The Watch List Series: Class of ‘25 Part III

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The wait is almost over, as an official date for the next Class of '25 rankings update has been set. On Monday June 26^th, folks will not only get to view the latest changes made in the rankings, but they'll be introduced to the newest members as well. In Part I of this installment of the <em>Watch List Series</em>, we mentioned the goal was to increase this recruiting class to 175 ranked prospects, and we've now reached that mark. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this next update, folks can expect to see over 25 prospects from across the state make their debut. Ten of these players have already been revealed, and there's still a few more we plan to preview ahead of the release. This next group featured in Part III of the <em>Watch List Series</em> is a mixture of Class 6A and Class 3A talent that showed promise in 2022. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["866511"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003e[player_tooltip player_id='866511' first='Teron' last='Kraft'] of Hoisington is the first of three Class 3A players we'll be highlighting in this third u003cemu003eWatch Listu003c/emu003e for the Class of '25. It didn't take long for Kraft to establish himself as Hoisington's top Class of '25 prospect last fall. During his first year starting varsity, Kraft became a key contributor on defense, as he finished the '22 season leading Hoisington with 66 total tackles. In addition to his outstanding play at linebacker, Kraft was Hoisington's second leading rusher with over 600 yards and 10 touchdowns. The physical two-way prospect is sure to make even more noise as a junior.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_0_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_1_player":["866510"],"_player_evaluations_1_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_1_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_1_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eThis next prospect exhibits a level of physicality that not many from this class displayed as sophomores. [player_tooltip player_id='866510' first='Karter' last='Gonzalez'] of Hesston is a prime example of just how important a fullback can be to an offensive scheme. It's no secret the Swathers' offense runs through [player_tooltip player_id='145515' first='Hudson' last='Ferralez'], but in 2022, Hesston mixed things up by utilizing Gonzalez's bruising running. Gonzalez is the type of player that can help control the tempo of a game, and can wear defenses down in the later stages. He possesses great balance and agility for a back that's 5-foot-9, 200 pounds. His pass catching ability is also underrated, and he's shown potential at linebacker as well.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_1_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_2_player":["866509"],"_player_evaluations_2_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_2_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_2_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eThere's a few running backs in this class that excel at making defenders miss, but [player_tooltip player_id='866509' first='Van' last='Loop'] of Haven may be the shiftiest one of the bunch. Loop's impact as a sophomore helped produce more points per game for Haven's offense, which led to an improved record as well. His highlight tape is a small sample size, but it showcases plenty of examples of his dynamic running. Throughout his tape there are a number of instances where he leaves defenders grasping at air. His ability to quickly cut and accelerate is impressive, and don't let his 5-foot-7 150-pound frame fool you either. He's not shy about dropping his shoulder when needed.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_2_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_3_player":["866507"],"_player_evaluations_3_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_3_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_3_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eShawnee Mission Northwest has been well represented in our Class of '25 rankings for some time now, and the number of Cougars in the class is about to grow. In the next update, folks need to be on the lookout for safety, [player_tooltip player_id='866507' first='Joshua' last='Mackiewicz']. Northwest fielded a fairly young defense in 2022, and Mackiewicz emerged as one of the Cougars' top defenders. Mackiewicz finished the '22 campaign second behind [player_tooltip player_id='442662' first='Adam' last='Hageman'] for the team lead in total tackles, as Mackiewicz racked up 68 total. He also finished his sophomore year with one sack, and came away with three interceptions as well. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound prospect could start to draw next-level interest with another strong year.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_3_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations_4_player":["866508"],"_player_evaluations_4_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_4_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_4_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"u003cp style=u0022font-weight: 400u0022u003eInjuries unfortunately happen all too often in the game of football, and they can rob a prospect of valuable time. This was the story for Free State signal caller, [player_tooltip player_id='866508' first='Boston' last='Baker'], during his sophomore year. Baker suffered a torn ACL early in the '22 campaign, so there's still much unknown about him as a prospect. However, the film he did manage to put together looked promising. Before he sustained his injury, Baker displayed good decision making on zone reads and while rolling out on play action calls. He's one of the more accurate passers in this class, and he possesses the mobility to be a legit dual-threat. It will be interesting to see how he bounces back during his junior year.u003c/pu003e","_player_evaluations_4_evaluation":"field_62aba51aecf34","player_evaluations":5,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"edit","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-64922da202a80"} /-->