Under the Radar Prospects You Need to See - South Dakota

The transitions of new players into bigger and better roles is something of a tumultuous time when it comes to HS football, especially with losing seniors and the leadership that they provide. Yet teams manage to find a way and always seem to come out and develop talent to fill the gaps of the talent they lose. One of the beautiful things that football and high school sports have to their mystique is you never know who the next star will be. So, let's take a look and see some players that are under the radar with some serious talent ceilings that would allow them to develop into stars.     Conner Roerig - WR/SS, 5'11", Vermillion High School, Sophomore   Roerig spent most of his time at the certain varsity level playing roles in special teams snaps either on kickoffs or punts as a gunner-type role but when he saw time on the field, I saw a few things that piqued my interest compared to others. The most obvious trait that makes Roerig a prospect to look out for is his sheer speed when compared to others on the field, with his burst of speed and acceleration being something that he has a huge leg up on compared to others. Mixed in with that is his acceleration as well, he can ramp up from 0-60 and hit his high gear in what seems to only be a few strides. This alone would make him a dangerous weapon as a slot receiver who can run quick routes and along with crafty route running to get open without just using strength or others tools. Roerig is someone to keep an eye out for the skillset that he has and can take a huge jump when allowed to do so.     Spencer Bush-Graslie - LB, 5'9" 155lbs, Belle Fourche High School, Sophomore   Linebacker is something that I have always viewed as the most versatile position on the field and having the chance to be a gamechanger in more than one way on the defensive side of the ball. Bush-Graslie is someone who fits that role quite well for me, with his play being more of someone that gets stops and can do a variety of things for his defense. More often than not he will line up as a Mike LB and be a director of the traffic of sorts for his defensive unit but he can often line up on the edge to blitz the QB. He uses his hands and agility to his advantage, being able to zip around the middle of the field and be someone who of a coverage expert. He can match up with fast WRs, TEs, and RBs, being a true nightmare for offensive players to try to gain separation on. Bush-Graslie is a great player and keep an eye on what he can do on the field.     Matthew Denekamp - S, 5'11" 170lbs, Douglas High School, Senior   Denekamp is a high-range safety that I loved the film of when I saw his tape for the first time. What he brings to the table is a defensive back who can disrupt the passing game at a high level by being able to control the open field more than anyone else on the field. His ability to run around and seemingly never get tired is something that I love to see too, it shows high levels of work ethic and someone who wants to win no matter than cost. Denekamp is a lot like a great cell service signal, it gives you universal coverage wherever you go. He can match up with any player to force double coverage scenarios and not allow any passes to get over his head. Denekamp should be on your list of DBs next year for his sheer willingness to want to win and show he puts on the field with his ability to be an elite, rangey safety.     Ethan Falk - QB, 6'0" 165lbs, Redfield High School, Sophomore   Falk is an option style of QB who benefits by being able to run the ball at a high level and can break off for big runs. Falk has had limited game time but that is due to no flat of his own, that being he is now a sophomore QB who will be looking to earn his spot on his team. Falk while not having the biggest arm can make some good reads over the middle to link up with his receivers to generate yardage that is an above-average rate compared to others. Generally, he has shown to be a mobile game manager which is a unique style that you do not see often but I think that makes Falk even more of a threat compared to other young QBs. His ability to read the defense and adjust the offense when needed is something that shows so much IQ and talent, making him a very raw prospect. The easiest way to describe what Falk can be is a High Ceiling with a Lower Floor prospect, making him very intriguing and someone you should watch next year.

The transitions of new players into bigger and better roles is something of a tumultuous time when it comes to HS football, especially with losing seniors and the leadership that they provide. Yet teams manage to find a way and always seem to come out and develop talent to fill the gaps of the talent they lose. One of the beautiful things that football and high school sports have to their mystique is you never know who the next star will be. So, let's take a look and see some players that are under the radar with some serious talent ceilings that would allow them to develop into stars.