PRZ Iowa | New to the Scene | Part 3

August 26th feels like it is forever away and then some. It may not seem like it, but the season will be here before you know it. There are plenty of household names that everyone has on their board and will be keeping a close eye on, but there is also plenty of lesser known or undiscovered talent that could make 2022 their year. These athletes have already done some very impressive things on the field, have shown flashes of serious ability, or dominated the underclassman scene that make them legitimate breakout candidates and names on the rise. Get to know these guys now before the season is here as they are sure to make plenty of noise and become known across the state. Tommy Jeffries, Pleasant Valley, C/O 2023, 6’4 270, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GqdUS">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/tjeffries76">Twitter</a> Jeffries was part of one of Iowa’s best Offensive Lines a season ago and, when surrounded by so much talent, it can be easy to get a little lost in the wash, but he shouldn’t be. Jeffries has the measurables and abilities; he is a big name to know as he prepares for his Senior campaign. What impresses about the way Jeffries blocks is how he overwhelms opponents with proper mechanics and formidable power. Jeffries is an expert in one on one situations and makes meals out of Defensive Tackles in even fronts. There are several snaps that show this, but one that stands out was against Valley. Jeffries’ first step was perfect and you can tell the way he loads up in his stance is spot on. He fired out with a ton of force, at a very low angle, and with excellent posture. His hands came through like meat hooks drilling his opponent in the chest. From there he pounded his insteps, steered his opponent out of their gap, and within just a few steps put him on his back. He isn’t just winning with brute force; he is dominating by pairing it with position specific skill. Jesus Marungo, TE, Iowa City West, C/O 2024, 6’2 210, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14833496/614eb89364df48094c7144cf">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/jesus_marungo">Twitter</a> One of Iowa’s top young Quarterbacks is going to need some targets to deliver the ball to and there is going to be nothing but opportunity for Tight End Jesus Marungo to step in and grab his share. Marungo has the frame and physical tools to make a living running routes over the middle of the field. As a Sophomore he showed that he already runs excellent corner and seam routes, staples of the position, and no doubt has the toughness to sit in those high traffic areas and make plays where many aren’t willing to. What impresses most on Marungo’s film is the nimbleness and control with which he moves. Many young athletes his size tend to lumber and have a degree of awkwardness, especially in how they get out of their stance or in and out of breaks. Marungo demonstrated this on a touchdown catch against City High who appeared to be in Cover 1. He was very physical in the first 5 yards, knocking the Linebacker who tried to pick him up off coverage, and then cut at just the right time to get open underneath the deep Safety and pull the ball in. Noah Mills, QB/LB, Nevada, C/O 2023, 6’1 215, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/13231704/619005e5b3c87201448eaeee">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Noah_Mills15">Twitter</a> Mills notched 37.5 tackles last year as a Junior on the Cubs defense and appears to be the successor at Quarterback heading into his last go-round. Mills is tough and there is something about having a hard hitting, dedicated athlete taking snaps on defense and getting under Center that screams leadership. The fearlessness and grit that is sculpted while defeating blocks and running down ball carriers is a unique quality; Mills has certainly demonstrated both. Something that Mills excelled at this past season at Linebacker was filling gaps. He made his reads, trusted them, and, without hesitation, was flying downhill. Seeing the way he did that makes it easy to envision how much success he can have as a dual-threat next year. Mills is going to be tough to tackle. He was also able to step in on offense for mop up duty last year to get some reps at Quarterback. When he did, he showed a ton of arm strength. That ability to stretch the field could be dangerous in addition to what should be a lethal backfield between Mills and Nevada’s returning 1,000 yard Running Back. [player_tooltip player_id="300191" first="Drew" last="Wilson"], OL, Council Bluffs Lincoln, C/O 2023, 6’0 265, <a href="http://www.hudl.com/v/2GfyRr">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/04_drew_">Twitter</a> Wilson is a relentless mauler of an Offensive Lineman. He is a little undersized for a Left Tackle, but has more than enough athleticism to compensate for the lack of length and the skill set he demonstrates on film appears to lend perfectly to a move inside at the next level. One area where Wilson is really able to capitalize on that athleticism is down blocking inside shades or scooping edge defenders. Wilson generates plenty of force out of his stance and has quick feet; he is often on the hip of defenders before they are out of their stance. The angles he gets keeps Defensive Linemen from being able to keep their shoulders square and the way he accelerates on contact and persists through his block makes it exceedingly difficult for opponents to recover. Something the Lynx do that further supports how dominant Wilson could be inside is pull their Tackles. Wilson gets lateral and through gaps in a hurry and does so under control with precision. Envisioning Wilson trap a Defensive Tackle in college is easy to do and scouts should feel the same way. Trey Wilson, WR, Dowling Catholic, C/O 2025, 5’8 155, <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16302903/6174223b47979009c460a26d">hudl</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Treyyy_Wilson">Twitter</a> It appears the Maroons have an abundance of young talent coming up to surround their star Quarterback with and one of those players who could emerge as a go to option is Wide Receiver Trey Wilson. Dowling will be bringing back one of the state’s top Tight Ends and Wide Receivers, but whoever ends up rounding out the lineup could benefit greatly from the attention of opposing defenses going to players that are already established threats. Where Wilson excels most right now is after the catch. He has plenty of moves in the tool box that make it very difficult for defenders to tackle him in the open field. Wilson has a knack for turning short, underneath throws into big gains. Wilson also does an outstanding job of using blazing straight line speed from the Slot to take the top off of a defense for explosive, home run plays. Wilson has the attributes to become dangerous in all aspects of the passing game if he continues to develop and hone his position specific abilities. Picturing that speed applied to precise and exact route running should scare coverage.