Highest Debuting '22s at Each Position

With the debut of our Class of 2022 rankings update comes the addition of several new names to the list. We added 75+ names during this round of updates. Each of the nine non- special teams position groups have their fair share of new names. In this article I want to go through each of those nine position groups and identify the highest ranking new face. I’ll also dive into their film, give a quick analysis, and provide an up to date look at the player’s recruitment. Let’s dive into it! First up, our highest debuting quarterback! [player_tooltip player_id="182063" first="Brock" last="Grosinske"], QB- Whitewater The highest debuting QB in our ’22 rankings update comes to us from Whitewater HS. The team captain with a 3.94 GPA is an intriguing prospect. His traits on film are what led him to his debut as our QB8. The first thing that jumps out to the eye is his impressive frame. Brock is all of his 6’3" 215 lbs frame and does a good job of usingg that size to generate a consistently high level of velocity on his passes to every level of the field. Even when facing pressure and forced to throw off his back foot, Grosinske still has the ability to attack down the field. Speaking of facing pressure, Brock stays poised when under pressure. He will hang in the pocket despite pressure, and when needed he has enough athleticism to be able to create extra time for himself. In short yardage situations, Brock does a good job of putting that size to use as he is able to pick up the needed yardage with his strength. As you go through the film it becomes quickly apparent that Brock has the play style of a gunslinger. He has no problem attacking down the field as he looks for the next big play. I’m surprised to see that Brock has only recently received his first collegiate offer, but it is a very good one. That first offer is from D3 powerhouse, and hometown team, UW- Whitewater. Brock is a QB to keep an eye on this season. Especially for teams at the D3 level. With a little improvement over his spring season we could see some D2s also take interest. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11342227/60ac7255578d0c0de0a4b305">Brock’s Spring Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="182058" first="Lucas" last="Heyroth"], RB- Lodi Lucas is an exciting, big play running back prospect. He possesses that big play ability while also bringing a very solid frame to the position. A frame that can handle a large workload at 6’2" 190 lbs. The big plays in Lucas’ game comes from his very strong explosiveness. It’s not just on the gridiron either. Heyroth was state champion in the 110 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles, and the long jump. Back to the gridiron, all you need to do is get this kid the ball and some space, and let him work. Whether out of the backfield or on kick returns, Heyroth’s ball carrier vision paired with that explosive playmaking ability makes him a very dangerous weapon and earned him our RB6 ranking in his debut on the list. His acceleration also is key to his ball carrier vision being so effective. Once he sees the lane Lucas can hit top speed within a couple steps, and from there you won’t find many defenders at the high school level that can catch him. From what I can find, it appears that Lucas doesn’t hold any offers at this point in his recruitment. That can’t be the case for much longer. The explosive playmaker has the skill to be on a college roster this time next year. I highly recommend the D2-D3 levels take a look at his film. Here is a link to one of his strong performances from the spring! <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/10978237/605ed3b0ab9233068053dc1c">Lucas vs Edgerton</a> [player_tooltip player_id="181991" first="Patrick" last="Lippe"], WR- Port Washington One of the highest debuting player for their position group comes to us out of the receiver group. Port Washington’s dominant WR [player_tooltip player_id="181991" first="Patrick" last="Lippe"] debuts as WR4 in our Class of 2022 rankings update, and based on the film it’s only up from here. The 5’11" 185 lbs prospect already possesses a very well rounded game. Lippe has himself firmly in the argument for best route runner in the state of Wisconsin. His body control throughout his routes and his ability to not tip any of his cuts before he executes them is special. That body control allows him to maintain his speed through the break of his route, and come out of it at nearly top speed. The body control also shows up at the catch point. Patrick is very good at elevating, twisting, and contorting his body to give himself the best chance of coming down with the ball. Patrick’s athleticism is clearly top of the line as well, and his team does a great job of finding creative ways to get him the ball, and put him in positions to let that athleticism shine. This has led him to being a factor as an RB along with his WR role, and an All- Conference DB. Lippe is one of the few athletes where I feel I was the one missing out. He already holds two scholarship, D2 offers from Duluth and Bemidji State to go along with a PWO offer from NDSU. While that’s a great collection of options, I believe that is just the beginning for Patrick. Every D2 should take a close look at him. Clearly it’s not out of the question for the FCS level to also take a look too. