PRZ Iowa | The Rundown | Season Reviews Part 2

The athletes featured below have wrapped up their 2021 seasons; what they were able to accomplish and put on film is among the best the state of Iowa has to offer. Take a look at their unique skill sets and what sets them apart in their regular season review. Each write-up examines what makes these players special when it comes to position specific technique and ability. Makelle Taylor, C/O 2023, RB, Prairie, <a href="https://twitter.com/MakelleTaylor26">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11312944/Makelle-Taylor">hudl</a> Taylor burst onto the varsity scene as the Hawks’ every down back in 2021 and made quite an introduction. He carried 175 times for 1,145 yards and 15 touchdowns; he added 326 receiving yards and a score. One of Taylor’s signature performances, the kind that let you know he was for real, came against Southeast Polk in week 7. Prairie’s go to play in that contest was Zone Lead out of an unbalanced 32 personnel set and Taylor executed exceptionally well behind that style of blocking. He repeatedly cut into seams off the inserting H-Back, worked shifty, subtle moves to limit contact, and fought incredibly hard to stay upright and extend plays. The Hawks even dressed it up on a goal line run to be a direct snap and Taylor pounded the rock right into the endzone. Taylor is also lightning quick. Once there is just a little bit of daylight he can take it all the way. He took a direct snap, faked a handoff on orbit motion, and cut it up off the pulling blocks of his backside Guard, Tackle, and H. Brenden Linde, C/O 2022, TE, Kennedy, <a href="https://twitter.com/BrendenLinde004">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16071461/Brenden-Linde">hudl</a> Linde decided to join the football team his Senior year and that decision certainly paid dividends. The added dimension the 6’4 target gave the Cougars was significant. Linde caught 32 passes for 497 yards and 8 touchdowns; he was hands down one of the more productive Tight Ends in the landscape of big time Iowa football. At his size Linde excelled in the red zone and over the middle of the field, but proved to be a lot more than just a big body that his Quarterback could easily find. The way he ran underneath routes created a lot of separation from coverage so he could turn up field. The way he recognized zones and broke off routes to attack pockets within them to get open was very mature. Most impressive, though, was how well he blocked for a first year player. He has a ton of ability and is clearly a fast learner. The way he could physically match with Defensive Ends in the trenches and be better athletes than Linebackers while blocking in space was an asset. [player_tooltip player_id="224282" first="Cooper" last="Nicholson"], C/O 2023, WR, Dowling Catholic, <a href="https://twitter.com/Coop_Nicholson2">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12898661/Cooper-Nicholson">hudl</a> Iowa witnessed a surge of production from Nicholson in his final four games once he was reunited with his starting Quarterback. He was a reception machine and, based on what he was able to put together at the end of the season, figures to be one of the top Wide Receivers in 5A next year. Nicholson ended 2021 with 43 receptions for a team leading 726 yards and 9 touchdowns. In just those last four contests he caught 27 passes for 378 yards and 5 scores. Look for those fireworks and big stat lines to continue next fall. Nicholson went off in his Quarterback’s first game back in what was considered an upset win over Valley. The vast skill and ability he put on display on a 67 yard touchdown reception from the Slot paints a picture of a very dynamic player. He adjusted his route to fit right in between Linebacker depth and Safeties covering quarters, managed to pull the ball in and avoid a big hit, then outrun everyone to the house. His ceiling is extraordinarily high. [player_tooltip player_id="152754" first="Makhi" last="Wilson"], C/O 2023, RB/DB, Pleasant Valley, <a href="https://twitter.com/MakhiWilson25">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14934165/Makhi-Wilson">hudl</a> It’s easy to get lost in the shuffle when playing two ways in a densely talented backfield and a star studded defense. Pleasant Valley’s [player_tooltip player_id="152754" first="Makhi" last="Wilson"], however, is an outstanding Wing and Safety and is a name you need to know. As an excellent pitch man on Veer and motion man on toss he accumulated 479 yards and 6 touchdowns on 51 carries. As a rangy, hard hitting Safety he collected 37 tackles and an interception. Wilson, in both roles, has some wheels. All he needed on his carries was for a corner or edge defender to be a little undisciplined and he was gone. Wilson, far from one-dimensional, can cut back inside and run hard through traffic, too. As a Defensive Back he made several tackles getting to the ball when he was nowhere near it as the play developed. Wilson made a crazy play against Hempstead from a single-high look; he came down and across 30 yards from his deep middle zone to lay out an opponent who was trying to make a catch on the sideline. [caption