PrepRedzoneIL 2025 Rankings Update: Hardest Hitters
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There’s nothing I like more in football than a big hit. To me, it’s the most exciting play in the game, capable of creating a turnover, shifting momentum, getting the crowd fired up, and mentally shutting down the recipient for…
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Continue ReadingThere’s nothing I like more in football than a big hit. To me, it’s the most exciting play in the game, capable of creating a turnover, shifting momentum, getting the crowd fired up, and mentally shutting down the recipient for the rest of the contest. When you’re watching as much tape as I do when preparing a rankings update, some prospects simply leave your mouth agape and saying”wow, that kid is a thumper.” It’s my favorite thing to find when grinding film, and the PRzIL 2025 rankings update left me with that feeling often and impressively regarding several Land of Lincoln rising juniors. To continue with our 2025 rankings coverage, we’re highlighting and breaking down the hardest hitters that make up our rankings list, as well as what makes them such a thumper, how that game translates to the next level, their recruitments, and more. This is a fun one! Hope you enjoy.
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We just discussed the Johnson College Prep athlete in our last article highlighting the top stock risers between the last two PRzIL 2025 rankings updates, and in addition to Nashaun Brown Nashaun Brown 5’9″ | 175 lbs | ATH Johnson College Prep | 2025 State IL ‘s overall dynamic ability on the gridiron, he also happens to be one of the hardest hitters in the Land of Lincoln’s 2025 class. At 5’9, 175 lbs., Brown is an excellent testament to the fact that you don’t need to be the biggest to be one of the hardest hitters, as fearlessness, absolute commitment, and technique can help a 175 lber. hit like they’re 50 pounds heavier. As a defensive back and on special teams, Brown comes on-screen like a missle, and upends and/or sends opponents flying & backwards like they got clipped by a truck. He can lay the boom low or high on ball carriers with equal impact, and can build a ton of momentum into contact with nasty effect. If he has a full head of steam especially, you better get out of his way, no matter how much you weigh. There’s a 5+ sequence of reps in his sophomore tape that are impressively massive hits against a variety of opponents in a variety of different situations. Check it out if you can –> http://www.hudl.com/v/2Jbcyk
Highlights
One of a plethora of Morgan Park prospects with outstanding potential and college football makeup, 5’11, 175 lb. DB Ahmad Grayer is part of a big-time group of returning defensive backs for the Mustangs and is quite a thumper coming from the defensive secondary. Whether he’s inside the box or out on the edge, Grayer has some noticeable natural pop in his pads and is also a good cut tackler who upends ball carriers and halts gains in their tracks. He can also stick opponents right where they stand, even if they have a head of steam on them, and gets the most out of every tackle and makes sure ball carriers feel him and know it’s #2 making the stick, tossing them to the ground violently or putting his full weight into the completion of a tackle. Grayer is a great inside-the-box, downhill, run supporter from the safety spot and loves the physical part of the game. He’s also one of the c/o 2025 Illinois hardest hitters, and both his freshman and sophomore tapes attest to this.
frosh: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14881632/61a51c82c11b4404283a1788rnsoph midseason: https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14881632/6349a815c11a270fa43c9b95
One of my favorite DBs in a stacked-to-the-brim crop of 2025 defensive backs in the Land of Lincoln, Mason Ellens Mason Ellens 5’11” | 160 lbs | DB Glenbard West | 2025 State IL was moved up to the varsity ranks of Glenbard West in week 5 of the 2022 season and made the most of it from the jump. The 5’11, 160 lbers. play made him an unchanging part of the Hilltopper’s defense, and I’m sure his affinity for contact helped keep him as a steady presence in Glenbard West’s secondary. #36 opens his sophomore film by crumpling a York ball carrier on the sideline off a half-a-dozen steps and continues the film with big hits and big plays all around the gridiron. Ellens goes all out into contact and uses his noticeable speed and acceleration to go full-out into opponents. He takes great angles to the football and uses consistent pad level to send kids flying, and can create big hits particularly well downhill from his safety spot or when running the alley to the sideline. Additionally, Ellens helps his teammates create big hits as well, and I cannot wait to see how a year in the weight room helps his physical prowess and pad-popping ability.
