Midwest’s Summer Camp SZN’s Biggest Winners so far…
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The pinnacle of the offseason is here, and it’s already in full swing. Yes, junior days and unofficial winter/spring visits are important and do lead to offers, but the summer camp circuit, with live, padded reps in up-close-and-personal fashion &…
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Continue ReadingThe pinnacle of the offseason is here, and it’s already in full swing. Yes, junior days and unofficial winter/spring visits are important and do lead to offers, but the summer camp circuit, with live, padded reps in up-close-and-personal fashion & in front of college coaches themselves, who can initiate more reps, dictate the competition, and make sure to see what they need to see, cannot be replicated. Its importance cannot be overstated either, and even in the form of massive mega camps with hundreds of faceless performers, success & dominance is time & again picked out of the crowd and leads to life-changing offers and moments for football prospects of all ages. Only a couple weeks into what will be a hectic yet hair-raising summer, recruits from the ’24, ’25, ’26, and even 2027 classes have seen their recruiting status kick off and explode into new heights, and luckily for our lovely subscribers, PrepRedzone is here at the forefront to give you the latest and biggest summer camp szn winners so far. What a summer it will be!
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Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Northern Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Kent State, Illinois
Summary: The 6’2, 200 lb. athlete out of Sycamore High School – located around an half and a half west of Chicago – was the first prospect to catch our eye as a massive summer stock-riser as he blew up over the course of four days after coming into June without a college offer of any kind. He now holds three B1G and two FBS offers, including from his home state Illini, after showing up and showing out at the Fighting Illini Showcase camp in early June, where he repped at linebacker after playing WR and S as a junior. It was a heckuva showing by the rising junior, who posted 37 receptions for 762 yards and 10 TDs (nearly 21 YPC) in the fall of 2022 while showing off deep-play speed, excellent COD skills and balance – particularly through contact – length, and physicality on both sides of the ball. Defensively, which seems to be where college’s project him at the next level, Gautcher flies upfield in run support and out of his breaks in coverage, lays a heckuva stick at the contact point, and is comfortable tackling in space and in 1-on-1 settings. He gets to ball carriers with impressive ease and speed and was disruptive in the run & pass game. Now, he’s a certified B1G and P5 recruit. What a start to the summer!
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Illinois, Kansas, Kent State
Summary: Homewood-Flossmoor has a long and illustrious list of high school football prospects to come out of their Chicagoland halls, and you can add a 2025 standout to the list in 6’3, 240 lb. DE Cameron Brooks Cameron Brooks 6’3″ | 235 lbs | DL Homewood Flossmoor | 2025 State IL . After balling out at the Lindenwood megacamp in early June, Brooks added three offers in one day, including from his home state Illini program and another P5 offer from KU. With a great first step and get-off, a long, strong frame that can add more good weight, strength & physicality at the point of attack, positional versatility, and active hands, Brooks is still just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential, something I’m sure his college suitors have taken note of and are excited about. He’s got more camps planned for the rest of the summer, so the offer list may be growing soon!
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Arizona State
Summary: The c/o 2027 (!) defensive lineman out of my home state of Minnesota got his recruitment going early and excitingly, as PAC12 Arizona State wanted to get in first and offered a P5 scholarship on June 4th. He’s been covered recently and extensively by the #1 youth football recruiting site in PrepRedzoneNEXT and the goat: Al Pops, and the 6’2, 260 lb. defensive lineman has the chance to be a great one out of the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Haywood earned “top performer” status at the UA Next All-American game, as well as All-Camp Team honors at our PRzMN Showcase against high school competition, and is set to attend Benilde-St. Margaret’s High School in St. Louis Park, MN for his high school career, which should more than excite the Red Knights program and coaching staff. He played high school ball last fall as an 8th grader though, and showed off pursuit speed, a super quick get-off, strength, and a heckuva motor, all of which looked far above his age and middle school status. I also am impressed with his early bend and arsenal of effective techniques and pass-rushing moves to beat blockers and want to reiterate that his get-off is very impressive for an 8th grader playing against high schoolers. Haywood has a chance to be a monster.
