FIVE Rising Juniors to know
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Ankeny (IA.)– Ankeny Centennial Athlete Chase Kluver (6-foot 1, 190 pounds) is a two-way threat for the Jags and a Junior to watch. Aggressive, smart, and reliable the Jags junior safety showed that he can contribute in all aspects. Kluver is…
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Continue ReadingAnkeny (IA.)– Ankeny Centennial Athlete Chase Kluver (6-foot 1, 190 pounds) is a two-way threat for the Jags and a Junior to watch.
Aggressive, smart, and reliable the Jags junior safety showed that he can contribute in all aspects. Kluver is an intuitive safety who makes plays from deep. He was productive in coverage (3 INTS) and can see routes before they even develop. When he’s coming downhill he punishes ball carries but is very posie and doesn’t miss much in the open field. Kluver finished the season with 49 (37 solo) tackles and 3 interceptions while getting elected Second Team All-Conference.
Kluver discusses his motivation for the game.
“I am motivated to play the game due to the fact I’ve watched my relatives grow up and pursue their dreams in college. I watched my oldest cousin at Iowa execute one of the craziest special teams play against Ohio State and I want to be able to play on the big state like that someday no matter where I fit in.”
Adequate route anticipation and closing speed are what stick out when watching Kluver. He possesses good vision and shows great pursuit angles when crashing down. It would be interesting to see him play closer to the line of scrimmage as a box safety or just roll down a lot more with the mentality he carries. In addition to being an all-conference safety, he was the backup QB this past season. He will be in the driving seat to be QB1 this season so there’s no telling if he’ll play a lot safety again in high school. However, colleges should be aware of his capability and potential when he arrives. However, we still haven’t seen a full season of Kluver under center either therefore all cards are on the table.
Kluver talks about what he’s looking to improve and accomplish this off-season.
“My strengths are my IQ and knowledge of football. This past year I filled a role on my team at safety because I knew I was an athlete and had a huge interception vs Bettendorf to take the lead in the game. I know the game of football and think I have a decent body size that I can build on in the future. My weakness might be my speed but I’m training multiple times a week with my trainer to improve that daily. I don’t see it being a problem for me next season. This season I want to be the standout QB in the state and want everyone to know who Ankeny Centennial is. We want revenge and know that we are better than a semifinal team. We want the championship and want to leave a legacy. I also see myself as over a 2000-yard passer and 500-yard rusher.”
The junior is a name to watch as the spring and summer start to roll. As of right he recently picked up a Minnesota State – Mankato offer. Having the film at safety will help his case as an athlete. Nonetheless, he will have the chance to showcase his versatility as the camp season rolls around. Schools are starting to focus on the class of 2025 and they’ll notice the value of him once they turn on the film and/or see him compete.
Ankeny (IA.)– Ankeny Centennial defensive lineman Isaiah Bassett (6-foot 3, 215 pounds) is a dominant force for the Jags and a Junior to watch.
Bassett has a lanky frame at the defensive end position but plays way bigger than he looks. He has no problem at all defeating blocks. He is a true force off the edge within the run-and-pass game using his strength, athleticism, and length. He has good hand usage when defeating blocks but can often win based on his bull rush ability. On an already stacked defensive front, he alone put together some dominant performances. Bassett finished the season with 38 (26 solo) tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss with 7.5 sacks, and earned First-Team All-Conference.
He talked about his strengths and what he’s looking to improve this off-season.
“Strengths are I’m fast, pretty good on pash rush, read plays pretty well, and pursuit. My weaknesses are run blocking and my size. Run blocking is the main thing I’m working on this offseason and getting bigger.”
The motor and effort Bassett possesses are unmatched. He has short-area acceleration to chase down ball carries and uses his length to reach through blocks to slow them down as well. He effectively sets blockers into picks and finds the football well through contact. Bassett is the type of player you can use in a gaming front due to his athleticism and stretch. However, he is also the pass rusher you want 1-on-1 because he has that ability. His frame and skill set alone will attract attention, it just comes down to how much bigger can he get. If he can go into the season with a few more pounds on him then things will get scary.
Bassett discusses what motivates him and some of his goals.
“What motivates me is winning a state championship and playing at the next level. Some goals I have set for myself is to get to 225 pounds and get better at stopping the run.”
So far Bassett has heard from Iowa, Iowa State, and recently visited Northern Illinois. Nebraska, Wayne State, and St.Thomas have also reached out. None have officially offered the rising junior but he will have the chance to showcase his versatility as the camp season rolls around. Schools are starting to focus on the class of 2025 and they’ll notice the value of him once they turn on the film and/or see him compete.
West Des Moines (IA.)– Dowling Catholic defensive back Parker Pearson Parker Pearson 5'9" | 175 lbs | DB Dowling Catholic | 2025 IA (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) is a sticky defender for the Maroons and a Junior to watch.
