PRZ Next Midwest Showcase: Wide Receiver Preview
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.
Here's a preview of some of the Wide Receivers who have registered.
Blair Irvin III is making the trip from Arkansas for the showcase and has already been covered numerous times on Prep Redzone Next. Irvin III is unofficially 5-foot-11 and 145 pounds. He's a very good overall receiver who does a lot of the little things right. Great hands, good speed. I'm looking forward to seeing how he tests and competes on the field. He'll be headed to the five-time state champions, Bentonville High School, in the fall.
Future Brother Rice Crusader Jovan Green is certainly one I'm excited to see live. He's a 6-foot, 165-pound kid who looks like he could play a host of different positions. In the limited clips I've seen of him, I like what I see in terms of quickness and hops in particular. The Illinois native should put on for the hometown crowd.
Jack Wessel is an intriguing prospect making the trip from Iowa to the showcase. He's billed at 6-foot and 190 pounds right now. Wessel is a pretty jacked up kid and can really play multiple positions at this point. A member of Team Iowa, he has pretty good speed and obvious strength. Leads me to believe he's more of an Athlete or H-Back, but we'll see how he performs.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what Devin Hamilton does at the Showcase. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds, Hamilton certainly has the potential to play at the next level. After watching his film, I almost like him more as a Safety than anything else. He has great size and length. Really does a good job of attacking the ball in the air, at its highest point.
Without seeing majority of the prospects in person yet,
Kai Owens
Kai
Owens
6'2" | 170 lbs | WR
Carmel Catholic | 2026
State
IL
could be the big dog in this Wide Receiver group. He's listed at 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds but really is the complete package right now. He's obviously big and fast and has elite hands. He will literally snag any pass thrown remotely in his vicinity. He's going to be a good one.
Oliver Thulin
Oliver
Thulin
5'10" | 155 lbs | WR
Downers Grove North | 2026
State
IL
was the go-to target for Quarterback Owen Lansu this past season, whom we featured in the Quarterback Preview. In just his first season playing football, he hauled in 13 touchdown receptions this year. Also plays travel baseball and is a Point Guard in basketball.
It's really hard to fathom that Kingston Dunagan out of Wisconsin is only a few months removed from ACL surgery. He's a big, tough and dependable Wide Receiver. At 5-foot-11 and 199 pounds, he's a thick receiver who will straight up bully his way into catching a football. At the Elite Football Combine, he had a broad jump of nine feet, which was furthest by eight inches.
Looking at the 2027 class, one that impresses early is Iowa's Josiah Smith. Smith, just a 2027 prospect with another year of middle school ball, is a member of Team Iowa. Smith has encouraging size at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds. I'm a big fan of his fight for every 50/50 ball in the air. Haven't seen him live since last July, so I'm looking forward to seeing his progression.
Rounding out this look at some of the Wide Receivers that will be at the showcase is Minnesota's Juan Garcia-Okoi. Another prospect only in the 2027 class, Garcia-Okoi has stunning quickness for a prospect at this level. His ability to cut and turn the edge on a dime, is one of the more impressive traits I've seen. He gives up significant size, but I can't wait to see him compete.
Blair Irvin III is making the trip from Arkansas for the showcase and has already been covered numerous times on Prep Redzone Next. Irvin III is unofficially 5-foot-11 and 145 pounds. He's a very good overall receiver who does a lot of the little things right. Great hands, good speed. I'm looking forward to seeing how he tests and competes on the field. He'll be headed to the five-time state champions, Bentonville High School, in the fall.
Future Brother Rice Crusader Jovan Green is certainly one I'm excited to see live. He's a 6-foot, 165-pound kid who looks like he could play a host of different positions. In the limited clips I've seen of him, I like what I see in terms of quickness and hops in particular. The Illinois native should put on for the hometown crowd.
Jack Wessel is an intriguing prospect making the trip from Iowa to the showcase. He's billed at 6-foot and 190 pounds right now. Wessel is a pretty jacked up kid and can really play multiple positions at this point. A member of Team Iowa, he has pretty good speed and obvious strength. Leads me to believe he's more of an Athlete or H-Back, but we'll see how he performs.
I'm really looking forward to seeing what Devin Hamilton does at the Showcase. Listed at 6-foot-1 and 165 pounds, Hamilton certainly has the potential to play at the next level. After watching his film, I almost like him more as a Safety than anything else. He has great size and length. Really does a good job of attacking the ball in the air, at its highest point.
Without seeing majority of the prospects in person yet,
Kai Owens
Kai
Owens
6'2" | 170 lbs | WR
Carmel Catholic | 2026
State
IL
could be the big dog in this Wide Receiver group. He's listed at 6-foot-1 and 160 pounds but really is the complete package right now. He's obviously big and fast and has elite hands. He will literally snag any pass thrown remotely in his vicinity. He's going to be a good one.
Oliver Thulin
Oliver
Thulin
5'10" | 155 lbs | WR
Downers Grove North | 2026
State
IL
was the go-to target for Quarterback Owen Lansu this past season, whom we featured in the Quarterback Preview. In just his first season playing football, he hauled in 13 touchdown receptions this year. Also plays travel baseball and is a Point Guard in basketball.
It's really hard to fathom that Kingston Dunagan out of Wisconsin is only a few months removed from ACL surgery. He's a big, tough and dependable Wide Receiver. At 5-foot-11 and 199 pounds, he's a thick receiver who will straight up bully his way into catching a football. At the Elite Football Combine, he had a broad jump of nine feet, which was furthest by eight inches.
Looking at the 2027 class, one that impresses early is Iowa's Josiah Smith. Smith, just a 2027 prospect with another year of middle school ball, is a member of Team Iowa. Smith has encouraging size at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds. I'm a big fan of his fight for every 50/50 ball in the air. Haven't seen him live since last July, so I'm looking forward to seeing his progression.
Rounding out this look at some of the Wide Receivers that will be at the showcase is Minnesota's Juan Garcia-Okoi. Another prospect only in the 2027 class, Garcia-Okoi has stunning quickness for a prospect at this level. His ability to cut and turn the edge on a dime, is one of the more impressive traits I've seen. He gives up significant size, but I can't wait to see him compete.
