2024s Poised To Make a Varsity Impact

Time to check out some fresh faces here in Wisconsin! With seniors graduating and moving on to the next level of football or the next aspect of their lives it is time for the next class of athletes to step up and take control of the reigns. The class that I want to focus on today is the Class of 2024. These incoming sophomores below are all sitting in great situations to be able to see either their first consistent varsity action, or are poised to have a much larger varsity role than they did as freshmen. For each athlete below I will take a look at the potential void they have the chance to fill along with what traits they have already shown during their freshman year of high school football. Let’s kick this off at Edgar High School! <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104987" first="Karter" last="Butt"], RB/LB- Edgar</strong> I believe Karter is the only student athlete on this list to already have varsity experience under his belt. As a freshman, Karter was able to get on the field on offense and defense for Edgar’s 9-0 varsity squad. He posted 28 carries, 135 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 27 total tackles, 4 TFLs, .5 sacks, and 1 fumble recovery. A lot of that action was at the end of games. This season expect to see Karter playing a much larger role after the graduation of several key players. Karter finished last season as the team’s third leading rusher, and the two athletes ahead of him have both graduated this June. This leaves a huge void for Karter to be able to step into his sophomore year. The same goes for his defensive play as both ball carriers ahead of him in 2020 also were key defensive players. Karter has the talent to help pick up the workload left behind. He has excellent play speed and a 4.50 laser verified 40 time allowing him to always be one of the fastest players on any field he steps on. His 5’9" 190 lbs frame is also varsity ready, and it allows him to have a physical play style that allows him to find success between the tackles. Karter’s instincts with the ball in his hands are already starting to shine through. He can change direction and move laterally smoothly, yet quickly. I believe Karter is set to have a breakout sophomore season. He has the talent, and he has the available workload to do so. Big year coming for our #2 RB in the Class of 2024 here in Wisconsin. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104994" first="Finnley" last="Doriot"], QB- Kaukauna</strong> Our next incoming sophomore that I want to highlight is the QB out of Kaukauna HS. The starting QB job appears to be wide open after senior QB Gannon Demler graduated. It’s a job with plenty of playmaking opportunities as Demler threw the ball 120+ times over five games in 2020. This doesn’t look like a job that will be handed over to Finnley, though. It looks like he will be in a battle with incoming junior [player_tooltip player_id="104499" first="Garrett" last="Weyenberg"]. The reason I wanted to include Finnley in this list is because I believe he is going to be able to put up a strong fight for the job. The 6’1" 155 lbs QB posted some impressive weekly numbers on the JV squad in 2020. Even with the huge workload Finnley proved to be an accurate passer to every level of the field. You can see him PG play on the basketball court come through as he perfectly facilitated the ball to all his weapons. His quick footwork and release get the ball out of his hands in rhythm and on time. He also showed that he is well on his way to developing solid arm strength that will allow him to attack the whole field with velocity as he continues to develop. If he can win the job this fall I believe Finnley will be able to pickup where Demler left off and maybe do even more. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104998" first="Gus" last="Kelly"], DB/WR- Oconomowoc</strong> Gus has the skill set that should allow him to fill a major void on offense and he has the talent to find himself on the defensive side of the ball as well. When you look at the Oconomowoc receiving options coming back for the fall you will see that the Raccoons are going to be looking for playmakers on the outside. They don’t have a single player with more than six receptions returning to the offense in 2021 as their top three receivers all graduated in 2020. The 5’7" 135 lbs [player_tooltip player_id="104998" first="Gus" last="Kelly"] has the talent to step in as a slot receiver for the offense and also has the skill to potentially earn time on defense as a cornerback. Let’s dive into that talent. The incoming sophomore has already been timed at 4.71 in the 40, but where he really sets himself apart is with his quickness. That quickness allows him to thrive in tight quarters and with his sharp route running. He is able to accelerate right through his breaks creating separation from LBs or safeties that try to step out and cover him in the slot. At corner Kelly does a really good job of reading and reacting. His freshmen tape shows him diagnose plays and get to the right spot to make a play on the ball consistently. As he develops over this summer I believe