Prep Redzone Iowa's Newcomers and Stock Risers

Players emerge and make leaps on a weekly basis. Learn about some of Iowa’s newcomers and find out whose stock is rising below. Ten noteworthy week 2 performances are broken down that earned these athletes some well-deserved recognition. Get to know them now. Nolan Mount, QB, Shenandoah, <a href="https://twitter.com/NolanMount5">Twitter</a> Mount went off in a week 2 win over Nodaway Valley throwing for 341 yards and 4 touchdowns, a big time outing. He showed off a ton of arm strength on some impressive cross body passes while on the run. Mount, over and over, did a great job of getting out of the pocket, keeping eyes down field, and buying time for receivers to get open. The opposition just didn’t have an answer for his ability to hit crossers. Mount also did well when setting his feet and slinging it downfield. One of his touchdown strikes came on a perfectly placed ball to the corner of the end zone. [player_tooltip player_id="98652" first="Cade" last="Walkingstick"], QB, Akron-Westfield, <a href="https://twitter.com/CadeWalkingsti2">Twitter</a> [player_tooltip player_id="98652" first="Cade" last="Walkingstick"] is off to a hot start and, despite an 0-2 record for the Westerners, he is continuing to show growth as one of Iowa’s most underrated players. Walkingstick threw for 114 yards and two touchdowns on Friday and added 138 yards and a score on the ground. He was an impressive dual-threat last year and the versatility that he brings to the game can’t go unnoticed. His stock is up and whether he gets looks as a Quarterback at the next level or not, he is putting plenty of film that shows the kind of athleticism needed to excel across positions. [player_tooltip player_id="23977" first="Griffin" last="Greiner"], WR, Cardinal, <a href="https://twitter.com/GGreiner23">Twitter</a> Greiner is not a newcomer as he was very impressive as a Junior, but it is clear he has taken his game to the next level for his Senior campaign and his first two contests are certainly evidence of that. Known primarily for his receiving abilities, which are top notch, Greiner is showing a ton on film in every phase. He has already amassed 7 touchdowns on the season. Greiner is showing off incredible speed, body control, and field awareness. He was unstoppable in week 2 taking a punt return, two short receptions, and a post-corner to the house. Drew Benson, RB, Sioux City West, <a href="https://twitter.com/_drewbenson_">Twitter</a> Benson had a monster week 2 in a barn burner of a win against South Sioux City for the Wolverines’ first victory in nearly three seasons. He definitely put the team on his back as he totaled 377 all-purpose yards and 3 touchdowns. Benson is definitely a hidden gem. He took a toss for a 79 yard score; one move, his foot was in the ground, and he was gone. Benson is very fast. On another touchdown, off of inside zone, he patiently found a cutback, made a few defenders miss in the box, and broke it for 40 yards. Benson clearly has a lot of ability. Caleb Giese, WR, Winfield-Mt Union, <a href="https://twitter.com/caleb59129801">Twitter</a> Giese is posting huge numbers through two weeks at Receiver and is flashing a lot of high-end ability in the process. He had a couple of very impressive scores in week 2 against Iowa Valley. The first came from on a slant route over the middle for 48 yards. The Linebacker wasn’t fast enough to get depth to cover and the Safety wasn’t fast enough to get across the field. Giese is a crisp route runner. Lightning struck twitch as he caught the same route, this time getting behind coverage, for another score from a big 57 yards. Keep an eye on this young man. Beau Carr, OL, Ankeny Centennial, <a href="https://twitter.com/beau30007821">Twitter</a> Carr is definitely one of the better Centers in the state, evidenced by the mauling he put on Ankeny’s front in a huge week 2 win. At 6’3, in the class of 2023, this is definitely a name you need to know. He gets off the ball fast with a lot of leverage and a ton of force. His base blocks were vicious and got plenty of movement. His combos were technical and got the second level. His pass protection on inside gaps was textbook. The competition on the other side of the ball was as good as it gets and Carr was up to the task. His strikes and footwork are first-rate. [player_tooltip player_id="148096" first="Preston" last="Rowe"], LB, Pella, <a href="https://twitter.com/prestontrowe">Twitter</a> Rowe impressed last year as a Junior at Tight End and, while that is still the case so far, he appears to be making his presence felt heavily on defense too. He got in on 8.5 tackles in a week 2 win against North Polk and was all over the field. Rowe is lining up mostly at Will Linebacker and is doing a great job in the box, apexing, or saddling based on the offensive formation. On one play he immediately took his gap and got to the ball in the backfield. He was also terrific in coverage closing in on underneath passes right when the ball arrived all night. [player_tooltip player_id="156486" first="Tate" last="Lyon"], LB, Pleasant Valley, <a href="https://twitter.com/Tatelyon24">Twitter</a> Lyon is absolutely racking up the tackles for Pleasant Valley as part of one of the better front sevens in Iowa. Many projected that he would emerge this year as the Spartans’ lead back, but he has really found himself a home on defense. Through two games he has collected 25 tackles, a staggering 19 solo, and 4 tfl. His efforts gave the Spartans a chance to win a close one against a very talented Prairie team and helped lead his squad to a shutout win in week 2 against Dubuque Hempstead. Lyon is just a Sophomore and someone to follow closely. Kellen Moore, FS, Forest City, <a href="https://twitter.com/kellennmoore">Twitter</a> Moore, a Free Safety for Forest City, has already accounted for 17 tackles on the season, 13.5 came in his team’s week 2 loss to Spirit Lake. Moore is a newcomer and just a Junior, so there is plenty of time to make a name for himself and that is exactly what he is doing. He is one of the better Defensive Backs out there at coming down from space and filling an alley. On one play he fit perfectly off a Linebacker and kept a play bottled up. He also makes a ton of tackles in the open field against the pass coming down from his deep half. Moore lowers the boom. [player_tooltip player_id="148779" first="Braden" last="Powers"], DL, Denver, <a href="https://twitter.com/Braden49328149">Twitter</a> Powers is a name to keep an eye on who jumped on the radar last year and is already making a lot of noise. At 6’2 230 he has the size and, with what he has put on film so far, certainly has the ability to play at the next level. He had several explosive plays in Denver’s big win over Union on Friday. He got the Quarterback for a sack on an action away roll out in a hurry and finished it with a thunderous hit. On another pass rush he beat slide protection and wrecked the Quarterback as he was throwing to force an interception. He was unblockable in week 2.