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Illinois, Central Michigan
Summary: Another Land of Lincoln 2025er to blow up early and impressively to P5 status, Oswego Panther 6’3, 210 lb. LB Carson Cooney Carson Cooney 6’3″ | 205 lbs | LB Oswego | 2025 State IL was another standout from the Fighting Illini Showcase camp in early June and used a combination of size, athletic numbers, and mobility to impress the Illini staff and earn a massive first offer from his home state B1G team. Central Michigan followed shortly after, and in an impressive crop of 2025 Illinois defenders, Cooney is going to be competing hard for the coveted LB1 spot. As a sophomore varsity ‘backer in 2022, Cooney showed off a thumping playstyle (see my recent ’25 IL hardest hitters features), a long, lean, but strong frame that can add a ton more good weight that I’m sure was noticed in-person at camp, closing speed, the ability to diagnose and find the football through traffic and sift through blocking attempts, sideline-to-sideline range, and a ton of natural strength and comfortability as a tackler. There’s a ton going for him and he’s bound for many more offers going forward. Oswego has put out a couple of highly-touted prospects in recent cycles, and Cooney is showing the stuff to be the best of any of ’em. It all started this summer!
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Eastern Michigan
Summary: The 2026 DE out of Chicago Catholic League powerhouse Brother Rice, 6’3, 245 lb. King Liggins King Liggins 6’4″ | 255 lbs | DL Brother Rice | 2026 State IL (great name) got his recruitment going on May 31st when his first offer came in from FBS competitor Eastern Michigan. Any offer is great for a freshman, and Liggins also had a good showing at the Fighting Illini Showcase to solidify his status as one of the top rising sophomores in Illinois. Also an MVP of our PrepRedzoneNEXT Midwest camp as an 8th grader, Liggins has a raw but still developing skillset that helps him fire off the ball explosively, run down ball carriers to the edge of the defense, bend or beat blocks with power, and use his hands effectively. We’ll be hearing his name more going forward, and I’d be surprised if EMU is his only offer of the summer.
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: Campbell (August of 2022), Oregon State (May 10th, 2023)
Now holds offers from: Oregon, Washington, Nevada, UConn, Colorado, Arizona, Mizzou
Summary: One of the top overall stock-risers of the early summer camp szn throughout the entire Midwest, Olathe North 6′, 175 lb, ATH Caden Butler Caden Butler 6’0″ | 180 lbs | WR Lincoln | 2025 State CA did come into the summer with a P5 offer, but things have really picked up for him after his performances at the Northwest Showcase at Western Oregon University and the Avery Strong Showcase on June 4th at the University of Puget Sound. The Pacific NW was good to the Wheat State rising junior, who now holds a healthy and still-growing list of offers from PAC12 heavyweights and an SEC competitor. The most exciting part is Butler is still from a nationally recognized and well-known recruit, which spells out a thrilling future for the athlete and his offer list. Especially dangerous as a WR, Butler has big play speed and eats up DB cushions like they’re morning pancakes, as well as physicality as a blocker and ball carrier, the ability to break off his routes smoothly and not waste steps, ball skills, and burst. He’s a fluid athlete with great feet and an explosive skillset going into his upperclassman campaign. Butler be one of the most popular prospects in Kansas by the time it’s all said and done and he’s already well on his way.
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: Miami (OH), Marshall, UMass, UNC-Charlotte
Now holds offers from: Duke, Eastern Michigan
Summary: Welcome to the P5 recruiting ranks, Grant! The state of Ohio is never short of P5ers and excellent defensive prospects and recently saw a 2025er gain steam and raise his stock into P5 status in Lakota West 6’4, 215 lb. LB Grant Beerman. After his performance at the Wake Forest mega camp the first weekend of June, Beerman earned his first P5 offer from Duke and later added a MAC offer from Eastern Michigan after competing at Kentucky’s camp a week later. The ‘backer helped Lakota West to a 13-1 record and a regional runner-up finish in Ohio’s D1 class. Exceptional length and an eye-popping frame, physical and efficient at getting off blocks and holding the edge, good pursuit speed, and pop as a tackler, it’s no surprise he upped his game to the P5 ranks, and with those measurables and playstyle, I believe Beerman is just scratching the surface of his potential.
