Out The Mud Monday: NE/IA Stock Up Showcase Seniors (Part 2)

I wanted to start this feature to highlight players that have proven to have tremendous talent, but for some reason, coaches and offers just haven’t been coming their way. This includes players with no offers, few offers, players from small schools, players stuck on loaded teams, players from teams with little exposure, etc. This feature aims to provide coaches with a look at some of the most underrated players in the state. Not only giving player evaluation and tape and a more personal look at the player underneath the pads. This includes honest answers from the players regarding what football means to them, what drives them, and how they handle adversity. You will also see a personal picture of the players through a non-football lens, hopefully, so that coaches can get a small sense of what the player is like when the helmet comes off. I choose to use “Out the Mud” because all players face different forms of adversity when trying to make it to the next level. For some, those obstacles are farther and fewer in between, while for others, they can find themselves jumping hurdles at every turn. Lack of interest from schools can leave players feeling stagnant and stuck in the process. However, from the mud rises some of the most hardened players. These players are ready to face that adversity head-on. These players are willing to fight tooth and nail for their spot on a roster. Whereas other men have buckled, these players have shown the grit and determination to overcome any obstacle. There’s no other way to say it, but… they got it out the mud! This edition covers the Nebraska seniors that attended the PRZ NE/IA Stock Up Showcase in Council Bluffs. <hr /> [caption id="attachment_258635" align="alignright" width="517"]<img class=" wp-image-258635" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/FF21CD76-EF42-4D97-8F72-B46B98874616.jpg" alt="" width="517" height="344" /> Photo: John Russell, <a href="https://jruss8.myportfolio.com/fremont-vs-north-platte" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fremont FB VS North Platte</a>[/caption] [player_tooltip player_id="167073" first="Drew" last="Sellon"] (WR/DB) | Fremont | 6’0" 170 lbs <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11255370/Drew-Sellon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/drew_sellon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> Offers: N/A Interested Schools: Wayne State, Chadron State About #16: A severely underrated receiver in this class, [player_tooltip player_id="167073" first="Drew" last="Sellon"] has improved on a yearly basis. Going from 218 yards (sophomore year), 690 yards (junior year) to 827 yards as a senior, averaging 103 yards per game. Sellon has continuously refined his craft as a receiver. He didn’t even let the added obstacle of playing with a cast stop him from being a dominant pass-catcher for the Tigers. At the showcase, he ran a 4.67 40-yard dash, 4.40 shuttle drill, and a 7.10 in the L-drill and showed out in the position drills. Another thing about Drew that makes him a great pick-up is his versatility and toughness as a two-way player. He totaled 104 career tackles, five tackles for loss, and five interceptions as a defensive back. He is aggressive no matter where you line him up and is more than willing to get physical with anyone trying to stop him. Sellon has top-tier hands, is explosive in his routes, and is very shifty when in the open field. Sellon’s route tree is very impressive, and he can create separation from nothing. Currently sitting with no offers, Drew is an ENORMOUS steal at this point in the recruiting cycle. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11255370/6182e1f947982106281d4440" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <img class=" wp-image-258665 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/IMG_1054-e1640667837106.jpg" alt="" width="491" height="531" /> About [player_tooltip player_id="167073" first="Drew" last="Sellon"]: What drives you to be the best version of yourself off the field? On the field? My parents drive me to be the best version of myself off the field. They hold me to a high standard. On the field, my teammates. The ultimate goal for me and my team is to win. How do you handle adversity? Adversity is hard. Got to keep your head up and keep pushing; I’ve learned, though, that in football, there’s no time to pout. You gotta move on; it’s a “next play” mentality if you mess up. To your future coach, what kind of person/player are they getting from you? On and off the field, I want to be held to a high standard, and I want to be pushed and coached hard. I’m willing to put in the work, just looking for the opportunity. What does football mean to you? Football is my life. I live and breathe football. This past year was one I’ll never forget. Now it’s time for a new chapter. <img class=" wp-image-258628 alignright" style="font-size: 1rem;" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/IMG_0B6D7FA01781-1-e1640661845699.jpeg" alt="" width="472" height="446" /> [player_tooltip player_id="171385" first="Jayden" last="Page"] (RB) | Omaha