2021 Rankings Update: Top Newcomers
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We do our best to make sure that we can find all the top talent from around the state during our initial rankings debut. However, that doesn’t always happen and we end up being impressed by student- athletes that we…
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Continue ReadingWe do our best to make sure that we can find all the top talent from around the state during our initial rankings debut. However, that doesn’t always happen and we end up being impressed by student- athletes that we don’t have in our rankings. When those rankings updates come around we waste no time getting them added in. In this article I want to take an in depth look at several new additions to the rankings that are both very talented and still available for college recruitment. Let’s dive into these newest members of the Prep Redzone Wisconsin 2021 Rankings!
Tavion Crump Tavion Crump 6'0" | 180 lbs | DB Kenosha Bradford | 2021 State WI , DB- Kenosha Bradford
I am a big fan of the 6’ 180 lbs defensive back from Kenosha. It’s hard to believe that I missed him during the first set of rankings, but we are all over him now. Tavion is one of the best DBs still available in the state of Wisconsin. His film is impressive. It shows how easily he can turn and run with any receiver he was matched up against and his size and length allowed him to make a lot of plays on the ball at the catch point. Whether he was knocking it down or creating turnovers he does a great job at the catch point. Crump isn’t afraid to get right up on receivers at the line of scrimmage and press them. You can feel the confidence that he plays with. Crump is going to be a steal for a college team’s defensive backfield.
Sebastian Jefferson Sebastian Jefferson 6'0" | 185 lbs | DB Waukesha South | 2021 State WI , DB- Waukesha South
Sebastian burst onto my radar at the Prep Redzone Wisconsin Showcase this past December. After that point he became one of the top athletes on my list to add to the new rankings. The 6’ 185 lbs DB can run with anyone. The awareness that shows up on his film is very strong. He does a great job of reading the QB’s eyes in zone and, with his closing speed, is able to make a lot of plays on the ball. The play strength throughout his film really caught my eye too. His jam can completely throw a receiver off his route and when he comes downhill to make a tackle he packs a punch. Sebastian even has experience at the safety position. He is one of the more versatile defenders in the defensive backfield out of all the DBs still uncommitted.
Marcel Tyler Marcel Tyler 6'4" | 230 lbs | DL St. Catherine's | 2021 State WI , DL- St. Catherine’s
Marcel brings excellent size for his position at 6’4″ 230 lbs. He isn’t just a big frame either. He was a productive member of the St. Catherine’s defense this season with 19 TFLs and 6 sacks in 8 games. Tyler consistently wins through his consistent hand usage and his length furthers the success he has with his hands. His quick hand punch and ability to quickly rip and swim give him the ability to defeat offensive linemen quickly and then get pressure on the QB. That initial punch does a good job of helping him set the edge against the run too as it allows him to get his hands inside and drive the linemen into the backfield or stuff them on the line and then make a move to tackle the ball carrier.
Albert Romero Albert Romero 6'3" | 215 lbs | RB Onalaska | 2021 State WI , RB- Onalaska
I was introduced to Romero when I attended their game against Aquinas this past fall. Romero was an absolute beast in that game and in many others based on his film. Albert is an intimidating presence in the backfield at 6’3″ 215 lbs. Romero wins with his strong contact balance. He is able to absorb a lot of contact and keep on his track towards the endzone. It takes a lot to get him off balance and brought down. Then after he is able to hammer through the front seven of the defense, Romero has the play speed to break loose for big chunks of yardage. As the game goes on it seems like he gets stronger. Based off his twitter page he only has 1 offer currently. So, he’s shaping up to be a nice steal. Also, before we move on I want to add he has experience on the DL as well. He is a versatile player.
Jaxson Retrum Jaxson Retrum 6'4" | 185 lbs | WR Lake Mills | 2021 State WI , WR- Lake Mills
Retrum is another member of this list that I was introduced to while attending one of his games this fall. Jaxson was a two way starter for Lake Mills as he played WR and DE. He was actually productive on both sides of the ball, but I believe that the 6’4″ 185 lbs athlete will make his impact at the WR position when it comes to the next level. You will be hard pressed to find a receiver still available with a better combination of length, athleticism, and body control. He uses that length to Moss DBs on a consistent basis with natural hands. The biggest surprise of his game is how athletic he is in the open field. I expected more of a possession receiver, but when you watch the film he pulls away from defensive backs in the open field. Retrum has a well rounded game to offer a program at the collegiate level. I’ve dug through his twitter and don’t see any offers making him one of the biggest potential steals available.
Kraig Armstrong Kraig Armstrong 5'10" | 175 lbs | RB Mauston | 2021 State WI , RB- Mauston
I first learned of Armstrong as I was preparing one of my weekly Top Offensive Performers articles during the season. Armstrong had just put up another strong performance and made the list. The further I dug in the more I realized how great of a season he had been putting together. It’s now time for more people to look into the 5’10″ 175 lbs All State RB from Mauston. Kraig is electric with the ball in his hands. He has plenty of play speed and his vision to see the hole makes it so that he isn’t just a scat back or an RB that can only target the outside running zones. Armstrong’s ability to make something out of nothing is fun to watch too. There are plays where it looks like he will be stopped in the backfield, but then he makes a move or two and is off to the races.
Nick Hansen Nick Hansen 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Milwaukee Marquette | 2021 State WI , QB- Milwaukee Marquette
Similar to Armstrong above, I first heard about Hansen while writing a weekly Top Performers article. It was actually one of his teammates that sent me his strong performance that first got my attention. Since then I have been impressed by the athletic QB for Milwaukee Marquette. Coming in at 6’1″ 195 lbs, Hansen has the ability to shred defenses through the air and on the ground. On the ground, Nick has the attributes of an RB. His vision and speed along with his ability to make defenders miss gives him the upper hand on defenses. In the passing game, Hansen’s best traits are his touch and his accuracy. He can fit the ball into windows with those two traits and his ability to anticipate his receiver’s moves. There are plenty of traits for a team to work with here.
Barinder Monatta Barinder Monatta 6'2" | 285 lbs | OL Brookfield Central | 2021 State WI , OL- Brookfield Central
The 6’2″ 285 OG from Brookfield Central absolutely mauls defensive linemen in the run game. It’s not just raw power either. He does a great job with his technique. He gets his butt to the hole to wall off defenders and then drives them out of the way and into the ground. The body control he has for that size is evident in the film as well and he can move. When he pulls, Barinder moves with ease and he has the range to get to the outside and hit his second level targets. Overall, Monatta checks off a lot of boxes. Size, athleticism, body control, strength, and ability to finish his blocks are all positives in his film. There is a ton to work with here. A college is going to get a tone setter in the trenches when they land Monatta.