Future50 Media Day Recap: Part 2

Nearly 50 of Nebraska’s (and Lewis – Central, Iowa’s) brightest stars attended the Future50 Media day presented by Stephen Warren and our good friends at Warren Academy. Players who attended were able to have professional pictures taken, interact with other top players in the state, and shop with several coaches. One of the main events was the information session regarding the new Name Image Likeness (NIL) rules that the NCAA has implemented. Vince provided a great way for players to learn the intricacies of NIL, creating a brand for themselves and locking down endorsements. After the NIL informational, players could talk to various media outlets and answer interview questions…. say less! Although we weren’t able to talk to everyone, we did manage to track down some players. We found out how players kept busy over the summer, what they would like to improve, and several other questions during the interviews. Here is who we talked to: <hr /> [player_tooltip player_id="163118" first="Vince" last="Genatone"] (LB) North Platte One player really starting to hear up on the recruiting trail is North Plate LB/RB [player_tooltip player_id="163118" first="Vince" last="Genatone"]. Genatone, whose dad Al played for Washington State, says that even though the recruitment process has changed since his dad’s day, it is still helpful to have someone at home who knows the game. This insight and Vince’s physical play have definitely earned him some looks from Power 5 conferences, including; Nebraska, Kansas State, and his dad’s alma mater Washington State. When discussing goals for 2021, Genatone cited helping his team get better and working on some block-shedding to polish up his game. For coaches wondering, "what will Vince bring to my team?" you’re getting a great leader and hard worker with a team-first focus.<a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_2594-rotated.jpg"><img class="wp-image-179645 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_2594-rotated.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="466" /></a> https://twitter.com/genatone_v/status/1421310654221230086?s=20 https://twitter.com/Warren_Academy/status/1419451662553518084?s=20 Rocco Marcelino (DL) Creighton Prep Rocco is a player that will be really exciting to see grow and develop as a defensive lineman; as an incoming junior, he will definitely have plenty of opportunities to do so.  He has already begun to make a name for himself on the recruiting trail, not only for football but also as a baseball prospect. Marcelino has great size at 6’4" and 245 lbs, can move really well, and is a tough matchup for any lineman. However, Marcelino looks to continue improving; he credited DL camps and lifting as some of the main contributors to upping his game. Already very skilled at causing havoc in the backfield, Rocco will be a force this year for the Jays defense. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/Marcelino.jpg"> </a><img class=" wp-image-179644 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/Marcelino.jpg" alt="" width="435" height="736" /> https://twitter.com/roccomarc_11/status/1406084923669221378?s=20 [player_tooltip player_id="151098" first="Jack" last="Kirkwood"] (LB/TE/LS) Creighton Prep Kirkwood is a player that can contribute on all sides of the ball and at a high level at that. Where he really shines is as a linebacker, where he is the anchor in the linebacking corp. After winning a state championship in lacrosse, it’s all eyes on the gridiron and team camps, practices, and 7v7 competitions. His hard work is starting to pay off with recent offers from Midland, Benedictine, and Southeast Missouri. He hopes to continue on that hot streak of offers once he gets some more game film. Jack also stated that he hopes to be a great leader in the locker room and be a great resource for younger players, one way of doing so will be to learn the ins and outs of the defense. &nbsp; https://twitter.com/kirkwoodj2022/status/1415751276848111627?s=20 https://twitter.com/kirkwoodj2022/status/1419838292820955138?s=20 [player_tooltip player_id="147535" first="Braden" last="Thompson"] (ATH/WR) Nebraska City Thompson has been keeping busy this summer, making sure he is all ready to go come kickoff. Working out the intricacies of route-running and becoming the complete package threat. Braden is already a tough matchup for defenders; he has a big frame and is very quick. Chances are you’re not winning a 50/50 ball against the Nebraska City standout. He is very physical coming back to the ball and securing the catch, and it’s hard to defend. With offers from Southeast Missouri State and Austin Peay already secured, it doesn’t look to be the only ones as he also has interests from Wyoming and Nebraska. My biggest takeaway is that college coaches will be picking up a team-focused player reading to keep learning. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/aEXDW-rotated-e1628020817401.