Prep Redzone Iowa’s Newcomers and Stock Risers | Week 4
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Players emerge and make leaps on a weekly basis. Learn about some of Iowa’s new names and players whose stock is rising . Ten noteworthy week 4 performances are broken down that earned these athletes some well-deserved recognition. Get to…
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Continue ReadingPlayers emerge and make leaps on a weekly basis. Learn about some of Iowa’s new names and players whose stock is rising . Ten noteworthy week 4 performances are broken down that earned these athletes some well-deserved recognition. Get to know them now.
Maddux Jones Maddux Jones 6'3" | 185 lbs | QB Cardinal | 2022 IA , Cardinal, QB, Twitter
Jones and the Comets are off to a 4-0 start that has seen his production soar as he is averaging nearly 300 yards of total offense per game. He has been a model of efficiency in that span throwing 15 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions. It is hard to see this trend dipping as, at the moment, he is completing 72% of his passes. At 6’3 he sees the field well and puts excellent touch on his throws. Cardinal’s two-back sets force opponents to load the box and Jones can pick apart light coverage. He is also more than capable of extending plays with his mobility.
Jamison Poe, RB, Ames, Twitter
The backfield in Ames is looking set and in great shape for a while; Freshman Jamison Poe had been steady through his first few weeks of Varsity football and absolutely had a day in week 4 against Des Moines East. The class of 2025 ball carrier toted the rock 25 times for 257 yards a touchdown, and added another score on his lone reception that went for 24 yards. Poe went for 53 yards on a very impressive GT counter where he made several defenders miss in close quarters and then burst into space. He’s got the vision and skillset to be very successful.
Jaxson Hildebrand Jaxson Hildebrand 6'0" | 215 lbs | LB Denison-Schleswig | 2023 State IA , RB, Denison-Schleswig, Twitter
Hildebrand is leading the Monarchs in both rushing yards and tackles on the year. It will be very interesting to see if he ends the year with more TFL or touchdowns. Hildebrand had a huge week 4 against Council Bluffs Jefferson carrying 22 times for 100 yards and two touchdowns; he had 4 tackles and a sack on defense. He is incredibly nimble and light on his feet when carrying the ball as evidenced on one of his carries Friday night when he slipped through the line of scrimmage and then blasted through a Linebacker, sending him flying on his way to the end zone.
Caleb Sauser, WR, Monticello, Twitter
Sauser had 18 receptions for Moticello last year, he already has 28 through just four games this season. Sauser is trending to easily eclipse 1,000 receiving yards on the year and has already found the end zone six times. He’s also been locking it down at Strong Safety with 15.5 tackles and an interception. Sauser runs incredible underneath routes that get him open in an instant. Once he has the ball in the open field his twitchy, athletic moves take over and he maximizes gains. He can stretch the field, too, using top notch speed to get behind Defensive Backs.
Drew Campbell, DE, Cedar Falls, Twitter
Cedar Falls has won back to back contests against Prairie and Ankeny Centennial, two explosive offenses who the Tigers were able to neutralize with great defensive play. A big reason for that is 6’4 Sophomore End Drew Campbell who has emerged onto the scene as a fearsome edge presence; he already has 11.5 Tackles, 5 Sacks and 5.5 TFL. One of his Sacks came Friday night when he flew off the ball and used an impressive speed rush to beat a pulling Guard coming his way in zone protection. He took the Quarterback down for a 10 yard loss.
Oliver Hughes, S, North Scott, Twitter
The Lancers, hot off a 2020 state title, have picked up right where they left off with a 4-0 start. Receiver and Safety Oliver Hughes is a name to keep an eye on. So far on the year he has 26 catches for 241 yards and 4 touchdowns and 18.5 tackles; he is outpacing his productivity from last year’s all-state campaign on both sides of the ball. Hughes showed so much range against Xavier coming down and making tackles for no gain against plays like outside zone and speed option. He was perfectly crisp in his underneath routes, too, especially from the slot.
Casey Stecker, CB, Indianola, Twitter
The Indians knocked off Lewis Central in week 4 to keep their record unblemished and an important key to their win was not giving up the big play. Casey Stecker was outstanding at providing run support from his boundary corner position and really bottled up any attempt the Titans wanted to make at attacking the backside of their formation. He was also all over it in coverage; the way he kept everything in front of him and broke on passes from Indianola’s cover 4 shell was impressive. Stecker also played a little man and had no problems staying attached to routes.
Caden Hutch, LB, Valley, Twitter
Hutch is a fearless Linebacker who has a nose for the ball from the weak side of Valley’s defense, but definitely has the tools to play a 3-4 strongside Outside Linebacker or even Strong Safety in a single-high scheme. He was lights out in the Tigers’ week 4 win over Waukee. He collected 9.5 tackles in a defensive effort that held the Warriors to two field goals. Hutch really stands out when he can blitz; the way he screams off the edge and bends or folds inside and redirects to the ball is impressive. He flows over the top of blocks well, too, when action is away.
Justin Loseke Justin Loseke 6'1" | 205 lbs | LB Southeast Valley | 2023 State IA , LB, Southeast Valley, Twitter
The Jaguars defense held OABCIG to 22 points on Friday night, 19 less than their season average; they also limited them to just 269 total yards. Justin Loseke Justin Loseke 6'1" | 205 lbs | LB Southeast Valley | 2023 State IA led the attack with 5.5 tackles and quickly made the Falcons one-dimensional in a game where they were trying to play catch up. They threw the ball 38 times and attempted to run only 12 times. Loseke and his ability to stuff gaps was a big reason for that. In addition to taking away inside runs, Loseke had several blitzes that resulted in quick pressure and open field tackles that saved big plays.
Jackson Morton Jackson Morton 6'2" | 160 lbs | DB Greene County | 2022 IA , ATH, Greene County, Twitter
Morton does everything for the Rams and at a really high level. Through 4 weeks he has 13 carries for 122 yards and 5 touchdowns, 9 receptions for 90 yards, 20 tackles, and averages 22 yards per return. Morton is a spark plug in all three phases of the game and dialing up the number 15 is sure to provide plenty of energy and momentum. When he isn’t making toe tapping catches on the sideline or bursting into open space on carries, as he did Friday against Des Moines Christian, he is out front lead blocking for teammates; he really can do it all.