB, but plays some DE in high school and most likely projects as a LB at the next level and showed off that versatility as he is light on feet, powerful off the snap and in motion, and has some good hands. He was also shifty in his route-running out of the backfield due to this aforementioned hips, and there’s a TON to like about the Kasson-Mantorville junior. He’s also a wrestler on one of MN’s strongest AA teams, and is a 2022 sleeper in the state of Minnesota no doubt.
Aaron Grant (Germantown) 5’8, 235 lbs. 2022. Grant caught my eye during the testing section of the Showcase, as he was one of – if not thee – largest RB in attendance. He was all of the 230 lbs. he weighed in at, and possessed noteworthy power and speed in his giant frame that I’m sure makes him a load and a half to try and tackle. He’s really quick laterally for a man of his size, and is a threat out of the backfield with his hands. Not only that, he brought a lot of energy and juice to the showcase and got the whole atmosphere of the camp fired up during competition period, and if I’m a college coach that’s a guy I want in my locker room and on my squad. He plays the game with a lot of force and it’s fun to watch.
Zander Rockow (Eau Claire Regis) 6’1, 220 lbs. 2023. One of my favorite young bucks in the entire Wisconsin class of 2023 is Eau Claire Regis’ filled out RB/LB Zander Rockow, who is going to find himself very high up on our 2023 ranking update in a couple of weeks. Coming into the event I was more than excited to check out Rockow’s game, and I already had it in my head that he was a surefire Division 1 prospect, and my thoughts were confirmed after seeing him test and compete in-person. He can MOVE at almost 225 lbs., with impressive lateral and top-end speed, and he showed he can cut and break on a dime and get out of his cuts with explosiveness. There’s already a ton he can do on the gridiron at his size, and his upside is unreal at this point in his football career. He’s a great small-school athlete who would fit right in on a Division 1 roster and make a college recruiting coordinator very happy. Thanks for coming, Zander. Hope to see you compete again soon.
Carter Fonger (Superior) 5’8, 195 lbs. 2021. Another RB who initially stood out due to his size and build, Fonger is a bowling ball of a RB who seemed to me is a true 3-down running back who had the feet and the speed to take it North-South or East-West, the hands to catch the ball out of the backfield, and the strength to block in pass-pro for his QB. He cut with a lot of power and broke down his routes efficiently, and can overall move for a man of his size. Someone has to make sure they land this senior power back.
Keany Parks (Bradford) 6’, 165 lbs. 2023. Superb athlete with undeniable physical traits such as impressive quickness, hand-eye coordination, and top-end speed. He’s a special talent for his class and is going to develop into a Division 1 prospect, if he hasn’t already. Kenosha Bradford is absolutely loaded with talent in their 2022 and 2023 classes.
Emmanuel Bingham (Madison East) 5’7, 165 lbs. 2023. A young buck who tested really well and showed off some impressive speed in our 40-yard dash.
Cortez LeGrant Jr. (Sun Prairie) 5’9, 160 lbs. 2023. Another young buck who tested well, particularly in the 40-yard dash.
Riley Taylor Riley Taylor 5'7" | 150 lbs | RB Oshkosh West | 2022 State WI (Oshkosh West) 5’8, 165 lbs. 2022.
Quarterbacks
Tak Tateoka Tak Tateoka 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Waukesha South | 2023 State WI (Waukesha South) 6’2, 175 lbs. 2023. The undisputed quarterback MVP from Session 2 no doubt came from Waukesha South’s underclassman standout Tak Tateoka Tak Tateoka 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Waukesha South | 2023 State WI , who impressed the college coaches in-attendance as well as coaching the event, the PrepRedzone staff, and the just about anyone else who got to watch the sophomore spin the rock. The ball came out of his hand with some serious zip, his mechanics were impressive, and he was naturally accurate in addition to his nice frame and obvious athleticism that helps him navigate the pocket or potentially hurt defenses if he wants to take off. Even if I didn’t get to see him play in-person at the event myself, the hype and positive feedback surrounding his individual effort would have catapulted him to the top quarterback performer from Day 2, so it’s safe to say he balled out.
Peyton O’Laughlin (Burlington) 6’2, 190 lbs. 2021. The only senior gun-slinger to make my list came from Burlington’s Peyton O’Laughlin, and he also had a great camp performance and showed off some noteworthy arm talent and mechanics that led to some of the event’s QB coaches and gurus raving about his upside and performance from Day 2 of the Showcase. I completely agree, and his accuracy and delivery during the 1-on-1 portion of the event gave me the feeling that he can compete and make plays when the lights come on and things start to break down. A college coaching staff needs to get this kid on their roster.
Brock Paluch (Mundelein, IL) 6’4, 195 lbs. 2022. One of the few Illinois attendees at the event, Paluch came to play and impressed in the testing, indy, and 1-on-1 portions of the showcase. At 6’4, 195 lbs. he’s got a great frame for the position and still has a lot of room to add weight, and was a smooth and natural athlete who could cut well and was light on his feet. He also possessed sound mechanics and had a strong arm, and could deliver an accurate football on short, intermediate, or deeper routes. He’s got a high ceiling as a junior quarterback and I’m pumped he came to our Showcase.
