Ottawa-Kent Conferences: Top Athletes

There are a handful of athletes on each team that impact the game in ways others can’t. Whether that be with break-away speed, next-level field awareness, or the ability to always be in the right place at the right time. This group of athletes I’ll break down exemplifies that in some fashion and are a big reason why they should be considered amongst the group of best athletes in the Ottawa-Kent conferences. <h5>[player_tooltip player_id="29840" first="Jamontae" last="Burrell"], Godwin Heights 2021"</h5> <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9853551/5dd220821762390c1cb9f90a" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Jamontae is the do-it-all swiss army knife for Godwin Heights. He’s used as a running back, in the wildcat formation, and splits out in the slot as a wideout. Jamontae has great speed and explodes out of the gate and into the second level. He isn’t afraid to lower his shoulder and create contact in order to gain extra yardage. Jamontae has good vision in the open field and often anticipates running lanes before they open. As a wideout, Jamontae is a physical receiver who uses his strength to corral contested passes in. <h5>[player_tooltip player_id="30172" first="Kyler" last="Vanderjagt"], Northview 2022</h5> <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11558547/5dc382f29a91100ef8a526ab" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Kyler is a dynamic two-sport athlete who is also receiving his fair-share of interest from college basketball programs. Offensively, Kyler plays primarily as a wideout, but also gets reps in the wildcat formation. Kyler has great hands and consistently catches the ball away from his body. Kyler is a premier target in the redzone, due to his frame and his ability to box out smaller defenders in jump-ball situations. His size is also a problem in the open field due to Kyler being a long-strided runner who is a load to bring down. <h5>[player_tooltip player_id="29824" first="Brady" last="Rose"], Muskegon Mona Shores 2021"</h5> <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9767324/5dee86b5d2263c0df8aa9fb2" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Brady became a thing of folk-lore last season during Mona Shores’ State Title run. Rose stepped in at quarterback when an injury sidelined the Sailor’s starter in the playoffs. Rose proved to be the X-factor in the state title game where he passed for three touchdowns, ran for another and recorded an interception on the defensive end. Brady is a quick-twitch athlete who uses his quickness to get downfield in a hurry. He has top-end speed when he gets in the open field. Mona Shores used him primarily in running situations, but he’s also showed the ability to throw the ball down the field with nice touch. <h5>[player_tooltip player_id="29638" first="Colin" last="Weber"], Hopkins 2021"</h5> <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9827305/5dd496a51763a20f2020adf4" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Colin is another dual-sport athlete on this list who has considerable interest from college basketball programs. Colin plays the majority of his offensive snaps as a running back, but is just as effective when he’s split out as a wideout. Standing at 6’5", Colin is a great target over the middle of the field and equally as dangerous on sideline targets. He’s proven to be a tough runner who has good speed and doesn’t go down on first contact. <h5></h5> <h5>[player_tooltip player_id="29780" first="Tyler" last="Stezowski"], Hamilton 2021"</h5> <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9731550/5e8f2b4fb3c8a009c06cbfd2" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Stezowski is an exceptional two-way player for Hamilton. On defense, Tyler is a hard-hitting defensive back who has good closing speed on the ball. Tyler is a disruptive force on blitzes and has good coverage skills as well. The majority of his interceptions from this past season resulted from Tyler’s ability to read the quarterback. Offensively, Tyler thrives as a running back for Hamilton. He has good speed and is shifty in-between the tackles. Rarely does Tyler go down on first contact and he often makes the first man miss. &nbsp; &nbsp;