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Central Michigan
Summary: Another 2026er grabbing his first offer this summer camp circuit, this time we’re heading to The Mitten and Grandville High School for their superstar freshman Jayden Terry Jayden Terry 5’8″ | 175 lbs | RB Grandville | 2026 State MI . He camped with CMU and saw his efforts pay off with a MAC scholarship to play RB, and looking at his resume it’s no surprise this day came already. Terry popped off a 10.99 100M this track season and earned First Team All-Conference, All-Region, and Second Team Dream Team honors after his freshman campaign in 2022, where the 5’8, 175 lber. rushed for 1,357 yards and 13 TDs plus nine 2pt conversions and displayed vision, burst, contact balance, and an overall exciting run style out of Grandville’s Power-T rushing attack. Terry was also explosive and productive as a standup OLB/EDGE, who fires off the ball like he’s shot out of a cannon and was comfortable making plays in space once he gets to the backfield. This is just the start of his recruitment and eventual outstanding high school career.
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: South Dakota State, South Dakota, Idaho, Bucknell, Western Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Yale, Cornell, Illinois State, Northern Illinois
Summary: One of the two biggest early summer camp szn winners from the Great State of Wisconsin, Middleton High School’s 6’7, 260 lb. OT Carter Kadow Carter Kadow 6’7″ | 245 lbs | OL Middleton | 2024 State WI is having a heckuva June and went from zero to double-digit offers in only a week. That’s why the summer camp circuit can be so crucial, not to mention fun! With P5-worthy height as an OT, Kadow also possesses notable length and a frame that would really fire up a collegiate S&C staff, and I also am impressed with his overall mobility and athleticism for a kid of his size. In addition to his lateral agility and balance, Kadow has an understanding of leverage and how to take advantage of an opponent when they get off-balance, consistent technique, which includes stellar hand placement and leg drive, and an overall physical demeanor and playstyle. He’s also got some impressive reps as DL throwing his weight around, splitting doubles, and defeating blocks while maintaining strong body position, and since he mainly lined up at TE in 2022, has some athletic TD catches and reps as a pass catcher. College programs love OTs they can mold and develop, and Kadow is a big ball of clay who has his best football days in front of him. Don’t be shocked if a P5 program takes a flyer out on him.
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Iowa State
Summary: The rising junior from Clear Creek Amana camped in Ames at the Iowa State prospect camp and walked away with a big-time first offer from the in-state P5, Big12 competitor Cyclones. An excellent start for an underclassman from the state of Iowa, 6’3, 240 lber. Brody Clubb Brody Clubb 6’3″ | 245 lbs | DL Clear Creek-Amana | 2025 State IA also has stops planned for Iowa and also camped with Wisconsin, so his hot start to the summer camp grind may continue to pick up steam throughout June, and PRzIA is pumped to see it. Clubb posted 44 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, and 4.5 sacks while adding five receptions for 67 yards and a TD last fall, and displays bend, twitch, and power as a DE, along with speed off the edge and strength and pop as a tackler. Clubb added a physical presence to both sides of the ball and is capable of breaking tackles and adding juice to his offense from the TE position, and boy oh boy does he have a mean bull rush on him from that DE spot. Clubb is an exciting, impressive, and high-octane athlete at 6’3, 240 lbs. going into his junior year and his soph. highlights are a fun watch that seemed to have translated to an in-person evaluation in Ames. I’m a big fan of this kid would not want to get in his way on the gridiron. Good start to the summer for Mr. Clubb!
