Dakotas 2023 Prospects on the Radar- WR

The Wide Receiver position is usually a pretty exciting group of individuals. This class is no different, a lot of athletes who show many different types of skills to be playmakers for their team. Another thing about this class, is a few were used in many different ways in their offensive schemes, which could put them in the ATH category as well as the WR category. Check them out below! [player_tooltip player_id="56552" first="Carter" last="Van Donge"]- Sioux Falls Christian Van Donge played well in both the slot and as the outside receiver. He had the perfect speed where he could sell any fake before breaking on his actual route and fake out the defender. He was quick and smart to not get jammed at the line in press coverage and did a great job creating separation to get open and then made himself a nice target. The thing I liked most about his game was his Yards After Catch yardage. He had amazing vision and agility to really make a big play after making the catch. He also did a good job finding the open space and the sticks on situational downs. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GFQsH">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="101177" first="Logan" last="Winckler"]- Bon Homme Winckler is one of the reasons that speed kills. He is used in multiple ways on offense, but in any which way, his speed will get you. He is quick off the snap and gets vertical real quick. He runs routes at full-speed and creates a lot of separation doing so, which creates big plays every time. He was also used in the backfield for run plays, which connected another one of his strong attributes. When he had the ball, he was looking to run someone over, really earning every yard on each play. He wasn’t flashy, just straight ahead running and got the job done. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GBWLt">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="101176" first="Isaac" last="Crownover"]- Bon Homme Crownover was the other punch in the one-two punch in the Bon Homme attack. He has a good frame but he also has great awareness on how to use anything to his advantage. He is a good blocker both on the perimeter and downfield for the run game. He has the speed and strength to be a good small-ball threat. He can turn a screen or a short crossing route into a big play by outrunning or breaking tackles. He has good basketball skills to jump over defenders and box out the defender to make catches. He has good balance to get around arm tackles and good knee drive to keep defenders from wrapping his legs up. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GGrQV">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="56556" first="Cooper" last="Long"]- Garretson Long is the Dragon playmaker. He is patient on routes that need to develop, he doesn’t rush into the traffic in the middle and finds the best path through the pick routes. He has a sneaky burst of speed where if you aren’t paying close attention, he burns you deep. He also has the basketball skills and the hands for good catches in traffic. He has great concentration on the football in the air, whether there is a guy draped all over him or not, he is locked in on the that ball and he is going to come down with it. He also runs good routes to get his separation on situational downs as well. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GHz8Q">Junior Season</a> [player_tooltip player_id="223096" first="Jack" last="Merkwan"]- Pierre Merkwan seemed to be the favorite target this season. He had just enough speed to beat any defender deep by taking no false steps on routes. He had the reliable set of hands that made him the go-to guy on 3rd down or when a big play was needed. He also had the agility and vision to make a move and extend a big play if defenders could catch him. He had good hand technique at the line to shake the defender in press coverage then release on his route. He had a good deal of strength and balance to get through tacklers in the open field to take it the distance on any given play. <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GUm1u">Junior Season</a>