FSP’s Top 20 Potential NFL Prospects: 20-16
In this article:
As the preseason finishes and Washington State High School Football kicks off this weekend, we at Ford Sports Performance are counting down the top 20 prospects by the highest standard of potential, answering a simple yet loaded question- who could…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingAs the preseason finishes and Washington State High School Football kicks off this weekend, we at Ford Sports Performance are counting down the top 20 prospects by the highest standard of potential, answering a simple yet loaded question- who could eventually play in the National Football League?
Although we at Prep RedZone and several other websites rank prospects by projecting them as college football players, I’ve also learned the value in rephrasing the question to project the highest overall potential further down the line. The countdown begins with our number 20-16 players today, featuring the state’s top QB prospect, two astoundingly gifted defensive backs, a young, promising linebacker, and one of the most explosive wideouts in the nation.
If you ask defensive backs in the state who the person they’d least prefer to guard is, the most common answer you’ll get is Rahshawn Clark Rahshawn Clark 6’0″ | 180 lbs | ATH Garfield | 2024 State WA . Not only is this one of the quickest players in the entire state, but he makes magic happen every time he gets an opportunity. While Federal Way would get him the ball and let great things happen, other teams would prefer not to throw the ball anywhere near him the last few years when he featured for the Eagles. He’ll finish a storied High School Career by competing in the Seattle’s hallowed Metro league this year with Garfield, whose cast of talent has as high of a ceiling as any if they can become stronger than the sum of their parts. His goal is not only to win the state championship, but to win Player Of The Year- and if you meet him, you’ll understand when you feel the confidence radiating from within. DB’s mention his lethal combo of athleticism and the confidence to back it up as the reason he’s one of the top offensive weapons in the state, but his skillset is also sharpened as he’s honed in and learned, from the fundamentals of his position, to the intricacies of being a great DB. We project him as a DB at the NFL level, but his ability level could make him a great offensive player at Cal and beyond too. If Clark can continue to improve each year at Cal and remain unsatisfied, the sky is the limit and we could hear his name on Sundays eventually. You can count on him betting on himself and backing it up, so you’d be foolish to count him out of anything he puts his all towards.
Sometimes you just know an athlete is special, and Luvens Valcin Luvens Valcin 6’2″ | 220 lbs | ATH Auburn | 2024 State WA is one of the most amazing human beings to watch in this State. I first saw him while covering the State basketball championships in March, and although people knew he had football offers at that time, he made everyone’s jaw drop when they witnessed what he did. He went up for dunk after dunk, flying well above the rim with relative ease, and making it look ordinary- earning several Zion Williamson comparisons in the process. He moves so well, forward, backward, laterally, and upward while holding the frame and build of an NFL receiver, that I knew he had that type of potential before I ever saw him on a football field. I finally did see that when we at FSP put on the Max Xposure Showcase just over two weeks ago, where he did this:
‘24 Luvens Valcin goes up for an AGRESSIVE one-handed grab🔥 pic.twitter.com/H4XS7xdlmk
— Max Xposure Showcase (@max_xposurecamp) August 13, 2023
Not only does Luvens have incredible gifts you can’t teach, but he also takes nothing for granted and works extremely hard. He could be even better in college and beyond than he is in HS, as he’s still got a long way to go to reach his ceiling. He’s going to be a steal for whichever school gets him and could definitely end up among their NFL Alumni.
Wassie Lugolobi Wassie Lugolobi 6’2″ | 220 lbs | LB Eastside Catholic | 2026 State WA could be the best linebacker in the state this year. Yes, it’s the most loaded position in the state, but if you focus a little harder and see what he brings to the table you will realize the same thing the Power Five schools offering him as a Freshman did- this guy has it all. He’s faster than some of the best WRs, he’s stronger than some of the best LBs, and he’s more willing to do whatever it takes than the overlooked grinders who will earn their way on hard work alone. He’s also an excellent student, reflected in his ability to remain positive, take coaching well, and keep his head down and work. He’s shown he can push himself and constantly get better, and while he’s confident he’s smart enough to realize how lucky he is to be in such a good position and refuses to take it for granted. Even if he started on a State Championship team as a Freshman, we don’t know how good Wassie can be yet. He holds huge expectations for himself and works toward reaching them everyday in the most mature ways possible. This is the type of guy who ends up playing on Sundays.
Kyan McDonald Kyan McDonald 6’0″ | 175 lbs | DB ODea | 2024 State WA is a great DB in HS, but he can be even better in college and beyond. He’s strong, violent and mean, picking up TFL’s like he needs them to survive; and watching him gives the same feeling as many of the best NFL DB’s of all time. The ones who loved to hit this much at every level of football are the ones who make it to the league. Very few elicit this level of physicality, but even fewer have this level of technique- he’s as instinctual as any player this state has in coverage. He uses every bit of his length to collect PBUs, in a way you could show his tape to younger players and tell them to “do this”. He also carries a 35.6 inch vertical, which when combined with his level of strength and aggression makes him special at going up and getting the ball. This is the player you’d choose to defend a pass if your life was on the line. He’s going to play at a big time Power 5 School, and if he plays early he could transcend the college ranks as quickly as he did the WA HS Ones. McDonald has all the tools to be a Sunday player.
EJ Caminong EJ Caminong 6’2″ | 195 lbs | QB Garfield | 2024 State WA is the best quarterback this state has seen in several years and could compete for Player Of The Year honors if Garfield goes deep into the playoffs. He has all the tools you want in a quarterback- cannon of an arm, natural size, pocket presence, ability to improvise, and just enough magic to make the position work. He’s got the confidence to lead a team, whether through a blowout or a close game, and could lead a big time comeback if he ever got the chance. He’ll be at Cal with Rahshawn Clark Rahshawn Clark 6’0″ | 180 lbs | ATH Garfield | 2024 State WA , and they get a head start on making magic together as they’ll both be at Garfield this year. We could see them turn the Cal program around, but it all starts with the Quarterback, and EJ has the ‘it’ factor. Scouting QBs isn’t like any other position on the football field- although athleticism, character, and demeanor play a role, the main thing scouts look for is, “Will this guy be able to lead a billion-dollar franchise?”. EJ has the arm for it, but he also believes in himself enough to make the plays that win games. He could be even better in college, and if he earns a starting job where he shows poise and maturity, his intangibles can carry him to become the next NFL QB from this state and even win a starting job.