Players to Watch From Prep Redzone IL 2023 Player Ranking
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I’ve selected a group of players from our 2023 rankings that I think have the potential to make the most noise over the next two years. Any list that only includes freshmen is sure to evolve and see some major…
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Continue ReadingI’ve selected a group of players from our 2023 rankings that I think have the potential to make the most noise over the next two years. Any list that only includes freshmen is sure to evolve and see some major changes, but these five players have either already made a huge splash, have shown potential to be great in the future, or both. Ranking young players can be tricky because so much can change as young athletes develop, but it’s also worth highlighting the players that standout early, and these ones certainly stood out to me.
Carnell Tate Carnell Tate 6'2" | 170 lbs | WR IMG Academy | 2023 State FL , Marist: WR – It may be a cop-out to put the number one player on the Redzone rankings on a “players to watch” article, but Tate is too good to not talk about. Tate already has offers from most of the Big Ten and the offers, along with the stars by his name, will continue to roll in as his high school career progresses. He has exceptionally strong hands and uses them well – along with his long reach – to catch the ball out in front of him. He shows elite level explosiveness both off the line and out of breaks. He uses his radius really well to give his QB an easy target. Tate is at the top of our 2023 list for a reason and it will certainly be fun to watch as the rest of his high school career plays out.
Miles McVay Miles McVay 6'7" | 345 lbs | OL East St. Louis | 2023 State IL , East St. Louis: OL – Mcvay already has offers from SEC powers like Florida and Georgia and all it takes is being in the same room as him to figure out why. But his current play isn’t why I have him on this list. With his size and evolving athletic ability, it’s scary to think about what McVay could develop into. The 6’6 320 lb (that’s our best current guess as he seems to grow an inch every couple of weeks) tackle is still growing and filling out his massive frame. He shows light feet for a player his size and enough athletic ability to get out in front of screens and settle on the edge in pass sets. If he can continue to develop his athleticism and control his size then the sky is the limit for his football future.
Andre Crews Andre Crews 5'9" | 175 lbs | ATH Simeon | 2023 State IL / Malik Elzy Malik Elzy 6'3" | 195 lbs | WR Simeon | 2023 State IL , Simeon ATH/WR – It’s rare to have two sophomore skill position players on the same side of the ball with SEC and Big Ten offers respectively but that’s exactly what Simeon has in Crews and Elzy. At the next level Crews likely projects as a corner while Elzy will be more suited at WR, but for the next couple of years, you can bet that Simeon will have both dynamic playmakers on the field at the same time. The two possess different skill sets with Elzy showing an ability to go up and make plays with his size, and Elzy showing elite instincts in coverage for a player his age, but regardless of which talent is being showcased the tandem has the ability to take over any game at any time.
Kaden Feagin Kaden Feagin 6'2" | 230 lbs | RB Arthur-Lovingston/Atwood-Hammond | 2023 State IL , Atwood-Hammond, ATH – Already coming in at 6’3 and over 200lbs, it’s hard not to fall in love with Kaden Feagin Kaden Feagin 6'2" | 230 lbs | RB Arthur-Lovingston/Atwood-Hammond | 2023 State IL ’s potential. Freagin ranks a little lower than the other players on this list but I don’t anticipate that lasting long. As he continues to grow, it’s easy to see the current RB/OLB start putting his hand in the ground as a pass rusher, which would be a terrifying thought for opposing quarterbacks. Feagin shows the kind of twitch and explosiveness that defines a great pass rusher and that may be where his talents are best utilized. If he stays at RB and OLB he still has the range to play sideline to sideline at OLB and the power and open-field speed to be extremely productive at RB. Regardless of where he lines up, Feagin looks primed to continue to dominate the high school ranks and beyond.