Kansas Players Invited to the KC Varsity Combine

The 9^th annual KC Varsity Combines will be taking place tomorrow. This competition will host over 300 athletes from Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas. In addition, there will be over 40 college coaches in attendance. This is a huge opportunity for players from Kansas to get noticed and to move up in our player rankings. The athletes will get the chance to showcase their skills and abilities during the drills and the 28-team 7-on-7 tournament. Here are nine Class of ’22 and ’23 players that have been invited to the combine. <strong>Tyler Claiborne</strong> – St. James Academy, 6’3”, 185, WR (Class of ’22) Claiborne was one of the top wideouts in the state as a junior. The St. James product hauled in 76 passes for over 1,100 yards receiving and found the end zone 12 times during the 2020 season. The lengthy receiver should post some solid numbers in the vertical and broad jump, and he will be a huge target during the 7-on-7 competition. <strong>Kaden Lonard</strong> – Lawrence Free State, 6’5”, 280, OL (Class of ’23) Lonard showed some promise while playing at the junior-varsity level this past fall. He already has next level size, and he has the strength to seal the edge. This combine and summer workouts will be great opportunities for him to learn and improve his game heading into his junior year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91367" first="Gavin" last="Bell"]</strong> – El Dorado, 6’4”, 270, OL (Class of ’22) The 5^th ranked offensive lineman in the Class of ‘22 will be ready to perform this weekend. Bell is very athletic for his size. He explodes off the ball and can get to the second level with ease. Bell has already been offered by Eastern Michigan and has also received interest from multiple FBS and FCS programs. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="91394" first="Kaden" last="Johnson"]</strong> – Holcomb, 6’3”, 190, QB (Class of ’22) Johnson made significant strides from his sophomore to junior year. The gunslinger improved his passing numbers across the board, and helped lead the Longhorns to a 7-2 record after going 4-5 the previous season. He will be a quarterback to watch during the 7-on-7 competition. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="35561" first="Jayden" last="Oquendo"]</strong> – Olathe Northwest, 6’2”, 290, DL (Class of ’22) Oquendo is yet another impressive defensive lineman in a talented position group for the Class of ’22. As a junior, Oquendo piled up 31 total tackles, with six being for a loss, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He has quick hands and uses multiple moves to get past offensive lineman. <strong>Kody Schalk</strong> – Columbus, 6’5”, 275, DL (Class of ’22) Schalk isn’t part of the Class of ’22 player rankings at the moment, but he will definitely be added in the next update. This young man is an absolute unit at defensive tackle. Don’t let his size fool you either; Schalk is an athlete. He also shows flashes of being a solid offensive tackle. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="35653" first="Noah" last="Khokhar"]</strong> – Hutchinson, 5’9”, 160, ATH (Class of ’23) Khokhar is one of the most explosive athletes in the entire state. He was a key piece to the Salthawks’ success on offense in 2020. The junior to be has already been posting impressive numbers at a few combines earlier this spring, and he should do the same this weekend. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="113342" first="Sequoia" last="Robinson"]</strong> – Manhattan, 6’3”, 205, LB (Class of ’22) Robinson showed off his versatility in 2020. The Indians were able to line him up at multiple positions on defense this past fall. Whether he’s at outside backer, corner, or a safety in the box; Robinson will make plays. He should post some solid numbers at the combine. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="109992" first="Richie" last="Patrick"]</strong> – Lansing, 6’0”, 180, DB (Class of ’22) Patrick will be looking to prove he’s one of the best safeties in the state this Saturday. He has the length and athleticism to jump with anyone, and he has the speed to play sideline to sideline. Look for him to make plays in the secondary, and to do well in the vertical and broad jump.