id="attachment_230971" align="alignnone" width="252"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-230971" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/11/Makhi-Wilson-Pleasant-Valley-252x300.jpg" alt="" width="252" height="300" /> Photo: Twitter MakhiWilson25[/caption] Drew Kingery, C/O 2023, WR, Indianola, <a href="https://twitter.com/_drewkingery_">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13328380/Drew-Kingery">hudl</a> Kingery, on a talented Indianola squad with plenty of capable options, quickly became his team’s top target in his first year of varsity action. He wrapped up 2021 with 55 catches for 951 yards and 14 touchdowns. Kingery, at 6’4 with elite body control and leaping ability, was as reliable of a Wide Receiver you can find who used his skill set to be virtually open at all times. He could have defenders hanging on him, like he did most games, and still snag the ball right out of the air. Kingery is a skilled route runner and resourceful athlete who expertly used his size to keep opponents away from the ball as it was delivered, use his catch radius to attack the ball before defenders could make a play on it, or get vertical and catch balls at heights coverage just couldn’t get to. On one of his top plays, against Glenwood, he came back towards his Quarterback from a go route when the play broke down to bail him out, lept over two defenders on the sideline, and came down in bounds through contact. [player_tooltip player_id="152902" first="John" last="Powers"], C/O 2023, LB, Bondurant-Farrar, <a href="https://twitter.com/johnny_powers_">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13164913/John-Powers">hudl</a> Powers wrapped up his Junior campaign this past weekend with a massive 15.5 tackle performance against Waverly. He led the Bluejays this fall with 87 tackles, 59 solo, 3.5 Sacks, and 18.5 TFL. A filled out, athletic 6’2 Powers will head into his Senior year as one of Iowa’s top, most capable Inside Linebackers; there is a lot of ability he has shown that makes the position he plays a perfect fit. He should see his recruiting stock rise in a big way this off-season. Something he does especially well is keep his shoulders square to the field as he works downhill between the tackles. Powers is rarely, if ever, out of position and gives himself a chance to defeat any block and get to the ball carrier every down. He stays loaded up with his hips down and remains twitchy with active feet. Powers is also physical and secure at the point of attack. The way he drops his pads, accelerates on contact, compresses thighs as he sinks his hooks, and rolls to finish is textbook. [caption id="attachment_230974" align="alignnone" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-230974" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/11/John-Powers-Bondurant-Farrar-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /> Photo: Twitter johnny_powers_[/caption] Seth Brown, C/O 2023, DB, Nevada, <a href="https://twitter.com/SethBro14187927">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11574314/seth-brown">hudl</a> Brown, a ballhawk who is terrific in both zone and man coverage, finished his 2021 season with a class 3A leading 6 interceptions. The Cornerback added 47 tackles, a scoop and score, and many pass breakups; he caused a lot of incomplete passes. Brown does such an excellent job reading the route and the pass once it is thrown to know if he should make a play on the man or the ball. This disciplined approach gets him in position to make a lot of plays and prevents him from giving up anything big. He is excellent at staying active in his zones, especially a deep portion of the field, and identifying routes to know where his responsibility will be and get to it a step early. He made an incredible play on the ball from his deep half against West Marshall covering a sideline fade; Brown positioned himself underneath the route and took the ball away from the receiver. In man coverage Brown has the ability to play in reverse, agility to stick with opponents through breaks, and speed to run with routes. [player_tooltip player_id="148698" first="Cody" last="Felt"], C/O 2022, OL, ADM, <a href="https://twitter.com/cody_felt">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/8187952/Cody-Felt">hudl</a> Felt, a violent and bruising Offensive Lineman, played primarily at Left Tackle for the Tigers in 2021 and was physically dominant; he projects to slide down to Guard or Center at the next level. Felt helped pave the way for two 1,000 yard rushers this fall and put a lot on film that college scouts will love. What stands out right away is how exceptional his down blocks are and the way he executes them is the benchmark all young Offensive Linemen should be aiming for. He takes an explosive first step, moves at a proper angle to his target, runs through the hip, places hands inside and under pads violently, and gets a ton of movement across the defensive formation. He also does well when he arc blocks, which suggests he would have no problem pulling from an interior position. He gets to the next level on those off-tackle plays, works well in space, and stays attached to the defender he is responsible for. He’s the type of player who will be running with ball carriers and blocking all the way downfield on big plays.