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/8588457/5fa2fdc09a9c4e0ba8116bfd">Patrick’s Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="182060" first="John" last="Clifford"], TE- Watertown This is not my first time writing about John, but it is his first time being included in the Class of 2022 rankings. He joins the group as the highest debuting player of the position coming in at TE9. I have become a big fan over the past couple of weeks of Clifford’s game, and the potential that comes with it. The 6’5" 245 lbs prospect has an exceptional frame, and it comes with the strength to match. Watertown’s offense loves to pound the ball, and it has allowed John to develop into arguably the best run blocking TE in the state. His body control, at that size, to be able to stick on his block at the first level or hit a moving target at the second level is not an easy task, but Clifford makes it look like it is. His initial punch consistently hits defenders right in the middle of the chest, and if that initial shot doesn’t send them to the ground Clifford has the nasty mentality of an offensive guard as he finishes his blocks into the ground. While he hasn’t had to carry a huge load in the passing game, John has shown to be a reliable hands catcher that is a difficult tackle for any defender in a one on one scenario. John has been sliding under the radar, so far. His current list of offers consists of a scholarship offer from Upper Iowa. Other than that it has been quiet. I believe that John is definitely a player that can make an impact at the D2 level, and should have their full attention this season. I also believe that John could make an impact at a few positions at the next level. Definitely take a look at him! <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11351193/5f79ef3a066af40774e3f190">John’s Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="181990" first="Jordan" last="Greuel"], OL- Greendale I’m slightly altering the outline of this article. Technically, [player_tooltip player_id="181989" first="Landon" last="Woodard"] is the highest debuting OL, but since he is already committed to Illinois State I’m going to move on to the highest debuting uncommitted OL prospect. We didn’t have to go far down the list as the very next player meets the qualifications. Greendale’s 6’5" 260 lbs OL prospect spent the seven game spring season not allowing single sack, and bulldozing open running lanes for his RBs. Wisconsin’s OL group in the Class of 2022 is easily the most talented, and deepest group in all the rankings as over 100 prospects made the list. That gives you a glimpse into how much I like Jordan’s game as he debuts as the OL12. His blend of size, strength, and athleticism burst off the tape. In the run game, Greuel quickly gets to the second level with eye catching quickness and delivers initial contact that sends LBs smashing into the ground. In the trenches, Jordan is able to easily drive DL off the ball with great hand usage, and a strong wide base that allows him to generate consistent power to move the big bodies with ease. Greuel is also a very effective puller. He quickly finds his target and closes much quicker than you would expect a player of that size to close. That athleticism turns into reactive athleticism in pass protection as he easily mirrors interior and edge rushers, and he has the anchor strength to shut down bull rushes. This is definitely a name to know as we get into the fall. Greuel is going to continue to put on a dominant performance and catch the eyes of the next level. To date, Jordan has already been collecting several offers from the D1 and D2 levels. He has earned offers from University of Montana State Northern, Illinois State, University of Montana, and Upper Iowa. Don’t miss out on this stud out of Greendale HS! [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL2_oaFrU8A&ab_channel=JordanGreuel[/embed] [player_tooltip player_id="181988" first="Wesley" last="King"], DL- Appleton North The highest debuting player overall comes to us from the very talented team out of Appleton North High School. The mammoth 6’5" 270 lbs DL [player_tooltip player_id="181988" first="Wesley" last="King"] makes his rankings debut as DL2 and the #18 overall player. King is a dominant trench monster that caught my eye while covering one of their games live this past spring. It’s hard to miss him as he controls the line of scrimmage from his NG/DT position. There is so much to love about King’s game as well. His combination of get off quickness and strength make him a nightmare to guard one on one. Wes is able to quickly get himself in position to have the advantage, and when he gets his heavy hands on the OL he is able to turn their shoulders, or push/pull, or rip past them. Wesley is right in the middle of the argument for the most disruptive interior DL in the state as he consistently collapses the pocket into the QB’s lap forcing a lot of bad passes and sacks. Wesley rounds out his game by being just as effective against the run as he is the pass. His ability to hold the line of scrimmage against single and double teams, shed or split the block, and then make the tackle at or behind the line of scrimmage is elite. It’s very easy to see why he has made such a high debut and why he has the attention and offers he has. Speaking of his offers, Wesley has no shortage of options for continuing his athletic career at the next level. His offers include MNSU- Mankato, Upper Iowa, Illinois State, Central Michigan, Southwest Minnesota State, North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota, and Northern Iowa. That is an elite list, and I expect more to join in on the hunt for Wes’ services. