Mind Your X’s and Z’s: Iowa’s Top C/O 22 Wide Receivers Part III
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There is a lot a wide receiver has to be on every down in order to be successful: tough, coordinated, agile, resilient, instinctive, athletic, strong, intelligent, creative, focused, the list goes on and on. Take a look below at some…
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Continue ReadingThere is a lot a wide receiver has to be on every down in order to be successful: tough, coordinated, agile, resilient, instinctive, athletic, strong, intelligent, creative, focused, the list goes on and on. Take a look below at some of Iowa’s best who put it all on display on a regular basis as they head into their Senior years.
Jeremiah Feahn Jeremiah Feahn 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Waterloo West | 2022 IA , Waterloo West, hudl, Twitter
WR, 6’2, 185
Feahn’s acceleration off the line of scrimmage, speed through a change of direction, and straight line speed is impressive and dangerous. He can beat man coverage from the slot, taking advantage of athletic mismatches, and find space in zones to get open. Feahn has excellent sprint mechanics that are apparent in his route running. He adjusts to the ball well on deep routes and runs crisp short patterns. Feahn is also a physical and persistent blocker.
Evan Grey Evan Grey 6'0" | 185 lbs | WR Ames | 2022 IA , Ames, hudl, Twitter
WR, 6’0, 185
Grey is as sure-handed and reliable as they come, a quarterback’s best friend in the passing game. He gets open against man coverage with precise routes, knows how to attack and sit in a zone, and improvises when plays break down. Grey shows a lot of focus as he goes up to make contested catches or positions his body to prevent defenders from making a play on the ball. He is a tough runner and fights for extra yards after receptions and on plays like jet sweep.
Hayden Huntley Hayden Huntley 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Waukee Northwest | 2022 State IA , Waukee, hudl, Twitter
WR, 6’0, 175
Huntley’s jukes and cuts are so shifty; he is slippery and breaks contact or makes defenders whiff altogether. Huntley picks up big chunks of yards on underneath routes and is a threat to turn short receptions into huge plays. His field awareness on sideline routes like corners, comebacks, and outs is excellent. Huntley can drag the toe, stop on a dime and turn it up, or cut back into the middle of the field. Huntley is also dangerous in the bubble and screen game.
Trevor Malone, Boyer Valley, hudl, Twitter
WR, 6’2, 180
Trying to find a way to cover Malone is a problem for opposing defenses. He has excellent speed that helps him get behind coverage. Malone uses that speed when running underneath routes to sell deep patterns and bait defensive backs, then stops on a dime to change direction. He exhibits top tier concentration as he can leap and hang in the air to make contested catches. Malone shows a lot of balance and resilience through such catches to pick up extra yards.
James Jennings, Newman Catholic, hudl, Twitter
WR, 5’11, 150
Jennings is an absolute playmaker. He can take a jet sweep or wide receiver screen and use elite stop-start ability and sudden changes of direction to score. He is elusive and slippery. Jennings can also get behind coverage and run under the ball on a vertical route leaving defenders in a trail of dust. Jennings does a fantastic job of seeing the field and sensing where defenders are. He uses those instincts to drop jaws: spinning, cutting, and juking by opponents.
Cole Filloon, Southeast Polk, hudl, Twitter
WR, 6’2, 190
Filloon is an elite route runner with a big catch radius that can cause huge problems for a defense. When the ball isn’t thrown well or where it’s supposed to be, Filloon makes his quarterback right with athletic, acrobatic catches. What impresses most about Fillon’s game is his ability to bait and influence defenders on any route in the tree that has a change of direction. He flawlessly beats the drum and uses headfakes to freeze or manipulate defensive backs to get wide open.
Vance Katzfey, Spirit Lake, hudl, Twitter
WR, 6’2, 175
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Getting the ball in Katzfey’s hands is crucial to the success of his offense. Katzfey excels in the short game, especially wide receiver screens, and does a great job of knowing where his blocks will be as he works upfield. He can accelerate in bursts and picks up hard earned yards, which makes him just as dangerous on plays like jet sweep. Katzfey is also capable of stretching the field on vertical routes and runs an excellent fade.
Aaden Schwiesow, West Sioux, hudl, Twitter
WR, 6’0, 160
Schwiesow turns heads and is electric with the ball in his hands; he is resourceful and creative when it comes to gaining extra yards. He patiently lets blocks set up on screens, then bursts into space. Schwiesow will hurdle, spin, or jump cut to make defenders miss and move the sticks. He is nimble on the sideline and makes difficult catches that require lots of focus and coordination. Schwiesow sells out making diving catches or contested catches through contact.