PRZ IA Prospect Tour Review: 2023 Offensive Standouts Part 1

The Prep Redzone Prospect Tour stop in Iowa was a huge success. Several players showed up and showed OUT in front of scouts and coaches. Here are a few of the 2023 offensive players that caught my eye on Saturday. <hr /> <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] (QB) | Dowling Catholic (IA) | 6’2" 205 lbs</strong></em> <em><strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12898680/Jaxon-Smolik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/JaxonSmolik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a></strong></em> <span style="font-size: 1rem;">Dowling Catholic QB [player_tooltip player_id="104098" first="Jaxon" last="Smolik"] was a big standout at Saturday’s showcase. Smolik took home QB MVP of the event after he was gunning it all over the field. The first thing that pops out about Jaxon is the amount of zip he can put on the ball. Smolik has nice arm strength and can deliver the ball on a rope to the receiver. He was impressive in all facets of the camp. He ran a 4.62 in the 40-yard dash, which was the fastest time among QBs. A 4.06 shuttle, 7.44 L drill, and a 10-foot broad jump showed how impressive an athlete Jaxon is. In positional drills, I really liked his fluidity when doing pocket drills. He moves his feet well and keeps his eyes upfield. When it was time to toss the rock in 1v1s, Jaxon’s timing and delivery were very much present. His mechanics and release were very impressive to watch in real-time. He currently holds two D1 offers from Northern Iowa and Indiana State, but there’s lots of reason to believe this list will grow quickly before the summer is over. </span> <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12898680/619aa1f95ef7660b980c99e5" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104721" first="Walker" last="Tart"] (WR/TE) | Dubuque Senior (IA) | 6’2" 197 lbs</strong></em> <em><strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12998872/Walker-Tart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/WalkerTart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a></strong></em> Walker was a big-time winner from the camp as he left with his first offer from Graceland University. After the performance Walker put together, it’s not surprising to see him walk away with an offer. He posted a 4.8 40-yard time, 9’1" broad jump, 4.38 shuttle drill, and a 7.68 in the L-drill. Tart was on fire on Saturday in the pass-catching drills and 1v1s. Tart is a versatile pass-catcher that can line up in various spots and has the fluidity of a receiver with the physicality and size of a tight end. I like Walker’s suddenness in his routes. He does a great job selling his route before planting his foot and changing directions. Tart is also a strong hands reciever that can follow through contact. He’s a very impressive receiver that should start blowing up on the recruiting circuit. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12998872/6181f4a5478cc60a40ed1bbc" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="225758" first="Devyn" last="Jones"] (RB) | Papillion-La Vista South (NE) | 6’0" 210 lbs</strong></em> <em><strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/12831418/Devyn-Jones" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/Djones_402" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a></strong></em> Devyn was a player that I think did a good job improving his stock at the Prospect Tour showcase. Jones was one of the bigger backs at the showcase but showed through his drills that he is as shifty and speedy as any other RB in the state. I walked away very impressed by the tools Devyn has at his disposal. He ran a 4.81 40-yard dash, 4.56 shuttle drill, 7.27 L-drill, and jumped 9’1" in the broad jump. As I mentioned, Devyn showed lots of shiftiness, especially in positional drills, where he showed his stop-and-go and cutting ability. One thing I really like about Devyn is his ability to catch out of the backfield. I thought he did very well in RB receiving drills and showed that Devyn is a well-rounded RB with lots of experience heading into 2022. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12831418/61812b6e478cc60a40ec944e" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="122727" first="Brayden" last="Duerksen"] (TE) | Cedar Rapids Prairie (IA) | 6’3" 230 lbs</strong></em> <em><strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/11795382/Brayden-Duerksen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/BraydenDuerksen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a></strong></em> Prairie TE [player_tooltip player_id="122727" first="Brayden" last="Duerksen"] was another big-bodied pass catcher that had a great day on Saturday. Brayden is a tall, strong tight end that uses his length very well to extend for the catch. Duerksen posted great combine numbers for a player his size. He ran a 4.80 40-yard dash, 4.5 shuttle drill, 7.24 L-drill, and had a 9’ broad jump. I really like Brayden’s length and physicality. He’s fast coming off the ball and is quick to get downfield. We didn’t run any blocking drills on Saturday, but watching Brayden’s tape, I can tell that that will be a huge tool in his arsenal. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11795382/61897378b53f18093469de04" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="104754" first="Max" last="Weaton"] (TE) | Fairfield (IA) | 6’6" 205 lbs</strong></em> <em><strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/13221980/Max-Weaton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/MaxwellWeaton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a></strong></em> The first player to show up on Saturday showed up in a huge way! Max is a tall, lengthy tight end with great hands and a huge catch radius. The Fairfield prospect, Weaton, put together a highly impressive overall performance at the showcase. Despite being one of the bigger pass-catchers there, Max still had some of the better numbers among that group. Especially in the shuttle drill, where he showed his agility with times of 4.25 and 4.28. His 7.76 L-drill and 8’5" broad jump were also up there among receivers. Max’s ability to sink his hips and change direction was one of the most impressive traits of his game. Weaton caught virtually everything sent his way and did a great job being physical and using his length to create separation. Max could be one of the top redzone threats in the state in 2022! <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13221980/617979a4688eb308d0a938cd" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="330299" first="Tyson" last="Boganowski"] (WR/DB) | Gretna (NE) | 5’10" 170 lbs</strong></em> <em><strong><a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/16502423/Tyson-Boganowski" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hudl</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/TBoganowski" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a></strong></em> Tyson is a player to buy stock in now, as he’s a player I believe is primed for a big 2022. Tyson impressed in the position drills and 1v1 reps, where he jumped in on receiver and defensive back drills. One thing I noticed about both Tyson’s offensive and defensive reps is that he is very instinctive with a great sense of where the ball is going to be. He’s a very shifty receiver that can work the outside and slot position with finesse. Tyson showed off his agility and quickness with a 4.19 shuttle drill, and 7.41 L-drill. This was displayed in his route-running and when he had to flip hips and switch directions as a DB. Tyson also ran a 4.9 40-yard and had a 8’9" broad jump. This is a player that is going to turn some heads this fall. <iframe src="https://www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16502423/61b0105b6655be038408535f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <hr /> <em>Make sure to follow @PrepRedzoneNE on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with all your Nebraska prep recruiting news.</em>