2022 Athletes Ready to Change the Game: Part 1

In football, the term “athlete” is best reserved for the type of dynamic playmaker that excels at multiple positions. They cannot be limited to just one particular distinction as their impact on the game stretches far beyond that. Earlier this spring, we looked at the top five athletes in the Class of 2022. Today and tomorrow, we will evaluate all of the remaining athletes who are in our class rankings. Indiana is loaded with elite playmakers and these four student-athletes have the ability to be stars at the next level. [player_tooltip player_id="98017" first="Akim" last="Abdur-Rahim"], 5’11, 175 pounds, Pike Akim-Abdur Rahim is the type of all-around player that any college coach should be looking for. Rahim is a highlight reel receiver who consistently makes acrobatic catches. He also possesses the talent to make defenders miss in space. Rahim has the ability to line at quarterback and make plays with his arm. He threw for ten touchdown passes a season ago. He has proven himself to be a very accurate passer. Rahim is also very composed, and he can make plays even when the play begins to break down around him. [player_tooltip player_id="98017" first="Akim" last="Abdur-Rahim"]’s game shows many comparisons to Taysom Hill, for the variety of ways that he can contribute. [player_tooltip player_id="98021" first="Austin" last="Sultzer"], 6’0, 205 pounds, Cardinal Ritter [player_tooltip player_id="98021" first="Austin" last="Sultzer"] contributes for Cardinal Ritter in all three phases. Sultzer is an excellent punt and kickoff returner, He averaged 26.4 yards per punt return and 12.5 yard per kickoff return, making him extremely valuable for setting the offense up in good field position. Sultzer is a dependable defensive back. He shows the ability to break up passes and deny potential big plays. Offensively, Sultzer is a solid blocker. He is also a good receiver as he had 264 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions last year. Sultzer could do very well running gadget plays and working out of specially designed packages. [player_tooltip player_id="98062" first="Tyler" last="Dostin"], 6’4, 230 pounds, Danville [player_tooltip player_id="98062" first="Tyler" last="Dostin"] is a threat whenever he gets the football. He ran for close to 200 yards last year. Dostin is an exceptional receiver. In the 2020 season, he posted 564 receiving yards and hauled in ten touchdown receptions. Dostin is also a playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. He came up with four sacks last year and generated a strong pass rush for the Danville defense. On special teams, Dostin is a great returner. He averaged 15.5 yards per kickoff return and 35 yards per punt return. [player_tooltip player_id="98027" first="Aidan" last="Wanner"], 6’2, 170 pounds, South Adams [player_tooltip player_id="98027" first="Aidan" last="Wanner"] can successfully run gadget plays as a quarterback. He threw two touchdown passes last year. Wanner excels as a receiver. He is a good route-runner and a dependable catcher. He consistently wins his matchup and gets separation from the cornerback. Wanner is also a great blocker. Defensively, Wanner has a big presence in the South Adams defensive backfield. There is no denying the value that these four-students athletes have to any team. They can contribute in so many different ways. These are the guys who will stuff the stat sheet and dictate the highlight reels. These four prospects can be central pieces of any college football program. Colleges need to take note of these four incredible players before the huge Senior seasons that they are on the cusp of having.