Top 30 ’22s North Of HWY 10: #30-#21
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When it comes to recruiting, colleges assign each coach a recruiting area. Usually its state by state, and every once in awhile a state may be divided in half or into regions. Today, I want to take that idea and…
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Continue ReadingWhen it comes to recruiting, colleges assign each coach a recruiting area. Usually its state by state, and every once in awhile a state may be divided in half or into regions. Today, I want to take that idea and split the state of Wisconsin into a northern and southern region. My divider line that I am going to use is Hwy 10 that runs east-west and almost perfectly splits the state in half. With the state split, I am going to go through the programs in the north and list my Top 30 players in the 2022 Class in that area. I will also provide a quick snapshot analysis of each player. This is a very talented region that colleges should really focus on, and because of that talent I am going to break this into a three part series. Today, we will start with going through players 30-21! Let’s get it started!
30. Trey Steele Trey Steele 6'3" | 290 lbs | OL Eau Claire North | 2022 State WI , 6’4″ 285 lbs OL- Eau Claire North
Our first player in the Top 30 Incoming Seniors from northern Wisconsin comes to us from Eau Claire North. Trey spent his junior season as the starting LT for the Huskies, but I believe for the next level his best position would be sliding inside to guard where he can play more to his strengths. Those strengths are his stoutness, play strength, and his run blocking. Trey’s short area quickness allows him to quickly engage his opponent and get the upper hand with his strong initial punch. From there he really shows off his play strength on a consistent basis in the run game. He can quickly drive defensive linemen off the ball or collapse them down the line of scrimmage. In pass protection, Trey’s initial punch once again gives him a boost over the competition and his strength prevents him from having any issue getting bull rushed back into the QB. Trey currently holds offers from a couple of D3 schools in St. Norbert’s College and UW- River Falls. He also has some D2 interest as well. Trey is going to be one of the top northern WI senior offensive linemen this fall. Trey’s Junior Season
29. Alex Belongia Alex Belongia 6'2" | 185 lbs | ATH Rice Lake | 2022 State WI , 6’2″ 185 lbs ATH- Rice Lake
Coming in at #29 is the big play waiting to happen athlete out of Rice Lake HS. When I say big play I mean it too. Alex averaged over 30 yards per reception in his junior year along with piling up nearly 70 tackles, and 5 INTs from his safety spot. Belongia is definitely a player I would classify as an athlete. I can easily see him succeeding at the next level on either side of the ball. When it comes down to it, though, I think he will find his home at safety. When I watch his tape it jumps out how he wins at WR with his natural, superior athleticism, but at safety it feels like he is playing more with his football IQ, and then uses that athleticism to capitalize on what he diagnoses. He has athleticism to burn too once he quickly diagnoses plays. Alex has sideline to sideline range from the deep safety spot and can quickly fill against the run near the line of scrimmage. Surprisingly, I don’t see any reported offers for Alex, yet. Check this kid out. He can help a team at the next level. Alex’s Junior Season
28. Gus Theisen, 5’10″ 200 lbs RB- Eau Claire Regis
Our first RB on the list comes in at #28 with the Regis ball carrier. I’ve been able to watch Gus in person during the Prep Redzone MN Showcase this spring where he posted some of the top testing numbers of the group. At the Showcase he posted a 4.50 40 yard dash and broad jumped nearly 10′. I’ve seen his results from camps since and he has continued to post similar results. So, the athleticism is there for the compact RB. When you pop on the tape and see how he is used at the FB position in Regis’ offense it becomes apparent what his on the field strengths are outside of his athleticism. His vision is on display from the first carry as he picks through loaded boxes designed to slow him down. His acceleration from basically a standstill is also a big time strength for him. Gus is a playmaker to know with the athleticism to help in more ways than just RB. I haven’t seen any offers for him, but it won’t be long. Gus’ Junior Season
27. Caden Pendleton Caden Pendleton 6'6" | 205 lbs | QB Kimberly | 2022 State WI , 6’6″ 205 lbs QB- Kimberly
#27 is one of the 10 finalists for the Spring Prep Redzone WI Player of the Year. The signal caller out of Kimberly offers an elite frame for the position. The incoming senior put together a strong junior season with tape that shows off his potential going forward. Accuracy, touch, and anticipation are the three strengths when it comes to Caden’s arm talent. All three traits continue to shine whether he is attacking the short, intermediate, or deep ranges. As for his arm strength, Caden has proven he can hit the more difficult throws down the field, but I want to see him continue to develop that part of his game. If he can continue to add velocity to his passes, especially when attacking down the field, he will no doubt skyrocket up this list. Pendleton doesn’t hold any reported offers currently, but they can’t be far away. The size and arm talent are there with plenty of potential still to tap into. Caden’s Junior Season
26. Sam Dodd Sam Dodd 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Hortonville | 2022 State WI , 6’3″ 200 lbs QB- Hortonville
