PRZ Next Midwest Showcase: Quarterback Preview
In this article:
Prep Redzone Next is holding the second, of three, one-day showcases this upcoming Sunday, April 24th, at Commisioners Park in Naperville, Illinois. The camp is designed for middle school athletes to compete in combine testing, individual position work and competitive one on work. Over 100 athletes are slated to come and compete.
Quarterbacks from nine different states have registered, here's a look at just a handful of the signal callers that will be there.
I think it's safe to say that no middle school Quarterback comes into the showcase with as much hype as 2026 prospect,
Owen Lansu
Owen
Lansu
6'2" | 175 lbs | QB
Downers Grove North | 2026
State
IL
. Lansu is listed at 6-foot-1 and 155 pounds and has quite the football resume at this point. Accounted for 41 total touchdowns this past season. He'll be a guest at the Penn State spring game the day before the showcase, before returning home to spin it in Naperville.
As mentioned above, there are Quarterbacks from nine different states slated to take the field at the showcase. If 2026 prospect Roman Voss was from Texas or a school in the South, rather than Minnesota, he'd be offered already. At a legitimate 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Voss is already a two-sport Varsity starter as an eighth grader. Expect big things out of him.
CJ Traylor Jr. out of Michigan is going to be fun to watch. I'd label him more as an Athlete than anything else, but the 6-foot-1 and 170 pound Traylor is exciting to watch on the football field. He has more than ideal size and length right now and has a knack for making the big play.
Another Illinois native I expect to have a good showing is Matthew Plumb. Plumb stands 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds with a very big arm. He is the younger brother of 2025 prospect Ethan Plumb, who is starting to heat up on the recruiting trail and camp circuit. "Little brother" is on the same trajectory as Ethan, meaning the QB position at St. Charles North is in good shape for the foreseeable future.
After the Prep Redzone Next Southeast showcase in Georgia sold out in 12 days, signal caller Darnell Kelly decided he had to get in on the action is making the trip north to Chicago. Kelly, whose social media handles include the phrase "created player", does come off that way on the field. He's dual-threat guy at 6-foot and 155 pounds that can beat defenses in multiple ways. He's a dangerous player.
Leo Slepski is an Illinois Quarterback I'm excited to see in person. On film he looks like he has the potential to be a special player at Providence Catholic over the next four years. He's already listed at 6-foot and 160 pounds with a very live arm. Comes from a youth program that loved to sling the rock.
Riley Contreras
Riley
Contreras
6'0" | 200 lbs | QB
Hinsdale Central | 2026
State
IL
out of Illinois is another prospect I'm fired up to see test. He can literally play any position on the field, but starred at Quarterback this past season. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, he's very well put together for just being a 2026 prospect. Recently attended the UC Report camp a Defensive Back but could easily be a Wide Receiver. Time will tell where he ends up, but he's a ball player.
Making the trip from the greater St. Louis area, Brennan Czeschin should be exciting to watch sling the rock all over the field. The 2026 prospect is off to St. Dominic next year, where he'll join a Crusaders squad that went 10-5 this past fall. Czeschin is on film easily throwing the ball 40+ yards in the air. He should be able to air it out and make all the receivers happy.
Wisconsin's Braylin Albritton will be at the showcase, coming off a season where he saw Varsity time as an eighth grader this past year. For not being the tallest Quarterback in the world, he can throw darts to his Wide Receivers in the short and intermedia passing game. Has the proven ability to move around a bit to find throwing lanes. Looking forward to seeing him.
Last, but certainly not least, 2028 prospect Rory Funke will be at the showcase. Making the trip from Massachusetts, this kid is going to be special. Already 5-foot-11 and 135 pounds, he's the youngest of a talented family that includes 2022 Boston College commit Jack Funke and 2026 prospect Dominic Funke. Dominic, who will be also be in attendance as a Defensive Lineman, most recently won the MVP at the Under Armour Baltimore camp earlier this month.
I think it's safe to say that no middle school Quarterback comes into the showcase with as much hype as 2026 prospect,
Owen Lansu
Owen
Lansu
6'2" | 175 lbs | QB
Downers Grove North | 2026
State
IL
. Lansu is listed at 6-foot-1 and 155 pounds and has quite the football resume at this point. Accounted for 41 total touchdowns this past season. He'll be a guest at the Penn State spring game the day before the showcase, before returning home to spin it in Naperville.
As mentioned above, there are Quarterbacks from nine different states slated to take the field at the showcase. If 2026 prospect Roman Voss was from Texas or a school in the South, rather than Minnesota, he'd be offered already. At a legitimate 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Voss is already a two-sport Varsity starter as an eighth grader. Expect big things out of him.
CJ Traylor Jr. out of Michigan is going to be fun to watch. I'd label him more as an Athlete than anything else, but the 6-foot-1 and 170 pound Traylor is exciting to watch on the football field. He has more than ideal size and length right now and has a knack for making the big play.
Another Illinois native I expect to have a good showing is Matthew Plumb. Plumb stands 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds with a very big arm. He is the younger brother of 2025 prospect Ethan Plumb, who is starting to heat up on the recruiting trail and camp circuit. "Little brother" is on the same trajectory as Ethan, meaning the QB position at St. Charles North is in good shape for the foreseeable future.
After the Prep Redzone Next Southeast showcase in Georgia sold out in 12 days, signal caller Darnell Kelly decided he had to get in on the action is making the trip north to Chicago. Kelly, whose social media handles include the phrase "created player", does come off that way on the field. He's dual-threat guy at 6-foot and 155 pounds that can beat defenses in multiple ways. He's a dangerous player.
Leo Slepski is an Illinois Quarterback I'm excited to see in person. On film he looks like he has the potential to be a special player at Providence Catholic over the next four years. He's already listed at 6-foot and 160 pounds with a very live arm. Comes from a youth program that loved to sling the rock.
Riley Contreras
Riley
Contreras
6'0" | 200 lbs | QB
Hinsdale Central | 2026
State
IL
out of Illinois is another prospect I'm fired up to see test. He can literally play any position on the field, but starred at Quarterback this past season. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 155 pounds, he's very well put together for just being a 2026 prospect. Recently attended the UC Report camp a Defensive Back but could easily be a Wide Receiver. Time will tell where he ends up, but he's a ball player.
Making the trip from the greater St. Louis area, Brennan Czeschin should be exciting to watch sling the rock all over the field. The 2026 prospect is off to St. Dominic next year, where he'll join a Crusaders squad that went 10-5 this past fall. Czeschin is on film easily throwing the ball 40+ yards in the air. He should be able to air it out and make all the receivers happy.
Wisconsin's Braylin Albritton will be at the showcase, coming off a season where he saw Varsity time as an eighth grader this past year. For not being the tallest Quarterback in the world, he can throw darts to his Wide Receivers in the short and intermedia passing game. Has the proven ability to move around a bit to find throwing lanes. Looking forward to seeing him.
Last, but certainly not least, 2028 prospect Rory Funke will be at the showcase. Making the trip from Massachusetts, this kid is going to be special. Already 5-foot-11 and 135 pounds, he's the youngest of a talented family that includes 2022 Boston College commit Jack Funke and 2026 prospect Dominic Funke. Dominic, who will be also be in attendance as a Defensive Lineman, most recently won the MVP at the Under Armour Baltimore camp earlier this month.
