Class of 2024 Rankings: Biggest Risers

The Class of 2024 rankings saw plenty of changes and movement up and down the boards. Today, we are going to dive into the athletes who saw the biggest jump up the board. The list of players eligible for this list includes athletes who were already ranked as well as athletes who went from the Watch List to their first time in the rankings. We will take a look at their jump and look into the film that led to the jump. Let’s get into it! <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105025" first="Sam" last="Ostrenga"], DB- Sun Prairie</strong> One of the biggest jumps in the rankings is the 5'10'' 170 lbs DB out of Sun Prairie. I was lucky enough to see Sam at the beginning of the season during the Sun Prairie JV scrimmage and again at the end of the season in the Division 1 State Championship. His rise from JV to starting varsity safety in the state championship is due to his impressive skill set and traits. Ostrenga is an intelligent football player with the range to capitalize on what he quickly diagnoses. Sam is a three level athlete who can fly downhill to stuff the run, roam as a single high safety, and he even has the quick twitch, change of direction to play  man coverage. I'm a huge fan of Ostrenga's play style as well. No hesitation; he flies around the field making plays at top speed. DB1 is one to keep an eye on. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14613745/61a06cc3066ba108084d8176">Sam's Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105005" first="Preston" last="Nelson II"], QB- Janesville Parker</strong> Another Watch List to rankings riser is the 6' 180 lbs signal caller out of Janesville Parker HS. Preston jumped all the way to QB1 in our newest rankings update thanks to a sophomore season where he did a great job showing off his talents. The first thing that jumps out is his arm strength. Nelson can hit every spot on the field, and he can do it with all the velocity needed to beat closing DBs. The ball jumps out of his hand on the back of a quick, compact release and carries that zip throughout the path of the ball. The control that he is able to have over the ball while slinging it all over the field is top of the line as well. While attacking every piece of grass on the field, Preston is able to pinpoint his passes with spot on accuracy. Nelson II is turning himself into a very talented QB prospect. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14788665/616afa9cf55fc90758543e27">Preston's Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105015" first="Logan" last="Gross"], OL- Sun Prairie</strong> Gross made a big time jump in the rankings after the update. He went from the Watch List to top 10 among OL and top 35 overall. The 6'3" 240 lbs OT put together a great season starting at RT for the D1 state runner-ups. The number one thing that jumps out about Logan is he is a technician. He possesses the flexibility that allows him to always play lower than his opponent. His wide, sturdy base allows him to play even stronger than his 240 lbs frame might suggest. Gross is also an athletic lineman who is able to effectively down block, get to the second level, and mirror pass rushers. I'm excited to watch Logan continue to grow and add size and strength. Don't be surprised to see him continue to climb the rankings. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14691456/619c4a896899180b24d2c6c5">Logan's Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105009" first="Gavin" last="Lettenberger"], RB- Manitowoc Lincoln</strong> The 6'1" 205 lbs RB jumped from Watch List to RB4 in the newest rankings. The big back plays with a style that matches his frame. He excels between the tackles where he can utilize his power and contact balance to be the one to deliver the hit and also be able to run his feet through contact for extra yards. Lettenberger also possesses the lateral agility to be able to make the necessary moves in tight quarters to make defenders miss and put himself in position to have the angle on his opponents. Gavin has also proven that he can be a three down option as he naturally hauls passes out of the backfield. He even has experience lining up out wide and getting open downfield. His development over the next two seasons is going to be one to watch. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15037324/6170cd35ff032b07483f1ac8">Gavin's Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104985" first="Daniel" last="Simon"], DL- WInneconne</strong> The 6'4" 205 lbs DL not only made the jump from the Watch List to the Top 100, he also made a switch from TE to DL where he looked impressive playing off the edge for the JV while also rotating in a bit on varsity. I'm expecting Daniel to make the full time jump to varsity in 2022 where he will use that blend of length, strength, and first step quickness to get after the QB and set the edge against the run. He proved this season to be a standout player at the JV level where he was able to consistently walk OL back into the QB and use his speed to quickly get past the OL before they could get a hand on him. I can't wait to see what he does with another offseason of development and getting the chance to play under the Friday night lights. Expect him to continue rising. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15089397/6157699bf5615108b4fa455e">Daniel's Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105032" first="Chris" last="Flowers"], DB- Waukesha South</strong> Another athlete who saw his stock rise after a strong sophomore campaign is DB4 out of Waukesha South. The 5'11" 160 lbs athlete is a confident, aggressive, man to man cornerback. At the catch point, Flowers really stands out with his quickness to close on the ball and his aggressiveness to break up the pass and also battle with the WR to get to the ball. Chris has proven that he has the quick twitch change of direction, and reactive athleticism to play press coverage and then stay with the receiver throughout the route. Lastly, Flowers isn't hesitant when it comes to tackling either. He carries that aggressiveness in coverage right over to his tackling. Waukesha South is going to have a strong collection of talent this fall, and Flowers is going to be one of the top athletes to know in the group. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15155049/61672821da51480f8c568be7">Chris' Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105011" first="Ryder" last="Hoffman"], QB- Appleton West</strong> The 6' 180 lbs QB/ATH is an exciting prospect who is going to be a fun piece to utilize over the next couple of seasons at Appleton West. Ryder spent last fall quarterbacking the JV squad and putting together film that proved his athleticism stood out from the crowd. That athleticism opened the door for Ryder to play on varsity in the defensive backfield. At QB, Ryder's play speed and playmaking ability shined as he quickly flew past defenders and erased pursuit angles. He also has an arm that can attack the short to intermediate levels with velocity while also dropping dimes down the field with touch. His short area quickness makes him a threat within the pocket as well as he buys time while keeping his eyes downfield. Keep an eye on Ryder. He will be on the varsity field in some fashion this fall. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14711870/619ae5ff42061a0158ad39d1">Ryder's Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105021" first="Thomas" last="Laufenberg"], QB- Sparta</strong> The 6'2'' 190 lbs sophomore has fun tape to watch. He has the speed to be a dual threat for his team, and he pairs that speed with the fact that he isn't afraid to use his big frame to pick up extra yards after contact making him a serious threat when he tucks it. Through the air it's easy to see why Thomas made the jump from watch list to starting varsity QB and QB4 in our ranknigs. He has a live arm that can fire the ball with velocity 40+ yards downfield. Laufenberg's accuracy is next level as well. Thomas is able to pinpoint his passes on the run just as effectively as he can from the pocket. Laufenberg has a bit of a unique throwing motion, but it leads to the ball getting out very quickly, and even with a compact motion he can still put a lot behind the ball. I'm very excited to see if he and Sparta can take the next step from where they finished last season. I believe they have the signal caller to do it. Check him out here! <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14773950/618af1bf066b9f08aceb6e8b">Thomas' Sophomore Highlights</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105034" first="TJ" last="Retic"], OL- Waukesha North</strong> The 5'10" 260 lbs center made the jump from watch list to top 20 OL during this round of updates. Retic has a thick, bowling ball frame with a low center of gravity that allows him to set a strong anchor against larger interior defensive linemen. That anchor spearheads a safe pocket for his QB in the pass game. In the run game, I love the tenacity that TJ plays with. He is looking to finish his man to the grow on every snap. He possesses sufficiently strong hands that are able to steer and turn defensive linemen as he blocks them down the line. I'll be interested in seeing how the '24 OL continues to grow and add length to his frame. If he does that you can expect another rise from him after the next update as well. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/14657979/tj-retic/highlights">TJ's Highlight Page</a> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="105002" first="Paul" last="Hawkins"], ATH- Cudahy</strong> The 5'10" 170 lbs athlete saw himself jump into the top 10 for athletes after a sophomore season where he made an impact in all three phases of the game. You can see his natural athletic traits shine when he is back for returns. He clearly has the speed to continue playing at the next level and he sees the field, and his blocks, really well. As a receiver, Paul is a solid route runner and he does a very good job of high pointing the ball at the catch point. From his safety position, Hawkins has proven to be a reliable last line of defense against the run game. He is a sound tackler and aggressively will come downhill to make a stop. Keep an eye out for the three way playmaker this fall. <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/15200995/615c971102b16506a0814d4d">Paul's Sophomore Highlights</a>