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12507400/607067e50c5da20c10b3fbb6">Wesley’s Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="182054" first="NJ" last="Elias"], DB- Verona Area Similar to our OL section, I wanted to highlight our highest debuting, uncommitted DB prospect. That brings us to the Verona Area cornerback prospect. Checking in at a a solid 5’11" 180 lbs, NJ is a fun watch on tape. He plays a lot of zone coverage, and it highlights his best traits perfectly. Playing in zone allows Elias to use his impressive read and react skill set. NJ’s film is filled with him baiting QBs into bad passes and then not only knocking down the ball, but creating turnovers and making big returns or even scoring. NJ does a great job of trusting what he sees and putting himself in the perfect place to make a play. Add in the play speed to be able to run with any WR he has faced, recover when he finds himself out of position, and get to the ball after he baits the QB into a bad pass and you get an impressive DB prospect that has made his debut as the DB11. NJ is an under the radar prospect that several schools need to take the time to look into. So far, NJ holds an offer from Duluth. I believe that is the perfect level of competition for Elias’ skill level, and several other members of that level of competition need to make note of this name. I have high expectations for the DB this season. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11387741/60942bf3d21b8c0c48c8d2fa">NJ’s Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="182081" first="John" last="Harman"], LB- Stoughton We had to dive deep into the LB group as we proved to have a strong grasp on the position. Our highest debuting LB prospect comes to us at LB28 out of Stoughton HS. The 5’11" 195 LB is coming off a very strong spring season where he led the state in sacks. The compact edge rusher has proven to have several ways to get after the QB with success. He has defeated OT blocks with lateral quickness that leaves them grasping at air, a quick first step and impressive closing speed that ends plays before they can start to develop, and he even has a spin move that gets him quickly past the OT. At the next level Harman may be best as a pass rush specialist where he can use that quickness instead of having to also set the edge against much larger OL. His ability as a pass rusher more than makes him worthy of interest from the next level. So far we haven’t seen that production, and strong film translate into an offer, yet. He has started getting out to campuses as he visited D3 powerhouse UW- Whitewater recently. It’s only a matter of time until a team at that level comes calling with a roster offer. Especially with the season about to kick off. Harman is going to put on a show. Keep an eye on him. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11164041/609970f5160082095c431065">John’s Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="182055" first="Cole" last="Berghorn"], ATH- Badger This two way playmaker is going to be a problem for teams this season. The 6' 210 lbs LB/RB makes his debut in the rankings as the ATH19, and a top 125 overall player. That puts him firmly into the range that I would expect him to garner the attention of several D2 schools. Before we dive into the film let's dive into his athletic profile. Cole is a very gifted athlete and the numbers back it up. At the WFCA combine this spring he posted a 4.40 40 yard dash, 40" vertical leap, and 9'10" broad jump. The kid is outrageously explosive and it shows up on film. When he blitzes from his LB position you see the explosiveness in full effect. He accelerates and closes very well. The explosiveness shows up on the offensive side of the ball too. Cole is a north- south runner, and when he sees the lane he flies through it. When needed he also flashes a nice jump cut that he accelerates out of nicely. It's clear that Berghorn is also a very strong athlete. He runs through contact well and is rarely brought down by a lone defender, and he has no issue going right through a defender's chest plate to get the yards his team needs. When a team brings him in a let's him develop all that strength and athleticism into the skill set of one position I believe Cole will be able to continue being an impact player at the next level. I’m very surprised that Cole hasn’t landed an offer, yet. Between his off the charts athletic testing, strength, and tape it can only be a matter of time until a team comes calling for his services. He is going to have a huge impact for Badger this fall, and I’m confident the tape he puts out is going to get him the attention he deserves. Don’t miss out on him! <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11563698/6036bb6815f62309bc4c3158">Cole’s Junior Season</a>