Pearson can get it done in both man and zone coverage. He sticks with receivers in their hip pocket and doesn’t allow a ton of separation at all. Very instinctive in zone, he is one of the better-tackling corners in this class. Has the feet to shadow and squeeze routes along with exceptional speed and ball skills. The skillset he possesses allows him to be a defender who can cause problems. Pearson finished the season with 21 (14 solo) tackles, 1 interception, and 10 pass deflections.
He talked about his motivation for the game and the goals he set.
“Something that motivates me is Dowling football and making plays on the field. Some goals I have set for myself are winning a high school state championship, playing division 1 football, and working towards my maximum ceiling.”
The size factor shouldn’t matter because he is a corner who has the athleticism to handle mirror and match coverage and the toughness to step up and take on some physical responsibilities. While he was more of an off-man corner it never seemed to phase him. He understands leverage and knows how to weave a pedal that keeps him steady. His patience allows him to sit on routes coming his way. Seeing him press would help his case, nonetheless, he has all the tools and potential to be a lockdown corner. He can also be looked at as a nickel due to his quickness and willingness to be aggressive at the point of attack.
Pearson has talked about what he’s looking to improve.
“Some of my strengths are tackling, getting the ball, coverage, physicality. One of my weaknesses is being a smaller corner. I am working on speed, strength, man-to-man coverage, and more.”
The University of Sioux Falls was the most recent visit taken by the Junior, but he has heard from Northern State, Southwest Minnesota State, and North Dakota State. None have officially offered the rising junior but he will have the chance to showcase his versatility as the camp season rolls around. Schools are starting to focus on the class of 2025 and they’ll notice the value of him once they turn on the film and/or see him compete.
Pleasant Hill (IA.)– Southeast Polk defensive back Emmanuel Gaye (5-foot-9, 165 pounds) is a ball-hawking corner for the Rams and a Junior to watch.
The Rams got a hell of a corner in Gaye. He has some smooth breaks and plays with good poise. Gaye has good ball skills and understands how to attack receivers in 50/50 situations. He isn’t afraid to help in the run game and tackles well. Overall, he uses aggression and explosiveness to help overlook his size. Gaye finished the season with 21 (18 solo) tackles, 4 interceptions, and 13 pass deflections and received Second Team All-Conference.
Gaye has love and passion for the game and talks about his strengths.
“My strengths are my speed, acceleration, and agility. I’m just looking to work on my strength during the off-season.”
Gaye has a twitchy type of play to him, he can read and react quickly to what he sees. His instincts and anticipation are exceptional as well which allows him to be patient with receivers throughout routes. He was slated at corner the entire season but he brings a skill set that shows versatility. While he may look like a corner, he might be able to play some safety due to his vision and burst. Run support wouldn’t be an issue especially if he’s playing centerfield. Nonetheless, Gay has the potential to be a lockdown corner with the athleticism and production he brings.
Gay talks about the goals he’s set.
“Goals I have set for myself is to make the All-State team next year.”
The junior is a name to watch as the spring and summer start to roll. He will have the chance to showcase his versatility as the camp season rolls around. Schools are starting to focus on the class of 2025 and they’ll notice the value of him once they turn on the film and/or see him compete.
Waukee (IA.)– Waukee Northwest wide receiver Maverick Inman (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) is a playmaking deep threat for the Wolves and a Junior to watch.
Inman will continue to get talked about because he has such great potential. He has the speed to run by defenders and seems to always win deep. He can be looked at as a deep ball mismatch that plays with confidence. However, he still uses his physical and athletic gifts to beat defenders. The wideout has a knack for catching the ball at its highest point. Inman finished the season with 36 receptions, 751 receiving yards, and 8 touchdowns while being elected First Team All-Conference.
He discusses his motivation and goals.
“The thing that motivates me the most is my love for the game. Grew up loving football and it has always been my passion. Furthermore, I just love being on the field with the guys and my teammates, it’s some of the most fun you can have. Some goals I have set for myself are to hit the 1,000 receiving yards mark next season as well as 15 receiving TDs. Another goal would be winning state!”
With the ability to elongate his catch radius, there are not a whole lot of things DBs can do. He can stretch the field with his long speed which stresses the backend. In addition, his route-running ability needs more finesse but he still creates good separation. While his route tree is more deep-oriented he works well on intermediate routes as well. He brings toughness, play-making ability, and sure hands to any system. Inman brings an “X” receiver-type play style to him and can surely fill that role once he puts it all together.
Inman talks about his strengths and what he’s looking to improve.
“Some strengths I have are my height and speed, as well as my route running and being able to pull the ball out of the air. Some things I’m looking to work on right now is to get even faster and move some more weight in the weight room.”
Central College and Wayne State have reached out to him along with some other D2s. He also got some contact from some FCS schools. None have officially offered the rising junior but he will have the chance to showcase his versatility as the camp season rolls around. Schools are starting to focus on the class of 2025 and they’ll notice the value of him once they turn on the film and/or see him compete.