Top Five Arizona Prep Wide Receivers for the Class of 2022
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Many of Arizona’s top wide receivers for the class of 2022 have already committed to colleges. Here’s a detailed look at the best five: Kyion Grayes Kyion Grayes 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Chandler | 2022 State AZ is…
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Continue ReadingMany of Arizona’s top wide receivers for the class of 2022 have already committed to colleges. Here’s a detailed look at the best five:
Kyion Grayes Kyion Grayes 6'1" | 175 lbs | WR Chandler | 2022 State AZ is a 6-1, 170-pound wide receiver for Chandler High School. He is ranked as the second-best wide receiver in the state of Arizona for the class of 2022. Chandler finished 10-0 last fall and Kyion had 28 receptions in eight games for 556 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 19.9 yards per catch. A member of the Chandler track and field team, he was timed at 11.35 in the 100-meter dash and broad-jumped 21 feet, seven inches. Kyion is also a part of the 4 x 100 relay team.
Kyion had committed to the University of Arizona but recently de-committed and then signed with Ohio State. He received other offers from Arizona State, Auburn, Iowa State, Kansas, Michigan State, and Oregon State. He made the first team, All-State Offense in 2020. Chandler beat arch-rival Hamilton, 23-21, for last December’s State Championship.
A scout recently commented on Kyion’s stature. ” He has a lean build with good length and room to add to his frame. He is a well-rounded wide receiver with a knack for getting open. He is also a fluid route runner who shows great body control after a catch. He has a good burst off of the line of scrimmage. He has very good hands who can reel in the ball away from his body. Kyion could add speed and physicality as he grows. He is a potential multi-year starter for a Power Five college and looks promising for the NFL draft down the road.” His ceiling is limitless as he prepares to enter his senior year of high school.
Elijah Barclay Elijah Barclay 6'2" | 175 lbs | WR Salpointe Catholic | 2022 CA is a 6-2, 175-pound wide receiver for the Salpointe Catholic Lancers. He played for Mater Dei High School in Santa ana, California before moving to Tucson in the summer of 2020. Last fall he caught 15 passes for 332 yards and six touchdowns. In his first game last October, Eli caught 4 passes for 82 yards as Salpointe defeated Casa Grande. The ArizonaBowl selected him as Player of the Week in the Lancers’ win over Mountain Ridge.
Eli also competes on the Salpointe track team in the 100-meter dash and the 4×100 relay. He has been timed at 4.38 in the 40-yard dash and recently competed in the National Preps Arizona Showcase event. The three-star athlete has already received scholarship offers from the following colleges: Arizona, Illinois State, Nebraska, Purdue, TCU, Utah, and Utah State.
Salpointe’s first-year coach Eric Rogers had these comments about Eli. “He makes the defense spread the field. He has tremendous speed with great hands,” said Coach Rogers. “He reminds me of Jerry Rice. The way he runs is effortless and very smooth. You don’t realize how fast he is until he’s by you.” His future is certainly bright as he gets ready for his senior year.
Lance Holtzclaw Lance Holtzclaw 6'4" | 220 lbs | WR Desert Ridge | 2022 State AZ is a 6-4, 200-pound wide receiver and weakside defensive end for Desert Ridge High School in Mesa. In six games as a junior last fall, he caught 13 passes for 186 yards and also was accountable for 27 tackles, nine tackles for loss, an interception, and a fumble recovery. As a sophomore, Lance had five tackles for loss and three sacks. He can play at the next level on offense or defense.
One scout feels Lance ” Has a great feel and awareness of the game. He has a combination of athleticism and sound fundamentals. He has physical skills that include speed, burst, lateral agility, and leaping ability.” Playing for Jaguars Head Coach Roy Lopez, he is a versatile player that can do just about everything. He recently played 7-on-7 for the True Buzz West Coast team as a wide receiver.
The three-star talent has already received 12 college offers. The schools include Boston College, the Air Force Academy, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Iowa State, Oregon State, Kansas State, San Diego State, Vanderbilt, and Boise State. Lance remains undeclared as he gets ready for his senior year. More offers are sure to follow.
Gabe Escobedo Gabe Escobedo 6'1" | 165 lbs | WR Miami | 2022 State AZ is a 6-1, 185-pound receiver and cornerback for Miami High School. He is also an outstanding basketball player and is a pitcher and outfielder on the Miami baseball team. In his last two seasons, Gabe has accounted for 2,688 receiving yards, 115 receptions, and 37 touchdowns. In 10 games as a sophomore, he caught 68 passes, and in seven games as a junior, he had 47 receptions. He also has a two-year total of 3,549 all-purpose yards or an average of 208.8 per game. Additionally, he has a total of 86 tackles over the past two seasons playing defensive back.
Through 65 basketball games over the past three seasons, Gabe is averaging 12.4 points per game, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.15 steals. Last winter he averaged 21.4 points per game. He also hit .556 for the Vandals baseball team. Playing for Head Football Coach Brandon Powell, Gabe made 2A First Team All-Region as a wide receiver, defensive back, and punt returner. AZ365 selected him on the All-Region team as both a wide receiver and punt returner.
Gabe’s favorite sports memory is hitting a walk-off home run to win a baseball game. As he approaches his senior year, there should be many more.
Austin Rush Austin Rush 5'10" | 185 lbs | WR Yuma Catholic | 2022 State AZ is a 5-10-185 pound wide receiver and defensive back for Yuma Catholic. Last December the Shamrocks won the 3A State Championship. Austin was selected to the First-Team All-State as a wide receiver and First-Team All-Region as both a receiver and defensive back. Over the last two seasons, he has 1,361 receiving yards, a total of 78 receptions, an average of 17.4 yards per catch, and 20 touchdowns, He has a total of 1,432 all-purpose yards over the last two years.
The nephew of Head Coach Rhett Stallworth, Austin has had 44 tackles as a defensive back in 2019 and 2020, According to Coach Stallworth, “Austin is a very quiet guy and doesn’t stick out from a personality standpoint but he is a lead by example person. He just shows up and plays.” With many starters back on both offense and defense, Yuma Catholic should make another run in 2021 for another State Championship.