Next Level Athletix Sunday workout: Top WR’s
Former college and NFL star Kyle Prater is one of Next Level Athletix coaches and he’s a great source fo the younger players. A quick conversation with him and the focus was on getting better and also looking at the…
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Continue ReadingFormer college and NFL star Kyle Prater is one of Next Level Athletix coaches and he’s a great source fo the younger players. A quick conversation with him and the focus was on getting better and also looking at the bigger picture, using football as a springboard to their lives. Football ends, but life doesn’t and that was a big point that Prater preached, and I couldn’t agree more with him. A great teacher and mentor had a solid group of wide receivers this past Sunday and here are the players that stood out to me.
2022 Myles Walton, Homewood-Flossmoor @mwalt_1
Although on the smaller size, Walton brings a lot of talent to the table. An ideal slot receiver, the speed and shiftiness stand out immediately. He’s got the wiggle that will give many teams issues.
Three that showed impressive footwork last Sunday were @mwalt_1 @Kellywatson_1 and @aust1njohnson_ pic.twitter.com/p939wy1ilb
— "The" Mike F Chen (@MikeFChen) March 6, 2021
Very good in and out of his breaks, Walton has good hands to use his athletic ability to make defenders miss. Got some varsity run last year and has the potential to have a breakout junior season.
2022 Austin Johnson, Oswego East (6’1 and 160lbs) @aust1njohnson_
Long and lanky, Johnson has a very good reach with strong hands. His frame will allow him to continue to add on weight, which will help his game in a variety of ways. Johnson has some very good speed, but he’s a guy that also uses his body well. He consistently caught the ball away from his body, again showcasing his strong hands. Not much recruiting action for Johnson, with a big spring season, he’ll jump on schools boards.
2022 Jerry Eaton, Downers Grove South @JerryE33
Small but put together, Eaton was another player who is an idea slot receiver. Quick with his movements, he’s got some solid hands as well. Very good a his first cut off breaks when running routes. I’d like to see how Eaton would do carrying the ball, I think he’d be able to be a guy who could take jet sweeps and reverses for big yardage.
2023 Kelly Watson, York (6’ and 170lbs) @Kellywatson_1
Really like the frame Watson possesses, he’s got plenty of room to add on good weight over the next few years. What stood out was the way he moved, very technical going in and out of his breaks. Although Watson worked out with the receivers, he could end up on the other side of the ball. He’s got great hip movements, which is a premium for corners. I’m interested to see how his sophomore year goes, it will be telling as to where he ultimately lines up at the next level.
2022 Jaylen Montgomery, Downers Grove South (5’8” and 170lbs) @jaylenmontgome4
Yup, another slot prospect in Montgomery, who has a very well put together lower half. You can tell he’s focused his weight lifting on his legs, but that doesn’t mean he’s left out the upper-body.
Popping the top off a defense 👀 @PieperAidan @jaylenmontgome4 on the receiving end pic.twitter.com/T0czTENZRQ
— "The" Mike F Chen (@MikeFChen) March 4, 2021
Montgomery showed he’s got the speed to get behind defenses and the hands to make the play. Also a basketball player, which gives you an idea why he’s got great hands. This season DGS should have plenty of options make big plays on offense.
2023 athlete Justin Taylor, Nazareth (6’ and 182lbs) @__justintaylor
The impressive part about Taylor’s game is that he is never satisfied. His work ethic is top-notch, which shows in his skill set, also high level. Taylor did position drills with the wide receivers, but when the mini-scrimmage portion of the session started, he occasionally jumped over to the defensive backfield.
I cant say enough about how talented @__justintaylor is, he can do it all while making it look so easy pic.twitter.com/JieOxGwThl
— "The" Mike F Chen (@MikeFChen) March 6, 2021
It seems like you could put Taylor anywhere on the field and he would perform at a high-level. He’s got the size, footwork and hands to be a stellar wide receiver, and those skills translate over to the defensive side of the ball also. I’ve said this multiple times, Taylor will blow up after teams see his new tape in a few weeks.
2024 Noah Pfafflin, Lyons Township (6’2” and 175lbs)@noahpfafflin
I first noticed Pfafflin over the summer, where he showed he wasn’t out of place going up against high school competition before he even started. The frame is impressive, but he’s got room to add weight and get stronger over his high school career. The route running is impressive for a player so young, he’s very precise with his movements.
Getting run on varsity as a freshman? Yeah, that what’s expected from @noahpfafflin pic.twitter.com/JQcYKEAGSP
— "The" Mike F Chen (@MikeFChen) March 6, 2021
It looks like Pfafflin is in line for some varsity run this coming season, which bodes well for his development. Putting him on JV against overmatched defenders won’t help him much. The future is very bright with Pfafflin.
2025 Dinos Drossos, Oswego (6’3” and 181lbs) @DinosDrossos
It’s time to get this 8th grader on your radars. He’s absolutely massive for his age but he’s got the skills set of a player much older. I was shocked when he told me how old he was. He’s got great hands and clearly a massive frame with a ton of room to add on good weight.
Still in 8th grade @DinosDrossos is a big time player in the making pic.twitter.com/bdLlv3mRl5
— "The" Mike F Chen (@MikeFChen) March 6, 2021
What Drossos turns out to be in 2-3 years right now is a mystery. Does he keep growing and end up as a tight end? Has Drossos maxed out his height and adds 40-pounds to become a linebacker? How about 60 more pounds and he puts his hand in the dirt as a defensive end? Who knows at this moment, but he’s a guy to keep an eye on who could turn out to be a monster prospect.k