On The Rise: 2024 Prospects to Know
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The 2024 class is shaping up to be a very talented group. Several players have begun to separate themselves as some of the elite players in their class. On the contrary, some players are making the most of their playing…
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Continue ReadingThe 2024 class is shaping up to be a very talented group. Several players have begun to separate themselves as some of the elite players in their class. On the contrary, some players are making the most of their playing time while they sit behind upperclassmen. This article looks at players from across the board and around to state to find some of the most promising and exciting sophomore prospects.
Isaiah McMorris Isaiah McMorris 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE | Millard North | 6’0″ 170 lbs
Overall: 10 | WR: 2
Isaiah McMorris Isaiah McMorris 6'0" | 175 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE is a very exciting athlete to watch out for in the 2024 class. McMorris is a versatile player that had an insanely productive season at WR, CB, and returner for Millard North. The first thing that pops out in his film is his game-breaking speed. McMorris is super fast and is very, very good at getting behind the defense and making a huge play. He has elite field vision, which has made him one of the most dangerous all-around players in the state. Isaiah was used in several ways on offense to maximize his big-play ability and finished with over 1,000 offensive yards and scored 14 touchdowns. He has powerful hands and great control when making the catch, which also helped him on defense with his three interceptions. McMorris is going to be a big-time riser in this class and won’t be long before he’s pushing for the top spot.
Payton Prestito Payton Prestito 5'10" | 185 lbs | RB Papillion-La Vista | 2024 State NE | Papillion – La Vista | 5’9″ 175 lbs
Overall: 17 | RB: 3
The first two plays of Prestito’s clip below should tell you what you need to know about him. Payton is a well-balanced runningback that can lower his shoulder to send defenders flying, or he can turn on the burners and leave everyone in the dust. Prestito has a warrior mentality when running downhill and his strength, balance, field vision, and cutback ability make him exceptionally hard to tackle on first contact. He still led the Monarchs in a split backfield, with 678 rushing yards on 120 carries, scored eight touchdowns, and had 80 receiving yards with a receiving touchdown. Payton was also a standout on the defense while playing the cornerback position. Prestito showed great coverage skills and was able to snag two interceptions and 21 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss. Overall, Payton is a great all-around football player and will be a menace for the next few years.
Dane Jacobsen Dane Jacobsen 6'1" | 160 lbs | QB Ashland-Greenwood | 2024 State NE | Ashland-Greenwood | 6’1″ 160 lbs
Overall: 27 | QB: 4
The future looks bright for the Ashland-Greenwood Bluejays, with stud QB Dane Jacobsen Dane Jacobsen 6'1" | 160 lbs | QB Ashland-Greenwood | 2024 State NE under center. Dane took the reigns of the offense and had a very productive and efficient season where he threw for 1,519 yards tossed 19 touchdowns to only five interceptions. Jacobsen has a strong arm and can push the ball downfield with accuracy. A great stat for Jacobsen is his 65% completion rate, which, when looking a little deeper, you see that he had seven games of 65%+ and four games with 70%+ completion rates. With his strong QB play and a punishing ground game, Jacobsen led the Bluejays to an undefeated regular season and the footsteps of a state championship appearance before falling to Pierce. Jacobsen showed tons of resolve and outstanding leadership during his team’s 10-1 season and provided some great fuel to fire him up for next year.
Derek Wacker Derek Wacker 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Yutan | 2024 State NE | Yutan | 6’1″ 190 lbs
Overall: 30 | DL: 6
Derek “Wrecker” was a machine on the Yutan defensive line and was one of the most impressive young players this season. Derek racked up 68 tackles, four tackles for loss, and sacked the quarterback four times while showing his explosiveness off the line with a quick first step and great use of hands. Derek showed that he could get into the backfield with finesse or by straight-up overwhelming his matchup. He had a play (24 seconds, below) where he made himself small enough to sneak in between the guard and tackle, shot his gap like a rocket, and made the play in the backfield. Wacker can play several techniques; in his tape, you can see Derek lined up wide, closer to the guard, and he can adjust and stunt when he needs to. He is very tough and extremely physical, definitely a player you want to have in your locker room.
Jackson Wing Jackson Wing 6'0" | 215 lbs | OL Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE | Omaha Westside | 6’0″ 215 lbs
Overall: 37 | OL: 5
You’re going to be hearing a lot from Omaha Westside’s class of 2024. The Warriors boast one of the deepest sophomore classes in the state with many great prospects in key positions, including OL Jack Wing. Jack showed a lot of potential during his freshman season, and we continued to see those flashes of dominance as a sophomore. Wing carved himself a nice role on the offensive line at center and showed great rapport with QB Anthony Rezac Anthony Rezac 6'3" | 200 lbs | QB Omaha Westside | 2024 State NE . He delivered quick and accurate snaps and always had his eyes open and his hands ready in pass protection. He is a very tough-nosed center in the running game that loves to get after defenders to open up running lanes. Jack is a lineman that I’m projecting to turn into a beast as he continues to gain more experience and soak up more reps.
Mario Bush Mario Bush 5'9" | 175 lbs | ATH Ogallala | 2024 State NE | Ogallala | 5’9″ 175 lbs
Overall: 60 | LB: 9
Mario Bush Mario Bush 5'9" | 175 lbs | ATH Ogallala | 2024 State NE was a good surprise in both Ogallala’s backfield and as a linebacker. The up-and-coming sophomore showed that he will be a versatile playmaker for the Indians. In a limited role, Bush ran for 122 yards on 24 carries, scored two touchdowns, and showed some glimpses of his hands coming out the backfield with two catches for 47 yards. Mario is a tough downhill runner that thrives off contact and is not afraid to lower the shoulder pads and deliver the boom. Mario also made his presence known on the defensive side with 27 tackles and a sack. He is very gritty with a constant motor that always leads him to the football. Don’t sleep on this promising sophomore talent!