Community Film Room: April Edition Part III

Before we jump into the next wave of class updates, we're going to feature one last group of prospects in this April edition of the Community Film Room series. So far through Parts I & II, we've seen a variety of under the radar talent from across the state. This third film session of April will now make it 15 unranked prospects we've discovered throughout the month.   Part III features five players from some notable programs in the higher classification levels in Kansas. The Class of '24 is once again well represented, as one prospect looks to become a starter this season, another is an out-of-state transfer, and there's a corner that could draw D-I level interest. Those three may headline the group, but there's also two Class of '25 prospects that should see an increase in playing time during the '23 campaign.   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Class of ‘24: </h2>   <a href="https://twitter.com/jameer_moore?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Jameer Moore</a> – Salina Central, 6'3”, 165, DB   It's been well documented this off-season just how star-studded the defensive backs group is for the upcoming senior class. There's already quite a few D-I level prospects at the position, and the group isn't finished growing either. <a href="https://twitter.com/jameer_moore?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Jameer Moore</a> of Salina Central looks to be the next high-profile defensive back to join the Class of '24 rankings.   If Moore were to make his debut in the next update, he'd immediately become the tallest corner in the rankings. His length is without a doubt his most valuable asset. Standing at 6-foot-3, Moore possesses the length to erase wideouts on the perimeter. Factor in his 39-inch vertical, and it becomes extremely difficult to throw over the top of him. He'll be a prospect to keep an eye on in the coming months. With a summer to add size and compete at camps, Moore could be the next defensive back from this class to draw serious D-I interest.    <a href="https://twitter.com/dariusfelton7?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Darius Felton</a> – Maize South, 6'6”, 215, TE   Just about every school year there seems to be a few prospects that transfer to the Sunflower State and make an immediate impact. Over the past few seasons there's been newcomers in the state such as [player_tooltip player_id='229736' first='Andre' last='Davis'], [player_tooltip player_id='544696' first='Daimont' last='Mucker'], [player_tooltip player_id='393416' first='DeAndre' last='Beasley'], and [player_tooltip player_id='395466' first='Hayes' last='Miller']. Now during the 2023 season, folks are sure to quickly learn about <a href="https://twitter.com/dariusfelton7?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Darius Felton</a> of Maize South.   We're still months away from the season, but with the addition of Felton, the Maize South Mavericks now arguably have the top pass-catching group in the state. The 6-foot-6, 215-pound tight end could be an absolute matchup nightmare this season. As a junior at Thunder Basin (WY), Felton displayed strong hands, and was a physical runner after the catch. In addition to his receiving skills, Felton is an underrated blocker as well. Felton currently holds one D-I offer from Ball State, and could potentially see more programs come calling with a big senior year.    <a href="https://twitter.com/braxton_clark03?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Braxton Clark </a>– Derby, 6'3”, 185, QB   The Derby Panthers have had a bit of a trend under center the past two seasons. Since 2021, the Panthers' offense has been led by a senior starting in their first full varsity season. It's a trend that's proved to be successful, as they've continued to be one of the most dominant programs in Class 6A. The next senior that could keep this trend going for Derby is <a href="https://twitter.com/braxton_clark03?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Braxton Clark</a>.   Clark mainly took snaps during mop-up duty last fall, but after Brock Zerger went down during Sectionals, Clark put together a compelling case to be the starter this year. The 6-foot-3 lefty proved to be an accurate passer, and showed great awareness in the pocket. While he isn't exactly a dual-threat, defenses shouldn't underestimate him as a runner. With some playoff experience now under his belt and a full off-season to prepare as the starter, a breakout year could be on the horizon for Clark.    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Class of ‘25: </h2>   <a href="https://twitter.com/ewingtevante?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Tevante Ewing</a> – Topeka, 5'8”, 170, RB   One position group from the Class of '25 to keep an eye on this season will be the running backs. This is a group capable of producing several breakout performers, and since it's still too early to tell who's the top player at the position, the competition for the No. 1 spot should be very entertaining. There's a few players in the rankings that could become the new top-ranked back, but be sure to also remember <a href="https://twitter.com/ewingtevante?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Tevante Ewing</a> of Topeka.   Topeka may have other candidates for their starting job at running back this season, but it'd be surprising if Ewing isn't the favorite to win the job. Next to [player_tooltip player_id='442625' first='Jayden' last='Norman'], Ewing was the Trojans' second best playmaker on offense in 2022. Ewing possesses a strong base, which helps him rack up yards after contact. He's the type of running back that can either make a defender miss, or run through them. There's still room for improvement, but Ewing definitely has the potential to become a complete back later in his career.    <a href="https://twitter.com/gabriel_spiess?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Gabe Spiess</a> – St. Thomas Aquinas, 6'2”, 170, DB   Sophomore year is typically all about development. Some sophomores may not see a ton of varsity action, but by the end of the season things begin to click, and the game starts to slow down a bit. There's usually things to improve on during the off-season, but there's also some positives they can take with them into their junior year. <a href="https://twitter.com/gabriel_spiess?s=21&t=sGuXARfiU73A1hdQ4qGDNQ">Gabe Spiess</a> of St. Thomas Aquinas is a good example of this description. He's a young prospect in Aquinas' secondary that should compete for playing time this fall.   There's some things to like about Spiess' game. He's a safety that does a good job of putting himself in position to make plays. Whether it be defending the pass, coming up to stop the run, or covering kicks; Spiess manages to be wherever the ball is. Spiess has already made some improvements ahead of his junior summer, and is sure to continue to improve with the help of the Saints' coaching staff. Learning from All-League safety, [player_tooltip player_id='145572' first='Dillon' last='Marshall'], will also help with his development.

Before we jump into the next wave of class updates, we're going to feature one last group of prospects in this April edition of the Community Film Room series. So far through Parts I & II, we've seen a variety of under the radar talent from across the state. This third film session of April will now make it 15 unranked prospects we've discovered throughout the month.