At #26 we have our second QB on the list. Sam checks off the size box with a listed 6’3″ 200 lbs. He also brings a dual threat aspect to the table, but his arm talent is first and foremost the most impressive part of his game. The arm strength jumps out to me. When he lets it rip down the field it looks like he is just flicking his wrist, but the ball jumps out of his hand and carries that velocity all the way down the field to the catch point. It’s not just a raw, strong arm, though. Sam has shown that he can attack down the field with touch and accuracy along the sideline, or if he needs to drop it in a bucket over a defender. The composure he shows while under duress jumps out too. He doesn’t panic. Instead he maneuvers in the pocket, and keeps his eyes down the field still looking to make a play. Dodd is another player on this list that I haven’t seen any offers for. Kid to know. Sam’s Junior Season
25. Troy Bounting Troy Bounting 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH Hudson | 2022 State WI , 5’11″ 175 lbs ATH- Hudson
#25 is another player I was able to watch at camp early this spring. Troy came out to the Prep Redzone MN Showcase and went crazy. He posted 40 times in the 4.5s and broad jumped 10’1″. That explosiveness carried over to his WR play as well. Troy is able to burst off the line, and accelerate to top speed in a matter of steps. His straight line speed allows him to take the top off the defense with ease. His concentration and hands have allowed him to put out tape of some impressive tight window catches from this past fall. The big play threat already holds two offers from Upper Iowa and Morningside. Expect to see more headed his way. He is going to be electric to watch this fall as he steps into an even bigger role. Troy’s Junior Season
24. Bryant Petska Bryant Petska 6'6" | 290 lbs | OL Chippewa Falls | 2022 State WI , 6’6″ 290 lbs OL- Chippewa Falls
Our second offensive lineman is the big man for Chippewa Falls. The 6’6″ 290 lbs beast has experience at OT and OG. I believe his move to guard this past fall really helped to highlight his best abilities. His immense frame paired with his short area agility makes it very hard for any defensive linemen to beat his block. In pass protection, Petska does a really sound job of using his length to get the initial contact that allows him to maintain control throughout the rep. Bryant also has shown that he can be a devastating puller in the run game. As he continues to gain more an more body control I expect Bryant to be a big target on the recruiting trail. I haven’t seen any offers, but they are coming. Check the film and know the name. Petska’s Junior Season
23. Ty Strehlow Ty Strehlow 6'0" | 190 lbs | ATH D.C. Everest | 2022 State WI , 6’ 190 lbs ATH- D.C. Everest
Ty is a fun player to watch. He has the frame to be able to step into several roles for a team at the next level, but he seems to be getting most of his attention as a potential DB prospect. His film is of his offensive play as an RB and slot WR. Both of which he excelled at. His three down ability along with the college level speed is what earned him our RB3 ranking for the Class of 2022. With him getting so much work at DB this camp circuit I’ll be interested in seeing if we get to see him play more on the defensive side of the ball this fall. Strehlow currently holds an offer from Augustana. Check out the offensive highlights right here. Ty’s Junior Season
22. Will Campbell Will Campbell 6'1" | 225 lbs | LB Kaukauna | 2022 State WI , 6’1″ 230 lbs LB- Kaukauna
Our #22 incoming senior in the north is the downhill thumper from Kaukauna. Campbell is one of the best overall LBs in the state when it comes to his ability to navigate through the trash, shed blocks, and fill lanes against the run. It’s so fun watching his play against the run. He can find and get to the ball so quickly with his burst and he can not only shed blocks with his impressive upper body strength, he can also make linemen miss with his lateral agility. Will puts a bow on it all by being a very sound, reliable tackler too. Don’t let his run dominance make you think Will is only a two down player. Campbell has consistently shown that he can drop into a zone, read the QB’s eyes, and then use that burst and agility to jump in front of passes and disrupt the catch point. Don’t miss out on this kid. No offers reported, yet. Won’t be long before someone pulls the trigger, though. Will’s Junior Midseason Highlights
21. Carson Sippel Carson Sippel 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Kaukauna | 2022 State WI , 6’ 170 lbs WR- Kaukauna
The most electric playmaker on today’s list is the Kaukauna Ghost WR. Whether you check the testing results from the camp circuit or the game tape you will see a very gifted athlete. Carson has posted a 4.4 40, 39″ vertical, and 10’8″ broad jump. On film Carson is a great returner. When he gets the ball in his hands defenders need to have him corralled instantly or they are going to pay. That same dangerous return ability shows up at WR too. Sippel is at his most dangerous after the catch. He only needs a glimmer of daylight to generate a huge play for his offense. His special body control, acceleration, and speed before the catch allow him to create the separation that leads to those big plays after the catch. I don’t know if there has been a more hot recruit on the recruiting trail right now. Over just the past few weeks Carson has landed offers from Duluth, Northern State, Upper Iowa, Bemidji State, and Morningside. Carson’s Junior Season