Lake County: Eleven Pass Catchers You Need to Know

Lake County has a rich history of producing talented prospects. But for some odd reason, athletes in this area continue to fly under the radar, regardless of how talented they are. Teams almost have to prioritize having a reliable pass catcher at their disposal with the ariel evolution we’ve seen in today’s football. Although there are teams who still believe in the run-first mentality, airing it out has pretty much become the norm, especially with the rise of 7-on-7 passing leagues. After careful evaluation and hours of sifting through film, I was able to find eleven pass catchers that reside in the LC who I think are all primed for breakout seasons. So without further ado, let’s get to know eleven of the most talented pass catchers from Lake County. <hr /> <h4><em><strong>Tyson Dewey | WR | Lakes ’23</strong></em></h4> Dewey had a strong junior campaign after posting 37 receptions, 609 yards, and 6 touchdowns. He’s flying under the radar now, but if he can put together a strong offseason, there’s no reason he shouldn’t hit the ground running when week 1 comes around. His athleticism pops when you watch his film. His ability to high-point the ball results from his above-average leaping ability coupled with a long wingspan. He’s most dangerous as a deep threat but can also be a factor in the catch and run game with his ability to wiggle around defenders. <h4><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="157996" first="Joey" last="Neumann"] | TE/WR | Antioch ’23</strong></em></h4> Neumann is your prototypical tight end in today’s day and age. He’s a long 6’4" and is versatile enough to line up out wide and be just as productive. There aren’t many defenders who can match up with him when it comes to size. More times than none, he’s winning the jump ball, which increases his value in the red zone. <h4><em><strong>Justin Kretz | TE/LB | Warren ’23</strong></em></h4> Kretz is an all-around athlete who flashes at the linebacker position but can also be a heavy contributor at the tight end position. He had the opportunity to show off his physicality as a blocker due to Warren being a run-heavy team this past season, but he made the most of his opportunities when the ball was thrown his way. Flashes a nice set of hands and knows how to find the soft spots in a zone. What impressed me the most is his ability to run after the catch, as previously stated, he’s a good athlete who I think can be one of the top pass-catchers in Lake County if given the opportunity. <h4><em><strong>Luke Pollack | WR | Deerfield ’23</strong></em></h4> There should be plenty of opportunity for Pollack to make a name for himself now that Deerfield’s former star wideout [player_tooltip player_id="65730" first="Luke" last="Jones"] is moving on to play ball at the next level. Pollack is an intriguing prospect with a ton of upside at 6’4". He’s already a solid blocker from the receiver position, and at his size, he can be a matchup nightmare for smaller defensive backs and his quarterback’s best friend in the red zone. <h4><em><strong>Ashton Gondeck | WR | Carmel ’23</strong></em></h4> Gondeck’s impressive junior season earned him a selection to the 2021 ESCC Purple Division All-Conference team. The first time I saw Gondeck play was at quarterback, so to see him effortlessly move over to the receiver position and still produce at a high level is impressive, to say the least. He’s a good route runner with quick feet who’s a threat in all three phases of his team’s passing attack (short, intermediate, and deep). His ability to beat his defender deep and track the ball all the way into his hands is something he does extremely well, and not to mention, he is pretty good at piling up the YAC. Keep an eye on Gondeck heading into next season; he could potentially be in line for a breakout season. <h4><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="136403" first="Kristian" last="Gavric"] | WR | Libertyville ’23</strong></em></h4> At 6’3", Gavric is another big receiver from Lake County who poses a matchup problem for smaller defensive backs. Flashes a good set of hands and is what I consider a possession receiver who can consistently move the chains and be viewed as a security blanket for his quarterback. It’s also worth noting that he’s a willing blocker who isn’t afraid to get physical when needed. <h4><em><strong>Tyler Erkman | WR | Lake Zurich ’23</strong></em></h4> Erkman is as efficient of a route-runner as they come and could very well be one of the best in Lake County. He’s equally effective in the slot or out-wide and can consistently create separation at the top of his routes. Has the speed to beat you deep and is a natural runner after the catch. Flashes exceptional body control which allows him to adjust and track passes thrown his way. Erkman is most definitely primed for a breakout season--you heard it here first. <h4><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="158019" first="Jailen" last="Duffie"] | WR/CB | Warren ’23</strong></em></h4> It’s no secret that Duffie is the top defensive back in Lake County, or if I’m being honest, he may very well be Lake County’s #1 prospect this year. Although his future is at defensive back, for the sake of this article, we can’t ignore how talented he is when he lines up at receiver. He’s a supreme athlete who can flat out fly, couple that with good route-running and you have yourself a dominant receiver in the makings. I could imagine it would be pretty difficult to keep Duffie off the field since he’s such a good athlete, as a result, I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a lot more of him on offense this season. <hr /> <h4><em><strong>Other Pass-Catchers to Know:</strong></em></h4> <h5><em>Chase Groelle | WR | Wauconda ’23</em></h5> <h5><em>Xavier Schild | TE | Warren ’23</em></h5> <h5><em>Bryce Turner | WR | North Chicago ’23</em></h5>