6 Future Stars In the 2025 Indiana Class

<h2>Lennox [player_tooltip player_id='336588' first='Cruz' last='Williams'] - Westfield - LB - 5'11" 190lbs</h2>   <p>Williams is someone we came across this summer and loved what we saw. I got to meet him and his father a few times at camps this summer and along with a great athlete, is a great family. Humble, hardworking, and hungry is the best way to describe Cruz and it translates to the field. Williams is physical and explosive while taking another big leap this fall. He's much more confident in what he's seeing and when to react. He's got a good head on his shoulders on the field and doesn't fall for the bait when the offense tries. He'll do his job, make the play, and move on to the next down. When blitzing, Williams has learned how to shake guys off him and get around them incredibly quick. He trusts what he sees and is usually right and is in the right place to make the play. He's got elite speed and is able to cover sideline to sideline and defend a TE or WR. He's not going to miss tackles and is able to seal the edge and force a ball carrier back inside. Williams is good in the running game and sees angles and how to exploit them to make the play. Williams could even play DB or be a versatile chess piece if needed. His physical play style, build, and then elite speed reminds me of Micah Parsons. Someone you can play inside and outside of the box who is physical, has elite speed, and fantastic instincts to just make the play. Williams has the chance to be a household name by the time he graduates and he's on the right path. All the talent you could ever ask for is there. I can verify the work ethic and how hungry he is. When you combine all of these traits with his pure ability there's no ceiling to how good he can be. Big big things are in store for Cruz and he's backed that up with another awesome fall on the field.</p>   <h2>Mason Alexander - Hamilton Southeastern - DB/WR - 5'11" 170lbs</h2>   <p>Alexander is an explosive athlete who is able to do multiple things for Hamilton Southeastern and is a reliable key piece for their defense. I did highlight 10 players from HSE and Brownsburg last week but couldn't get every stud on that one piece. Alexander fits the mold as a guy who can play Special Teams and Defense and do it at a high level. He's returned kicks at a high level for HSE as well. He's shown to be a threat there with his speed and agility he can, and will, house a kick if not properly covered. He's got decent vision and can find the wide cutback lanes as they're forming and get through them before they close. Defensively, he's good coming downhill and likes to keep everything in front of him. He's not going to get burned over the top and is light on his feet. He's willing to come and make an impact in the running game as well. He has no issue coming into the box, lower his shoulder, and making a tough tackle on a bigger back. Alexander has a lot of explosive abilities and some untapped raw potential that could come out on full display if he gets into the right program and develops at the next level.</p>   <h2>William Shearer - Hobart - DB - 5'10" 160lbs</h2>   <p>Shearer has burst onto the scene in a bright way for Hobart and there's no reason to think he will slow down in the future. He's been fantastic all season and is getting better and adding confidence each week he steps on the field. He's a young Safety but you wouldn't know it by the way he's played this year. He's got fantastic speed and can cover a ton of ground. This past week he had a clip that caught my eye where he closed ground from the boundary side and broke a sure fire TD. You flip on the tape and there is #14 all over the place. In the open field, playing Center Field while stopping the downfield passing attack, and coming up to help in run support when asked. Shearer has no issue hitting and making a hit stick type play either. He's physically on track to have a nice frame when he graduates as he's lengthy and thick for a DB. He's likely to continue growing over the next few years which could extend his range and ability to close ground. He's a complete DB prospect who is young, making plays, and has a great work ethic. Shearer is a fantastic hidden gem that is going to rise up boards over the next few years, as he should because it's warranted.</p>   <h2>Jason Rucker II - Evansville North - RB - 5'8" 155lbs</h2>   <p>Rucker is lightning in a bottle and is a ton of fun to watch. He's got elite short-area vision and is able to make a lot of guys miss. He's got fantastic vision and is able to get the lane, bounce the ball outside, and his the second gear. He's not going to run through or break a ton of tackles but he's able to run through some. Once he's into the second level, he's as hard to bring down as anyone. I believe the longest run he busted this year was an 88-yarder. He juked gaps at the line while making someone miss and look silly, saw the hole, and hit the gas. The hole split like the red sea and one he got through the initial hole there was no catching him. I didn't see any tape where he came out of the backfield as a receiver or was in pass protection, but it's safe to assume he's a bit raw, like every young RB. He's got 2 years of development left so there's not much room for concern there. He's a good athlete and seems to learn quickly. He seems like a guy who could catch passes out of the backfield but just hasn't been asked to do it yet. Rucker would be great in a zone scheme as well. His speed and ability to find a cutback lane, stick his foot in the ground, and get north right away fits perfectly. Rucker is a guy who is going to continue getting better and better over the next few years and could be a fantastic find for some program who needs help in the backfield.</p>   <h2>John Peters - Merrillville - WR/DB - 6'0" 150lbs </h2>   <p>Peters is an upcoming play-maker for Merrillville who has showed flash this year. He's a rangy recruit who takes long strides and eats up cushions in a hurry. He's decent after the catch and can be slippery and hard to bring down because of it. He's a nifty runner with the ball in his hands. While he's not the biggest receiver, he's shown he can go downfield and go up and make some contested grabs. He's got a fantastic vertical and it seems like he stays up there for a second longer than the guys he's going against. It allows him to high point the ball fairly easily and come down with it. While he hasn't had the biggest role this year, he's been productive and is going to get have a bigger role in years ahead. He's returned kicks and has made an impact this year as well and had some good moments there as well. Peters can go over the middle and make a grab as well. He'll then turn up field and try to fight for extra yardage. With what he's shown this year there's reason for optimism and if he develops over the next few years he'll have no issue landing somewhere at the next level.</p>   <h2>Isaiah Rollins - Cathedral - WR - 6'0" 160lbs</h2>   <p>Rollins is someone who has gone under the radar because of some of the older talent on the team but I don't think he should be. In his own right, Rollins is a baller. He's a fantastic athlete with smooth hands and makes things look easy. He's aware of where he is on the field and can make some nice sideline grabs. He's able to make contested catches, fight through contact, and turn up field. He's a YAC threat as well. With the ball in his hands, he's a great runner and the speed and vision kicks in. He'll weave across the field and through the defense if he has to. He makes sharp cuts and seems fairly twitchy. Like, there's more in there that hasn't been unleashed yet. Rollins also feels like a guy who could develop into an elite route runner. He's got long arms and is already 6'0" so there's a good chance he could be even taller by the time he graduates. He's also great down the field and is able to go up and over defenders to make the play. He's someone who can play in the slot or out wide and have success. The versatility and talent is there. Rollins has all the tools and talent you can ask for. He stands out in my opinion and should rise on boards all over the state. </p>