The younger brother of 2023 St. Rita grad and Minnesota Gophers LB signee Matt, 6′, 200 lb. linebacker James Kingsbury James Kingsbury 6’1″ | 215 lbs | LB St. Rita | 2025 State IL is in the middle of writing his own story with the Mustangs and got things going impressively in 2022 as a starting ‘backer for the CCL heavyweight as a sophomore. He’s also one of the 2025 classes hardest hitters, and in the sophomore varsity film you can see the younger Kingsbury has a diverse array of big hits on both defense and special teams, sending opponents flying when he pursues out to the edge of the defense, is lead blocking as an upback on kick return coverage, or off a couple steps of momentum as an OLB. I love how he brings his hips and runs his feet through a tackle, and his strength is obvious as he sticks ball carriers and seems to easily prevent even an extra step of yardage from RBs and WRs past the initial point of contact. He can also go low or high with equal amount of force, and does a great job of using opponents” momentum against them and squashing gains where they stand. Just like his brother, Kingsbury is growing into a beast and already one of the Land of Lincoln’s hardest hitters coming out of the 2025s. I’d be psyched if he joined his brother in Dinkytown one day.
Highlights
A massive 6’1, 225 lb. rising junior out of talent-rich Kankakee, linebacker Kennyan Chandler Kennyan Chandler 6’1″ | 225 lbs | LB Kankakee | 2025 State IL posted an impressive sophomore stat line of 113 total tackles, 26 TFLs (!), 4 FFs, and 2 INTs last fall and did so in bone-crunching fashion from his middle linebacker spot. Chandler seeks out contact and knows what to do when he gets there, as he’s another standout on this list who does a great job of running his feet through a tackle and uses his massive size and noticeable strength to halt ball carriers where they stand and force them backwards for 5-10 yards in dominant fashion. You can see opposing RBs and WRs whiplash when he hits them, as well as freeze and become unable to resist just from the sheer force of Chandler’s pop in the hole. If he catches you off-guard or not looking, you’re also liable to go flying 5 yards back and hard off the turf, and I could watch him meet RBs in the hole all day, every day. He’s got some serious strength and physical expertise going into his upperclassman campaign. Don’t get in his way.
Highlights
A surefire top player in the state, Brother Rice’s 6′, 215 lb. linebacker Christian Pierce Christian Pierce 6’0″ | 215 lbs | LB Brother Rice | 2025 State IL is the younger brother of 2023 Michigan DT signee Trey Pierce and is already a strong, experienced, and highly-touted prep player with an impressive list of offers that has most recently included Ohio State, Louisville, Boston College, Purdue, Mizzou, Arizona State, and Wisconsin. The rising junior recently posted a 275 lb. hang clean in early April after a strong sophomore campaign on the gridiron in the fall of 2022. In addition to his many dominant traits on the field, Pierce is also one of the 2025 classes hardest hitters, and posted 100 tackles, 3 PBUs, and a safety last season. He topples ball carriers over and flat onto their backs when he makes contact, and is more than strong enough to tackle even bigger RBs and WRs high and in grown man fashion. Pierce can completely reverse an opponents momentum in imposing fashion and creates noticeable whiplash when he puts his pads on an offensive player, whether they have the ball or are trying to block him. Scary enough for opposing teams and players, he’s only getting stronger too. Bigger hits are coming in 2023!