Central | 5’10" 205 lbs <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13387812/Jayden-Page" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/jaydenpage2004" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> Offers: N/A Interested Schools: Doane, Midland, Concordia, Hastings About #15: Does Omaha Central have a storage unit full of big, powerful running backs? Jayden and fellow back J’Dyn formed an extremely punishing tandem. Page is a very strong, downhill back that can grind away at opposing defenses. At 205 lbs, he uses his size very well and is a hard RB to tackle, and don’t even think that an arm tackle will be enough to do the job. Jayden gashed defenses for an average of 7.9 yards per carry, and overall he totaled 800 yards on 100 carries with ten rushing touchdowns. He has a big nose for the end zone and is tough to stop even in obvious run situations. Page is more than just a power back, and he has shown that he has speed too and can turn on the burners when he breaks away, as demonstrated by his 93-yard run against Omaha South. Because he missed a year of action, he is raw and still has tons of tread on his tires. An excellent pick-up for any team looking for a solid, reliable back with tremendous upside. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13387812/6188845e4205bd07fc903eab" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> About [player_tooltip player_id="171385" first="Jayden" last="Page"]: What drives you to be the best version of yourself off the field? On the field? My family is what got me started on football and is the reason I fell in love with the game in the first place. I have 3 older brothers that all played, so I’ve always wanted to make them proud as well as eventually surpass them. But most importantly, on and off the field, I’m just trying to prove to myself that all the sacrifice was worth it and all the work I put in was for a reason. How do you handle adversity? I’ve been dealing with adversity for a long time, since pee wee days. And the only thing you can do is shake your head and work harder because, at the end of the day, nobody is going to feel bad for you just because you think you deserve something. You just have to prove it to them. To your future coach, what kind of person/player are they getting from you? Any coach that gives me a chance is going to get someone who is dedicated, hardworking strong-willed, and a leader. I am someone who makes sure to take care of work in the classroom, in the weight room, and of course, on the field. What does football mean to you? I look at football as my sanctuary. For those sixty minutes when I’m on the field, I feel untouchable and that nothing matters except the game. Football is everything to me. It introduced me to people I genuinely think of as family, people that thirty years down the road I’ll still be close with. It gave me my high work ethic and drive, which I use in all aspects of my life. It taught me how to deal with hardships and things I thought were unfair. There is nothing truer to life itself than the game of football. <img class=" wp-image-247172 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/101-Luke-Wright.jpg" alt="" width="486" height="324" />   [player_tooltip player_id="192726" first="Luke" last="Wright"] (RB/DB) | Grand Island | 5’6" 165 lbs <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11083463/Luke-Wright" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/WrightLuke33" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> Offers: N/A Interested Schools: About #33: I didn’t have much information about Luke going into the camp, so I was excited to see what he could do. Luke had a great camp and showed versatility as an overall athlete. He can play DB, RB, and WR and is very shifty. Wright has tons of upside as a back that can catch out of the backfield or in several creative ways. Wright ran a 5.1 40-yard dash, 5.1 shuttle, and 7.81 L-Drill. With a few more reps and some coaching, he has the potential to be a great player at the next level. <img class=" wp-image-258637 alignright" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2021/12/czueHnv5-e1640663739149.jpg" alt="" width="511" height="701" />About [player_tooltip player_id="192726" first="Luke" last="Wright"]: What drives you to be the best version of yourself off the field? On the field? What drives me to be the best is I say I would work hard on and off the field and train every day to make myself better and better each day and train what I need to fix and just train the process, and it’ll follow through! How do you handle adversity? How do I handle adversity id say I like to make things hard to make myself better, and the challenges that I have are to be the best I can be and use my ability to do what I’m good at. To your future coach, what kind of person/player are they getting from you? The coaches will be getting a hard worker, a great person to get to know, self-discipline, being able to do anything that will help the team. What does football mean to you? I think it has to do with a lot of love from your teammates and building that brotherhood up, and become a family.