PRZNE 2024 Offensive Players to Watch II
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Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: OscarGalindo30 in the coupon code area. The 2024 class is LOADED!! Let’s continue adding prospects to our radar with another installment of 2024 Offensive Players to Watch. Here are five more offensive prospects…
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The 2024 class is LOADED!! Let’s continue adding prospects to our radar with another installment of 2024 Offensive Players to Watch. Here are five more offensive prospects that are primed to have big years in 2023. From Class A to Class C2 we bring you five more prospects to look out for!
Joseph Stein Joseph Stein 6'6" | 225 lbs | TE Grand Island Northwest | 2024 State NE | TE | Grand Island Northwest | 6’6″ 225 lbs
Grand Island Northwest TE Joseph Stein Joseph Stein 6'6" | 225 lbs | TE Grand Island Northwest | 2024 State NE is a player I can see rise quickly up the ranks this offseason. In his junior year, Stein had 21 receptions for 227 yards and three receiving touchdowns and looked like a well-rounded tight end. Joseph has a tall, strong, athletic frame that makes him tough to match up against. He’s not a burner with his speed but has a good burst after the catch that can propel him past the sticks and for nice gains after the catch. With his size, he’s also tough to bring down on first contact, and you can even see him dish out some punishment by dipping his pads. Joseph is also a tough blocker that does a great job winning at the line and can be used as a lead blocker. With offers from Wayne State and Peru State already, I wouldn’t be surprised if we start seeing D1 offers coming Joseph’s way this spring.
Ben Goodwater Ben Goodwater 6'3" | 185 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE | WR | Bellevue West | 6’2″ 175 lbs
The Bellevue West receiving group gets a lot of buzz because of the two stars, but junior Ben Goodwater Ben Goodwater 6'3" | 185 lbs | WR Bellevue West | 2024 State NE is another player on that offense that could have a huge 2023 season. As a third/fourth option, Ben still managed to have a great season with 18 receptions for 272 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Ben has soft hands and long arms that help him make catches outside his frame and away from defenders. He’s a player that you can rely on to get open and make a play when he gets his opportunity. Ben’s length and athleticism also made him a terror inside the red-zone. With defenses having to scheme up for Dae’Vonn and Isaiah, Ben could benefit big time with some extra looks.
Caleb Klein Caleb Klein 6'3" | 265 lbs | OL Millard North | 2024 State NE | OL | Millard North | 6’3″ 245 lbs
Talk about PHYSICAL! Millard North ’24 right tackle Caleb Klein Caleb Klein 6'3" | 265 lbs | OL Millard North | 2024 State NE played last season like a man on a mission. Klein plays with a very physical, very tough edge to his game from start to finish. He loves to finish his blocks and can really drive his lower body and leverage to force a pancake block. Caleb is quick to attack off the line and can get a lot of power into his initial push. Very good at setting the edge and clearing lanes for the ball carrier. With a season of experience under his belt, I’m excited to see what Caleb will do in year 4.
Keenan Valverde Keenan Valverde 5'7" | 160 lbs | RB Pierce | 2024 State NE | RB | Pierce | 5’7″ 150 lbs
One player that I don’t feel gets the recognition they deserve is Pierce’s, Keenan Valverde Keenan Valverde 5'7" | 160 lbs | RB Pierce | 2024 State NE . Stepping into a full-time role on a team with lofty expectations, Valverde and the Pierce running attack rolled through the competition week in and week out. Keenan ended the season with 226 carries for 1,900 yards and 26 rushing touchdowns. Keenan showed that despite being an “undersized” back, he could be a workhorse, every-down back. He has great vision when running in between the tackles and has a strong core and lower body to keep him upright through contact. Keenan is very bouncy and elusive, weaving through traffic before finding the open field. When taking carries to the outside, he fires off the edge like a rocket and has breakaway speed/acceleration. On top of all that, he’s also just a very good athlete in general, adding five receptions for 66 yards with two receiving touchdowns, 42 points off of PATs, and emerging as a solid returner. He didn’t get many receiving targets this year, but with new pieces around him next season, we could see the Jays dip into that skill set a bit more. Small school player with major upside!
Westin Miller-Ayivi Westin Miller-Ayivi 5'8" | 160 lbs | WR Gross Catholic | 2024 State NE | WR | Gross Catholic | 5’8″ 160 lbs
Gross Catholic was one of the biggest ‘surprise’ teams as they made their first state championship appearance in 10 years and ended season 12-1. Several players stepped up into big roles for the Cougars, including receiver Westin Miller-Ayivi Westin Miller-Ayivi 5'8" | 160 lbs | WR Gross Catholic | 2024 State NE . Westin became a favorite target for fellow ’24 prospect Colby Duncan Colby Duncan 6'1" | 175 lbs | QB Gross Catholic | 2024 State NE and ended the season with 26 catches for 509 yards and five receiving touchdowns. What makes Westin a special player is his shiftiness and twitch, especially in his route running. His brain moves as quickly as his feet and can make sudden adjustments in his route to exploit the weak zones in coverage. Westin is a smaller receiver, but he’s very tough and has no problem elevating for a catch or making a catch through contact. That toughness also translates to him being a willing blocker on the outside, which he can really get mean with at times. Westin’s experience and chemistry with QB Duncan could make this one of the top returning QB-WR duos in 2023.