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-179642 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/aEXDW-rotated-e1628020817401.jpeg" alt="" width="355" height="496" /></a> https://twitter.com/BTHOMPSON0000/status/1419847071746646018?s=20 https://twitter.com/drkhwrd/status/1304610929997381632?s=20 [player_tooltip player_id="151096" first="Parker" last="Wise"] (ATH/LB/RB) Kearney Kearney’s stud two-way player [player_tooltip player_id="151096" first="Parker" last="Wise"] hopes to help his Bearcats finish it out with a state title. After an unfortunate loss in the semi-finals, Parker hopes a closer unit and fewer distractions should provide a clear eye view on Memorial Stadium. This summer, Wise has definitely been doing his due diligence by participating in camps 7v7 and getting after it in the weight room. His aggressive playstyle helps him play both positions very well, gaining tough yards as a rusher and a thumper on defense. Although his preferred side is on defense, his message to coaches was pretty simple, and that was that he’d play wherever needed. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/KfVoW-rotated.jpeg"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-179636" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/KfVoW-rotated.jpeg" alt="" width="359" height="478" /></a> https://twitter.com/parker_wise/status/1409218678923554816?s=20 https://twitter.com/parker_wise/status/1397730774871207936?s=20 [player_tooltip player_id="157632" first="Shan" last="Acharya"] (OT) Elkhorn North Shan is a player with not only elite ability as a tackle but an awesome story as well. Archarya has the opportunity to be the first Nepalese - American to play D1 football, something he says is significant to him. "It’s not necessarily more about me... " Shan stated, "I hope it inspires players from South-Asia, or immigrants from any country, that you can do it just have to work hard and put your mind to it." The 6’5" 300 lb tackle prospect has been hard at work all summer to focus on the details of his game ahead of a big year. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/4acaj-rotated.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-179633 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/4acaj-rotated.jpeg" alt="" width="361" height="482" /></a> https://twitter.com/shanacharya4/status/1368689277677297664?s=20 https://twitter.com/shanacharya4/status/1400834684276330511?s=20 Max Buettenbeck (LB) Lincoln Southeast Max is a very talented junior prospect; having committed to Nebraska baseball already, he is still turning heads as a football player. He plays both linebacker and running back for Lincoln Southeast and plays both positions very physically. Buettenbeck described himself as a player that doesn’t go down easily and is versatile enough to line up anywhere. I’m excited to see what Max can bring to both sports. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/x7Sb8-rotated-e1628014162363.jpeg"><img class="wp-image-179574 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/x7Sb8-rotated-e1628014162363.jpeg" alt="" width="404" height="602" /></a> https://twitter.com/M_Buette/status/1299774697870032896?s=20 https://twitter.com/MikeSautter_/status/1404817256408825860?s=20 [player_tooltip player_id="180277" first="Corbin" last="Ford"] (WR/DB) Elkhorn South His last name is Ford, but he runs like a Ferrari; Corbin is a player that will be a problem for defensive coordinators in the upcoming years. At the Nebraska camp, he ran the 40-yard dash 3 times, ranging from 4.35 - 4.44 showing his great speed. Having only one year of football under his belt, he is still a raw athlete, but he possesses such a high-ceiling as player. He is eager to get more reps and games under his belt this upcoming season. Despite the late start he is already making strides in regards to recruitment, already receiving attention from D1 programs. Once more coaches get their eyes on his game-breaking speed and hands, he’ll be a hot commodity. <img class="wp-image-179572 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_2604-rotated-e1628013610641.jpg" alt="" width="261" height="412" /> https://twitter.com/Corbinf2023/status/1416805294743621636?s=20 Liam Blaser (LB) Columbus Liam, and Husker commit [player_tooltip player_id="147506" first="Ernest" last="Hausmann"], are going to be a tough, tough linebacker duo. Liam has already begun to pick the brain of Hausmann to help up his game to the next level. He explained how he enjoyed the chemistry they share as MLBs and the advice passed down from the senior. One of the biggest takeaways from Liam was how he seemed to get "it," he knows what is needed to secure offers and has worked on those aspects this summer. I believe he will be one of the top backers in the state by the time he’s a senior. Once it all comes together for the young man, he is going to be a true force. <a href="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_2605-rotated-e1628013466203.jpg"><img class="wp-image-179570 aligncenter" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/08/IMG_2605-rotated-e1628013466203.jpg" alt="" width="318" height="461" /></a> &nbsp;