First Look Friday – March 29th
In this article:
Get 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy! We’re deep into the offseason but before you know it, it’ll be May and spring ball and team camps will be right around the corner. But…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingGet 25% off your subscription by entering Knight25 in the coupon code area. Enjoy!
We’re deep into the offseason but before you know it, it’ll be May and spring ball and team camps will be right around the corner. But for now, it’s time to debut a new series that will feature an article every Friday called “First Look Friday” and the whole point of this series is to put the spotlight on athletes that we have never covered. The premise is very simple. We want to cover prospects that we haven’t had a chance to do so. Now, some of these athletes might already be ranked, have been tweeted about, whatever it may be. But none of the players on these articles have ever had a breakdown and that changes here. Keep it locked in to Prep Redzone Oklahoma for more First Look Friday breakdowns!
rnComing into this breakdown, Guthrie 2025 athlete Blake Doles Blake Doles 6’0″ | 205 lbs | LB Guthrie | 2025 State OK was listed on our website as a linebacker. After watching his film from last fall, that quickly changed. Doles is more of a full back/tight end hybrid player for the Blue Jays and there isn’t much film out there of Doles on the defensive side of the ball. So for this breakdown, we’re speaking about him specifically on the offensive side of the ball. And on offense, Doles is an absolute wrecking ball. He is very physical with the ball in his hands and did a great job as a blocker, whether he lined up in the backfield or as a tight end. It seemed like Doles was always pushing forward and was like a brick wall that could move. Now, Guthrie had one of the best running backs in the state last fall so the 2024 season is going to be an interesting one for Doles. He could see his role expanded this fall.
Highlights
rnMcAlester wide receiver Cleveland Williamson Cleveland Williamson 6’2″ | 150 lbs | ATH McAlester | 2026 State OK is the only sophomore on this breakdown and out of the five prospects listed here, he might have the highest ceiling. Williamson is listed at 6’2 and is a rangy wide receiver but while the ceiling is high for him as a prospect, he still has to go out and prove it. He has very limited varsity film to break down and the majority of the action from last fall was in sub-varsity ball. But there is plenty of room for optimism with him moving forward. McAlester loses the majority of their production at the wide receiver position and that will open the door for Williamson to be a breakout player for the Buffaloes this fall. He moves well in space and has the size and athleticism to go along with it. This fall could very well see Williamson take that next step and become one of the better wide receivers in the state’s 2026 class.
rnYukon 2025 wide receiver Kenison Rogers Kenison Rogers 6’0″ | 175 lbs | WR Yukon | 2025 State OK was one of the breakout players in 6A-1 last fall. Rogers went from somewhat of an unknown to a borderline 1,000-yard receiver in 2023. So heading into 2024, expectations have risen and we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do for an encore. Looking at his film from last fall, a few things stand out to us. The first thing is his ability to make contested catches. There are plenty of plays where he creates separation with his quickness getting in and out of breaks and overall speed. But we wanted to see how he looked when he doesn’t get that separation. He passed with flying colors. He can be physical when he needs to be and made some tough catches in traffic. Rogers is really good after the catch and had success lining up as an outside receiver and in the slot. He’ll be one of the better 6A-1 receivers again this fall.
Highlights
rn2025 running back and linebacker Noah Kesner Noah Kesner 6’0″ | 195 lbs | LB NOAH | 2025 OK is a very intriguing 2025 prospect to watch this spring and summer. Kesner was an outstanding two-way player for NOAH last fall. He put up some monster numbers at running back on offense and then turned around and was lights out on the defensive side of the ball. For the film study, we looked at Kesner strictly on the defensive side of the ball because he looks more like a linebacker at this point. But don’t overlook the abilities he has at running back. On defense, the first thing that stands out is his motor. If you didn’t know he also started at running back, you would never guess that because he doesn’t slow down. He’s excellent in pursuit and a strong tackler. The pass coverage skills are there too. Kesner also benefitted from having some strong defensive linemen in front of him so 2024 will be big for him.
Highlights
rnWe’ve had the benefit of seeing Hilldale 2027 quarterback Talon Shaffer Talon Shaffer 5’8″ | 145 lbs | QB Hilldale | 2027 OK in person a few times this offseason during 7v7 tournaments. You combine that with a look at his film from last fall and we have a pretty good idea of the quarterback Shaffer is today. And that’s a quarterback with a high ceiling moving forward. He’s looked great this offseason and he started four games for Hilldale last fall. Shaffer has a very strong arm and that, along with his ability to make quick decisions and his quick delivery, you have a quarterback that’s on the rise in the state’s 2027 class. Last fall, he made some tough throws into tight windows and had success. He’s not the biggest quarterback prospect but he certainly plays bigger than his frame. The arm strength and quick delivery make the size questions a non-factor at this moment. He could take a big step forward this fall.