#Back2Ballin with Iowa 7v7: Athlete Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>CEDAR FALLS, IA--</strong> After evaluating some of the top prospects defensively from Back 2 Ballin, we look at one of my favorite standouts list, the athletes, swiss-army knifes, or whichever adjective you want to use to describe a prospect that does it all on both sides of the ball. Now did some of these prospects show skillsets that translate to one side of the ball at the next-level more than the other? Of course, but we also learned about athletes that closed the gap on which position they should play at the next-level. Lets meet the top athletes I found at Back 2 Ballin with Iowa 7v7 at the UNI Dome.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='320675' first='Gavin' last='Batta'], ATH, Carroll Chargers/South Central Calhoun (IA) 2024</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/BattaGavin">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":790094,"width":312,"height":205,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/Batta-crop-1536x1009-1682046969.jpeg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-790094" width="312" height="205" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Gavin showed a little bit of everything within his skillsets from what I watched this weekend at Back 2 Ballin at the UNI Dome. Gavin shows off some raw yet developing skillsets in my eyes as he showed off a solid touch ball on his deep throws over the weekend. When thrown into the WR/TE spot this weekend, I liked watching the high concentration levels Gavin showed with his hands as interesting that speed at that position, should dive together well when we look at him as a next-level prospect most likely at tight end with his 6'5 205 pound frame with plenty of room to fill out in a college weight room. I believe this young man's upside should be seen with a scholarship-level program, as I believe his best football athletically is yet to come.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='402518' first='Jase' last='Thiesse'], ATH, Sioux Falls Sharks/Sioux Falls O'Gorman (SD) 2026 </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/JaseThiesse">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":790096,"width":341,"height":224,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/IMG_7849-1-rotated-crop-480x316-1682047027.jpg?w=479" alt="" class="wp-image-790096" width="341" height="224" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Jase was a 2026 South Dakota prospect I recall liking his play from the SD Elite tryout back in Sioux Falls this winter that I attended, as he showed up to Back 2 Ballin with more versatility than I knew about this time both ends of the ball. Jase showed off the gas pedal defensively over the middle of the field on one particular play I watched where he showed off some aggression to assure that ball would end up in no one' receivers hands. I knew about the agility Jase brought from that tryout in cold Sioux Falls this winter, but Jase really impressed me this weekend with his overall physicality he brought to the table whether that was with his route-running or just his on-ball instincts. Cannot wait to get some tape during the 2023 season on this young man to see how much more he can progress by late fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Caleb Hemphill, ATH, Warriors Select/Harris-Lake Park (IA) 2024 </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/CalebHemphill03">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":790087,"width":313,"height":206,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/IMG_7848-rotated-crop-480x316-1682046640.jpg?w=479" alt="" class="wp-image-790087" width="313" height="206" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>As an 8-man Iowa prospect playing 7v7, I was intrigued to get a glimpse of the versatility Harris-Lake Park's Caleb Hemphill had in his plethora, and he showed off some well-balanced skillsets of what he had in his tank. Caleb showed off his best work as a route-runner at from the running back spot, as he ran his routes with a good level of fluidity from what my eyes could gauge. He also showed off good bursts of game-speed in the open field as one that played with another gear in his throttle once he saw the field with his vision. Caleb also showed off a prospect with much rangier hands than you would expect with his length as a pass-catcher as Caleb you could tell plays the game of football with a hard-working blue collar work ethic that you will want on your college football roster. He also has a very quick first step off the snap that gets to his high-speed very quickly. I can't wait for college football programs to learn about this kid this summer for sure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Brayton Alford, ATH/DB, Carroll Chargers/Carroll (IA) 2026</strong> <a href="https://twitter.com/BraytonAlford">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":790089,"width":332,"height":218,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/Alford-crop-768x505-1682046763.jpeg?w=768" alt="" class="wp-image-790089" width="332" height="218" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Brayton was a 2026 prospect that had me looking twice to assure he was the same prospect I saw last year at Back 2 Ballin, as this young man has finally hit his spurt with his size and frame, looking about 40-50 pounds bigger than a year ago. Brayton certainly held his own as one of Iowa's best 2026 athlete prospects, as his deep-ball tracking ability showed off very few blemishes from what my eyes engaged to on Saturday watching the Chargers. Anywhere you get to line Brayton up on either end of the field, holy cow do you need to tune into his agility when he makes his first step with or without the football. The visionary versatility this young man has on both sides of the ball is a blast to watch and the fact that he's got three mores years of HS football left to show off his resume, is a wild thought to me as Brayton has been a prospect on my radar for already a couple years now. It might be early, but I like the odds of this kid playing scholarship-level football in the future. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Mar'Kwon Frelix, ATH/LB, Minnesota Go Get It/Irondale (MN) 2024 </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/markwonfrelix28">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":790092,"width":320,"height":210,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2023/04/Frelix-crop-1536x1009-1682046839-crop-640x421-1682046851.jpeg?w=639" alt="" class="wp-image-790092" width="320" height="210" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>I was a big fan of the all-out motor Mar'Kwon showed off throughout the Back 2 Ballin with Iowa 7v7 tournament as this young man showed off a significant trigger mostly from what my eyes caught at the linebacker spot. He showed off good football instincts within his first steps, setting a consistent tone in the middle of the field. Prospects like Mar'Kwon are why I am such an advocate for 7v7 football as his football tape dives heavily into the run and he showed off locked in versatility as far as these eyes could see for the 18U champs from Minnesota Go Get It.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='89279' first='Luke' last='Fraser'], ATH, Sioux Falls Sharks/Hamlin (SD) 2024 </strong><a href="https://twitter.com/Luke_Fraser7">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":536092,"width":328,"height":215,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2022/12/Luke-Fraser1-crop-4480x2942-1670306632.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-536092" width="328" height="215" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Everyone that has a Prep Redzone Dakotas subscription knows by now knows how much I have liked Luke's game since his freshmen year in the state championship game however, the intriguing reps Luke showed me in heavy pass coverage at linebacker this weekend strung the chord even harder in my eyes. The vision Luke showed off from start to finish in coverage showed off excellent determination within his great work-ethic as a prospect that is much more known for his play at running back in South Dakota, even though we know about the physicality he brings as a hard-hitting linebacker. As an evaluator in my eyes, Luke closed the gap deeper this weekend with his play at linebacker as the #1 athlete in the Dakotas and one that should see an FCS offer come his way in the coming months.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->