Highlights
One of my favorite linemen in the PRzIL 2025 rankings, Palatine’s 6’3.5, 275 lb. OG Parker Brault Parker Brault 6’4″ | 275 lbs | OL Palatine | 2025 State IL received some love in my first article covering the rankings update, so I’ll make sure to focus solely on his physical contact prowess to not repeat myself in this new feature. Brault is an absolutely devastating puller and topples over helpless opponents like a battering ram, and if he squares them up and gets a clean hit, can bounce them off the turf like a padded basketball. He simply crushes kids and uses his strength and natural pop to create massive hits off an extension of his arms and/or a couple of steps of buildup. He sent opponents flying in 2022 and can manufacture the same kinds of impressive collisions from pulls, pass sets, and simple down blocks in an equally dominant fashion. Brault has his way with people, and I would not want to be on the receiving end of one of his blocks. Now, we’ve also officially crowned him as one of the 2025 class’s biggest thumpers. Check him out –> http://www.hudl.com/v/2JPP93
It’s fun to get offensive representation on a list of hardest hitters, and East St. Louis RB Larevious Woods Larevious Woods 5’9″ | 195 lbs | RB East St. Louis | 2025 State IL was an easy choice to add to the mix from the PRzIL 2025 class of thumpers. With an ideally compact frame for dishing out contact at 5’9, 195 lbs., Woods has a helluva truck stick attached to his pads and can knock opponents over like a bowling ball over pins while remaining upright and sending defending off into the turf violently and suddenly. Woods can create so much impact force that would-be tacklers get turned a full 180 or even 360 degrees, crumples them like they’re in a compacter, or got a cartoon piano dropped from above. Get out of his way! There’s a Ford F150 on the ESL Flyers roster. Check out the film if you don’t believe me –> https://www.hudl.com/video/3/17761158/639002bfe97ad306a82c0644
One of the states of Illinois’ biggest early stock risers from the beginning of this summer camp szn, Oswego Panther 6’3, 210 lb. LB Carson Cooney Carson Cooney 6’3″ | 205 lbs | LB Oswego | 2025 State IL is fresh off his first college football offer from the home state Illini, and his prowess in contact on tape was definitely a plus for the Illinois staff’s evaluation of the rising junior. Cooney does a great job with his pad level and bringing his hips through a tackle, and when combined with his size/strength, sends ball carriers backward and off their feet like a 300 lb. lineman has run through them. I also love how he stays engaged and wrapped up with his opponent through the hit, which allows his full weight to finish onto the ball carrier to create as much pain and force as possible. Each and every tackle he puts his all into the contact, and it pays off in exciting and fun-to-watch fashion on tape. Check him and his hits out here –> http://www.hudl.com/v/2Jqjsc
Don’t come over the middle on Yorkville’s Luke Zook Luke Zook 6’1″ | 185 lbs | DB Yorkville | 2025 State IL ! The 6’1, 180 lb. safety will square you up and send you flying in highlight reel, momentum-shifting fashion that are fitting in Youtube big hit compilations from NFL thumpers at the DB position. If he can get a full head of steam and meet you head-on at the sideline, Zook can hit you so hard it’ll send you into his or the opposition’s bench, and the same goes for if you’re trying to make a catch in his vicinity. You can see opponents get up in visibly painful fashion after he puts the pads on them, and I guarantee the contact stays in the heads of opposing wideouts for the rest of the game afterward. Zook also can create big hits in the run game as well. You better think twice before coming his way! Sophomore tape –> http://www.hudl.com/video/3/16449685/6355838c3deb72050ce0db2b
Highlights
The Naperville Central OLB seems to surprise ball carriers with how much force he creates through contact, and patrolled the flats and hook/curls of his defense like a viper in the grass, tracking and setting up his strike with deadly intent. Wade topples ball carriers like he’s 50+ pounds heavier, and has no problems manufacturing massive collisions shoulder pad to shoulder pad without having to go low on bigger opponents. He can reverse their momentum and crumple opponents in impressive and obviously painful fashion, and hits well above his weight class with destructive results. You aren’t getting extra yardage on this kid, much less staying upright, and Wade takes on blocking attempts with equally dominant results. Get out of the Redhawks trains way or you’re going to get run over! Guaranteed. Tape –> http://www.hudl.com/video/3/16956488/6361ed46bed6e10ab0e1064a
Highlights
The highest ranked prospect on this list of PRzIL 2025 hardest hitters, Fenwick’s 6’5, 265 lb. DE and frightening wildcat QB Nathaniel Marshall Nathaniel Marshall 6’5″ | 260 lbs | DL Fenwick | 2025 State IL completely envelops and overwhelms opponents with his sheer size and strength. Even if he gets his hands on you and rips you to the ground, the force of the tackle leaves QBs and RBs visibly shaken and in pain while laying on the turf in agony in front of their friends and family, something not easy to do on such routine plays and tackles. You can tell a player hits hard when their opponents drop to the ground prior to the contact, and Marshall’s sophomore tape is full of frightened QBs and RBs hurriedly hitting the turf in anticipation of the giant DEs incoming tackle. Additionally, it’s a fun and rare sight to see holes part open like the red sea when Marshall had the ball in his hands as a wildcat quarterback. Yes, the Friars blocking was impressive on a lot of the goalline reps Marshall scored, but part of that is defenders checking out and wanting no part in a collision with big #90. When someone does get in his way, he can bowl through them like he’s playing against middle schoolers, and has a mean truckstick that sends defenders flying backward or into the turf like a pickup hit them crossing the street. Easy pick for one of the Land of Lincoln’s top thumpers in the 2025 class. Film –> http://www.hudl.com/v/2K4mJe