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: Minnesota-Duluth, Winona State, MSU-Mankato
Now holds offers from: North Dakota, Iowa State (who he committed to on June 7th)
Summary: Things can develop quickly in recruiting, and a performance at Iowa State’s camp on June 6th resulted in a P5, Big12 offer from the Cyclones which Kaukauna’s 2024 DB Carson Van Dinter Carson Van Dinter 6’3″ | 195 lbs | DB Kaukauna | 2024 State WI quickly jumped on and committed to the very next day. It was a very wise decision to camp in Ames for the Galloping Ghost’s 6’3, 195 lb. safety, who is now a certified P5 scholarship commit on an excellent staff led by Matt Campbell. Along with his excellent size, Van Dinter displays exciting pass coverage capability out of the slot, where he can flip his hips, play with discipline and technique, and make plays on the ball in the air. There’s also some good reps showing off instincts and the ability to read route combinations and threats from around the field. He’s also very impressive when coming downhill, and can cover a ton of ground and close before ball carriers are able to react, and is a strong tackler who can also make plays off the edge. Van Dinter has a balanced and athletic skillset at 6’3, 195 lbs. who the Cyclones are going to love to take advantage of. Great find by ISU and yet another example of why the summer camp circuit can be so important!
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: North Dakota, Air Force, Navy, Army, South Dakota
Now holds offers from: Minnesota (who he committed to on June 5th)
Summary: The Minnesota Gophers had been in the ear of Chanhassen’s 2024 EDGE Sam Macy Sam Macy 6’5″ | 230 lbs | LB Chanhassen | 2024 State MN for a while, and made sure to be transparent that an in-person camp evaluation was going to be key in him potentially earning the in-state B1G offer, and guess what happened? His performance at the Gophers Prospect Camp on June 4th showed the Gophs that Macy was still mobile and had the needed athletic numbers after gaining 25 pounds of good weight between the fall of his junior season and the summer, and his frame still has more room to grow, something that excited the B1G staff as they imagine him in their S&C program. Additionally, Macy is very experienced and goes into his fourth year of varsity action with the MN 5A heavyweight Chan, and possesses a skillset of physicality, closing speed and burst, good pursuit range and speed, and an impressive knack for getting through blocks with force. That experience helps him diagnose and close on the ball quickly, as well as play patiently when needed, and three+ years of varsity action as a standup EDGE/OLB around the LOS has made him very disruptive as both a run and pass defender. Now, he’s a future B1G defender who will rep the hometown team the next 4-5 years. RTB!
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Oklahoma State
Summary: A big-bodied QB (6’3, 215 lbs.) out of Toronto, Ohio who attended and balled out at the first of six Mike Gundy Cowboy Football Camps in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Zebulin Kinsey Zebulin Kinsey 6’3″ | 215 lbs | QB Toronto | 2025 State OH walked out of the camp with his first collegiate offer, and it’s a good one, as the Big12 competitor is a fun place to play QB with a cemented coaching staff and culture in a town that loves them some football. Kinsey is already a 2023 summer camp szn grinder, as the OKState camp followed stops at UConn and West Virginia camps in late May as well as an unofficial visit to Boston College on the 31st, with the hard work and travel schedule culminating in an offer from the Cowboys on June 4th. Yet another 2025 stock-riser from the Great State of Ohio, Kinsey is a dual-sport standout with a strong baseball background, and brings that arm strength to the gridiron, where he also displays a strong arm that can stretch the field or generate velocity on shorter passes, touch, the ability to accurately complete throws off platform, and timing, as well as a ton of juice as a runner and maneuverability and escapability around the pocket. With camps visits still planned to Ohio State, Akron, and Miami (OH) this month, Kinsey is a name to watch when following stock risers whose offer lists have the potential to grow.
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Iowa State
Summary: Running backs from the Show-Me State have been highly-touted and highly impressive as of late, and the tradition continues with 2025 Central High School 6′, 200 lber. Gabe Fields Gabe Fields 6’0″ | 190 lbs | RB St. Joseph Central | 2025 State MO . Verified in the 40 at 4.53, Fields camped in Ames around a week ago and left the Iowa State prospect camp with his first offer from the P5 Cyclones. Welcome to the P5 prospect ranks, young man! Fields posted 1,251 rushing yards and 17 TDs in 2022, along with 196 receiving yards and 248 return yards off 8 returns, with one TD coming through the air and through the return game as well. He showed off good speed, burst – both from a dead stop and out of his cuts – balance, and dangerous shake and one-cut ability in the open field and in 1-on-1 tackle situations. I also like his contact balance, which includes a mean truck stick and stiff-arm, and Fields has some solid hands out of the backfield to boot. He’s a must-know in the 2025 MO RB ranks and has more P5 offers ahead of him. It all started with the summer camp szn, though!