Sam Dodd (Hortonville) 6’4, 200 lbs. 2022. Had possibly the strongest arm at the entire event, and tested extremely well for his size and is a tremendous athlete at the quarterback position. I didn’t get to see him throw as much as I would have liked, but the arm talent was there from what I saw, and he has all the traits you look for when scouting high school QB prospects. Big things coming from Dodd!
Jerry Kaminski Jerry Kaminski 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Sun Prairie East | 2023 State WI (Sun Prairie) 6’1, 190 lbs. 2023. Another young buck who came in ready to ball, the Sun Prairie signal-caller showed off a quick release and some good footwork, and could throw the deep ball well for his age. He also tested well and is a good athlete for the position, and intrigued me enough to where I’m going to make the drive from Chicago to Madison to check out Sun Prairie play this Spring.
Preston Nelson III (Parker) 6’, 170 lbs. 2024. A lot of talent in this freshman, and he came to compete and showed off some good arm talent for his age. Big things coming from the Parker product.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Cayden Bell Cayden Bell 6'3" | 235 lbs | TE Appleton West | 2021 State WI (Appleton West) 6’3, 235 lbs. 2021. Bell made his case as one of the most intriguing pass-catchers at Day 2 as he was versatile enough to catch passes out of the WR and TE positions, and was a filled out 235 lbs. who could beat defenders deep if they weren’t ready, quick enough to break down his routes before DBs knew what happened, and strong enough to box out defenders and use his large catch radius to reel in errant throws. He had soft hands and was a physical presence as a pass-catcher, and is a great athlete for his size who would make for an outstanding scholarship TE at the next level. Really high ceiling for Bell.
Matt Donovan (Kasson Mantorville, MN) 5’10, 165 lbs. 2022. The Kasson-Mantorville Komets that drove the 2 and a half hours to come compete both had outstanding performances, with athlete Matt Donovan rounding out the two man crew. Donovan is coming off of an All-District 2020 performance at quarterback where he was able to show off his natural playmaking ability, special cutting ability, and shiftiness as the Komets signal-caller. I believe his future lies at WR though, and Donovan definitely showed that he could do that at a high level at our Showcase as he was incredibly hard to contain at the LOS and DBs really struggled to get hands on him at his release. His top-end speed easily made him a deep threat, and he could sink his hips and shut down his routes quickly and efficiently when breaking off shorter and intermediate routes. His ability to change direction and get in and out of cuts quickly really stood out to me the most, and he’s got a bright future ahead of him and could be a big-time D1 receiver if he adds a little weight. He’s a good kid too and I really enjoyed talking with him after Day 2 finished up.
Colin Girdaukas (Sheboygan Lutheran) 6’, 190 lbs. 2022. The do-it-all Sheboygan Lutheran offensive weapon showed off why he put up a crazy statistical 2020 season as he’s a big-bodied kid at 190 lbs. and cuts off his plant foot with a ton of power. He’s got the speed to play the X in college and take the top off the defense, and his hands were really impressive as well. I wish I got to watch him more.
Ian Hall (Amherst) 6’2, 205 lbs. 2022. Great frame + nice footwork at the LOS and throughout his route made for a strong and well-built junior WR prospect. My favorite attribute of his was definitely his hands though, as he showed off strong and soft hands that helped him catch anything that came near him.
Emmitt Hawkins Emmitt Hawkins 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Cudahy | 2021 State WI (Cudahy) 6’1, 180 lbs. 2021. I loved Hawkins wiggle and shiftiness at the LOS, and he is an especially athletic wideout prospect who has a huge catch radius, an impressive vertical, and is incredibly hard to get hands on at his release at the LOS. He has great size and is a long WR who can snatch balls out of the air and hurt teams in the deep or shorter passing game. He’s going to make a college WR room a lot better.
Quinton Henry (Bradford) 6’, 180 lbs. 2022. Oh my lord, Quinton Henry balled out last Tuesday. Coming into the day I knew Henry was talented, but man he showed an absolutely displayed a Division 1 talent at the wideout position and was the most shifty, quick, and dangerous route-runner from Day 2 and multiple times completely left DBs in a blender and had them looking side to side and back and forth looking for him like a parent who lost their kid in a mall. His footwork and ability to break off his routes on a dime was second to none at the event, and his burst and acceleration at the LOS as well as out of his breaks was really fun to watch. He really cemented himself as a potential D1 prospect, and his ability to gain separation and get open was outstanding all evening long. Like I said, Bradford is loaded, and I’ll be waiting for Henry’s recruitment to pop off any day now.
Robby Michael Robby Michael 5'11" | 170 lbs | ATH Sheboygan Lutheran | 2022 State WI (Sheboygan Lutheran) 5’10, 165 lbs. 2022. Another Sheboygan Lutheran standout, Michael ran in the 4.5s during our 40 tests and proved that he could compete and get open at the WR position after earning an All-Region nod as a QB this past Fall. He was another kid I wish I got to watch more, but the athletic ability is absolutely present for Michael to play Division 1 football as either a DB or WR. He’s a total playmaker.