we will see that carry over to his play on the varsity field. Whether it’s on offense, defense, or both you can expect to see Gus on the field on Friday nights in 2021. <strong>Derek Jensen, OL- Arrowhead</strong> The Arrowhead offensive line is going to have a couple of solid pieces that they will need to replace this summer/ fall. They lost seniors [player_tooltip player_id="30778" first="Nate" last="Hess"], Edwin Beilke, and Joey Woida. That’s a lot of talent and leadership graduating from one position group, but Arrowhead is setup with several talented OL prospects that are ready to step up to the plate and man one of those voided positions. My pick to take over one of those jobs is the incoming sophomore, Derek Jensen. Jensen already possesses excellent size for the position at 6’6" 285 lbs and he plays light on his feet as he is able to get to the second level, and he has the reactive athleticism to mirror pass rushers. As Derek continues to be coached up on his technique to maximize his effectiveness as a blocker, and continues to develop his overall play strength and base he has the potential to be a special OL prospect. Keep an eye on him this fall. We could be in for an impressive jump from his freshman year. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104984" first="Langdon" last="Nordgaard"], WR- West De Pere</strong> There is a huge opportunity for a young receiver to step up on the West De Pere offense. Their top four leading receivers all graduated in 2021, and their current leading receiver that will be back in the fall is electric playmaker and RB [player_tooltip player_id="31392" first="Najeh" last="Mitchell"]. This leaves West De Pere looking for a go to target out wide for their offense. Luckily for them, they have an athlete that has the potential to fill that void. That athlete is WR [player_tooltip player_id="104984" first="Langdon" last="Nordgaard"]. Langdon has enticing size already at 6’3" 170 lbs, and his style of play matches his size perfectly. When you watch through his best catches it becomes quickly apparent that Langdon is very effective in jump ball scenarios. He does a great job of using his length to go up and over defenders and also catch the ball away from his body creating even more separation from the defender. His catch in traffic ability is there in spades as well. Just put it up and let the basketball background shine through as he boxes out defenders and treats the football like he is gathering a rebound under the basket. This is a name to watch for this fall. <strong>Preston Nelson II, QB- Janesville Parker</strong> The QB1 job is there for the taking at Janesville Parker. Senior Sam O’Leary wrapped up his career this spring leaving Janesville Parker looking for their next field general to lead them as they continue to build their program up. One way to help the program grow is to have a talented young player at the QB position ready to grow and develop along with the program. I believe that is exactly what Parker may have on their hands with incoming sophomore QB Preston Nelson II. The 6’ 170 lbs QB already has a solid frame and isn’t afraid to come out and compete. We were able to see him live at the Prep Redzone Wisconsin Showcase back in December 2020 where Nelson II was identified as one of our scouts standouts from his day on the field. Preston’s ability to stretch the field and attack the middle of the field is what caught our eyes back then. There isn’t any game film for Preston from the 2020 season, so this fall is going to be a big season as he begins piling up varsity tape if he can win the job. Definitely a name to know. He will be facing some of the toughest competition in the state over his career, so if he can post impressive tape then you know he has the talent for the next level. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105019" first="David" last="Fischer"], RB/LB- Greenfield</strong> One Fischer graduates, the next Fischer takes his place? That could be what we see at Greenfield High School this fall. Not only is Greenfield losing leading rusher Matt Fischer, they are also losing their second and third leading rushers from the spring 2021 season. This leaves about 1,000 yards that need to be replaced. Luckily for Greenfield, they have a young, hard running RB/LB in incoming sophomore [player_tooltip player_id="105019" first="David" last="Fischer"] as a potential member of the group ready to step up and fill the void left behind by the seniors. David is coming off a spring season that saw him win freshman offensive player of the year for Greenfield. I’m a big fan of the way he runs the rock. He has enough speed to break contain and pick up yards outside the tackle, but where he thrives is in situations where he can rely on his strength and contact balance. David’s low center of gravity allows him to run through arm tackles with ease. David also has shown that he has the vision and patience to set up and find running lanes on outside zone plays. As he continues to grow and develop more and more strength overall those traits will continue to improve. By his senior year David could be one of the harder RBs to corral and bring down.