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Oklahoma, Iowa State
Summary: An Oklahoma offer is a heckuva way to kick your recruiting off, and before he knew it, Elkhorn North’s 2025 6’5, 200 lb. TE/WR Chase Loftin Chase Loftin 6’6″ | 215 lbs | TE Millard South | 2025 State NE found himself in the office of OU head coach Brent Venables telling him the Sooners were offering a scholarship. That’s what camping in person at a school can do for a prospect, and Loftin quickly followed it up by camping in Ames and walking away with an Iowa State offer on top of it. The younger brother of KState TE Brayden Loftin, Chase posted 39 receptions for 577 yards and 5 TDs as a sophomore while possessing a long, lean frame with a ton more room to fill out, as well as speed, the ability to drop his hips and create separation out of his breaks well for a bigger guy, contested catch & 50/50 ball capability, and fearlessness when going over the middle. Loftin also has some juice after the catch and is a willing blocker, but that speed at 6’5, 200+ is particularly exciting and no doubt showed up well in a camp setting. He’s only getting bigger and better too, which should scare Omaha area defenders over the next two years.
Highlights
Camp into summer camp szn: offer less
Now holds offers from Iowa State
Summary: Representing one of my favorite programs in the Midwest in Omaha Westside, who have an absurdly talented roster going into 2023, 5’10, 185 lb. WR/DB Keynan Cotton Keynan Cotton 5’10” | 185 lbs | ATH Omaha Westside | 2025 State NE was another big winner from the Iowa State prospect camp and walked out of Ames with his first collegiate offer from the Big12 Cyclones and their talented WR coach Noah Pauley. Also an impressive sprinter, Cotton posted 21 catches for 219 yards and 3 total TDs + 39 tackles, 3 PBUs, and 2 INTs last fall as a sophomore and is sure to best those numbers as a junior in 2023. A big-play threat as a WR and returner, Cotton is fast, elusive, and has a ton of shake both as a route runner and with the rock in his hands. I also like his toughness, as he can run through weaker tackle attempts and finish catches through contact. As a DB, he’s patient yet sudden out of his breaks, is comfortable manning the CB or safety positions, and has no problems in the physicality department. It’s a balanced and promising skillset on both sides of the ball that has leveled up and will be more utilized in 2023. Great moves by the Cyclones getting in there early, something they are consistently impressive at.
Highlights
Came into summer camp szn: Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Northern Iowa
Now holds offers from: Miami (OH), South Dakota State, SEMO, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Illinois
Summary: Another Omaha area standout blowing up this summer, Creighton Prep 6’5, 225 lb. TE Michael Burt Michael Burt 6’6″ | 230 lbs | TE Creighton Prep | 2024 State NE is already off to the races recruiting-wise, having earned three P5 offers two Mondays ago and Illinois following it up the next day, not to mention his South Dakota offer to start the day off. The 2024 isn’t wasting any time setting up visits, and already visited Minnesota unofficially and scheduled an Iowa OV for this past weekend, which he attended. That’s a lot of action in less than half a month, and Burt seems to have been prepared and ready for the blow-up, not to mention enjoying the ride. His junior highlights show a TE with a promising frame and good length, ball skills and good hands, and strength, technique, and effort as a blocker. An asset in both the run and pass games, once teams got a look at Burt in person it was a done deal.
