Sleeper Season: Juniors to Keep an Eye on this Year

We're at that point in the calendar where preseason coverage is ramping up, as we are now just a little over a week away from the start of the '22 campaign. This is the time when high-profile prospects will receive a lot of praise, but it is also a period when some prospects are slept on.    In July we highlighted some overlooked seniors ahead of this season, and now it's time to feature the juniors being slept on. This group of six has a few players that shined in 2021, but they haven't received enough recognition, and there are also some prospects that have the potential to be breakout players this year.   Offense:   [player_tooltip player_id='145605' first='Harvey' last='Zimmerman'] – Trinity Academy, 6'2”, 200, QB   Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/hzimmerman15?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/hzimmerman15?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A">@HZimmerman15</a>   The 2021 season was a learning curve for Zimmerman and the Knights. While there were some struggles, Zimmerman displayed plenty of positives to take into his junior year. He's not necessarily a dual-threat quarterback, but he is a capable runner and has the mobility to make plays outside of the pocket. However, one of the most impressive aspects about his game is his ball placement. Last season he made multiple throws that not many sophomores are capable of completing. Expect for Zimmerman to make significant strides in his game this season.     [player_tooltip player_id='265194' first='Brayden' last='Kunz'] – Conway Springs, 6'2”, 200, RB   Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/braydenkunz5?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/braydenkunz5?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A">@braydenkunz5</a>   Kunz won't classify as a breakout player this season, but he hasn't received enough recognition for the year he had as a sophomore. The Conway Springs product burst onto the varsity scene during the '21 season, as he'd rush for 1,120 yards on 128 carriers with 18 scores. Kunz made an immediate impact as a first-year starter, and became the focal point of the offense along the way. He's a back that welcomes all contact and has the intention of running through his competition. The 91st ranked prospect is more than capable of eclipsing those numbers as a junior, and could even be a candidate for the All-State team.     [player_tooltip player_id='259840' first='Jaeden' last='Martin'] – Maize, 5'11”, 170, WR   Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/yae_the_great2?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/yae_the_great2?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A">@yae_the_great2</a>   While folks throughout the state are familiar with the core of Johnson, Cohoon, Carter, and Stephens; there's one prospect on Maize's roster that could catch people by surprise during the '22 campaign. [player_tooltip player_id='259840' first='Jaeden' last='Martin'] had a very limited role as a sophomore, but he made one of the biggest plays of the season for the Eagles during Sub-State. Martin managed to score the <a href="https://twitter.com/sullyengels/status/1461892309147082756?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/sullyengels/status/1461892309147082756?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ">go-ahead </a>touchdown that helped punch Maize's ticket to state. This one play is a small sample size, but it says a lot about Martin. He proved he can make plays in high-stake situations, which is sure to have earned him the trust of [player_tooltip player_id='87642' first='Avery' last='Johnson'] and the coaching staff.   Defense:   [player_tooltip player_id='262749' first='Dezmond' last='Winton'] – Wellsville, 5'10”, 160, DB   Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/dezmond_winton?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/dezmond_winton?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A">@dezmond_winton</a>   Many will underestimate Winton because of his size, but he's a corner that can make things difficult for opposing offenses. Winton was a 2A All-State Honorable Mention pick in 2021, as he'd finish the season with 24 total tackles, six interceptions and five pass breakups. He isn't a corner that will come up to jam receivers, but he does a great job of tracking the ball and displays a quick break that can limit shallow passes. Winton is also an underrated defender against the run. With added size and experience now under his belt, Winton could pick up a 1st Team All-State selection during his junior year.    [player_tooltip player_id='145964' first='Jude' last='Konrade'] – Hayden, 6'0”, 190, LB   Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/judekonrade?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/judekonrade?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A">@JudeKonrade</a>   The Class of '24 has quite a few linebackers that have had early success in their high school careers. But one backer in the Top 100 hasn't been talked about enough. [player_tooltip player_id='145964' first='Jude' last='Konrade'] made an immediate impact in the middle of Hayden's defense during his sophomore year, as he was the anchor to a unit that allowed only 11 points per game in 2021. A few things that jump out from his film are his strength and his relentless effort to get into the backfield. Konrade excels at fighting off blockers, and has even shown he can get through a double team. Don't be surprised if Konrade leads the Wildcats in total tackles during the '22 campaign.     [player_tooltip player_id='335834' first='Mana' last='Faagutu'] – Blue Valley, 5'9”, 230, DL   Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu?s=21&t=WkSCsJRdGwYjIaziaVfo4A">@ManaFaagutu</a>   Faagutu was a prospect that moved up a few spots in the recent Class of '24 rankings update, and he'll be looking to move up even more this season. The 14th ranked defensive lineman has shown significant improvement throughout this summer. He put together strong performances at college camps such as <a href="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1540161838649860097?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1540161838649860097?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ">Iowa</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1537173021521235968?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1537173021521235968?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ">Kansas</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1537870093044133892?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1537870093044133892?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ">Missouri</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1548404254196453380?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ" data-type="URL" data-id="https://twitter.com/manafaagutu/status/1548404254196453380?s=21&t=xTAkYmstE_G4eOJOLtt6QQ">Pitt State</a>. If opposing offensive linemen underestimate him because of his size, Faagutu will gladly make them pay. Faagutu is very quick off the ball, and does a great job of shooting his hands while maintaining a low pad level. He'll have his work cut out for him in the EKL, but he definitely has the potential to make some noise this year.

We're at that point in the calendar where preseason coverage is ramping up, as we are now just a little over a week away from the start of the '22 campaign. This is the time when high-profile prospects will receive a lot of praise, but it is also a period when some prospects are slept on.