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Illinois
Summary: PRzWI lead scout Mark Johnson and I got a sneak peek at 6’7, 295 lb. Stoughton OT Griffin Rousseau Griffin Rousseau 6’7″ | 305 lbs | OL Stoughton | 2025 State WI while he was an 8th grader at one of The Line Showcase earlier camps, when Rousseau’s older brother was in the midst of his recruiting process before committing to DII heavyweight MSU-Mankato. The hype was already set in motion for the younger brother, who, while still raw, had eye-catching size and a lunch-pail mentality that you knew he was going to get the most out of. Flash forward a couple of years and here we are, seeing Griffin Rousseau Griffin Rousseau 6’7″ | 305 lbs | OL Stoughton | 2025 State WI benefit from the 2023 camp szn and his performance at the famed Lindenwood mega camp, where he left with his first offer from B1G Illinois. Illinois OL coach Bart Miller loves him some Wisconsin boys, and both Miller and HC Bret Bielema loved what they saw in the 6’7, 295 lber. enough to offer an exciting B1G scholarship. Rousseau is still developing, but the P5-worthy size, strength at power at the point of attack, particularly as a run blocker, motor, nasty streak, and finishing ability are all hard to come by in his a young buck of his size. Plus, Stoughton High School has a tremendous lineage of successful OL the past decade, especially at the P5 level, so you bet your butt he’s going to be developed well and coached up, much to the excitement of his future college home. As with all Wisconsin-bred OL, keep a close eye on the Badgers as they keep tabs on Rousseau and his development.
Came into summer camp szn: offerless
Now holds offers from: Nebraska
Summary: Last but not least, the Nebraska Cornhusker’s recent prospect camp paid off big-time for De Soto (KS) 6’5, 215 lb. DE Charlie Woleben Charlie Woleben 6’5″ | 215 lbs | DL De Soto | 2025 State KS , who walked out of Lincoln with his first offer from the B1G competitor ‘Huskers. A conversation with new HC Matt Rhule and DL coach Terrance Knighton led to the life changing moment for the young DE/EDGE, who already sports an impressive resume as a student-athlete, which includes a 4.3 GPA, 32 ACT, 4.68 (laser) 40, 4.29 short-shuttle, 38″ vert, and 10’5 broad jump. Those are excellent numbers across the board, and Woleben shows up on film as well, where he displays bend, solid strength, active hands and a knack for getting off blocks, a quick get off, and a ton of room to grow and fill out into his promising frame. In 2022, he posted 42 tackles, 8 TFLs, 6 sacks, 2 FFs in 2022 and earned All-Conference All-State HM honors from four different publications. The future is bright and the Huskers made a good move getting in there early.
Highlights
More Summer Camp SZN Early Winners….
Connor Kayser (Ankeny) 2024. LB. 6’4, 210 lbs.
Jack Limbaugh (Algona, IA) 2025. DE. 6’4, 220 lbs.
Owen Thomas (Lewis Central, IA) 2024. LB. 6’3, 225 lbs.
Langdon Nordgaard (West De Pere, WI) 2024. WR. 6’4, 195 lbs.
Milos Spasojevic Milos Spasojevic 6'4" | 215 lbs | QB Minnetonka | 2024 State MN (Minnetonka, MN) 2024. QB. 6’5, 220 lbs.
Zach Vanderpool Zach Vanderpool 6'5" | 230 lbs | DL Byron | 2024 State MN (Byron, MN) 2024. DE. 6’5, 230 lbs.
Donovan Jones (Omaha North, NE) 2024. DB. 6’1, 185 lbs.
Will Steil (Rocori, MN) 2024. DB. 6’2, 195 lbs.
Gavin Hoffman (Blue Valley NW, KS) 2024. TE. 6’5, 225 lbs.
Trey Ridley (Blue Valley NW, KS) 2024. DB. 6’1, 195 lbs.
Tobias Williams (Minnetonka, MN) 2024. DB. 6′, 180 lbs.
Charles Brooks III (Cardinal Ritter, MO) 2025. DE. 6’5, 200 lbs.
Mason Love (Park Hill South, MO) 2024. K/P.
Parker Brault (Palatine, IL) 2025. OG. 6’4, 275 lbs.
Larevious Woods (East. St. Louis, IL) 2025. RB. 5’9, 195 lbs.
Mariyon Dye (Elkhart, IN) 2025. DE. 6’5, 235 lbs.
Mikeah Webster (Westfield, IN) 2025. TE/LB. 6’1, 225 lbs.