Prep Redzone WI Combine MVPs
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The 2024 Spring PRZ WI Combine is in the books! 120+ athletes came out and put their talents on display through an array of athletic testing, positional drills, and one on one battles. The talent level was high, and that…
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Continue ReadingThe 2024 Spring PRZ WI Combine is in the books! 120+ athletes came out and put their talents on display through an array of athletic testing, positional drills, and one on one battles. The talent level was high, and that led to a highly competitive environment. To begin our recap of the two sessions we will start with a dive into the performance of each position’s MVP. At the end of each session we went through and picked out the athlete who stood out the most with their talent, and caught the eyes of college coaches in attendance. Following this article, we will begin our series of breaking down the standouts from each position group. Let’s kick things off with something we have never had at a PRZ WI Showcase/Combine…
Quarterback MVP
Sophomore QB Isaac Ziegler Isaac Ziegler 6’2″ | 185 lbs | QB DeForest | 2026 WI came out and put himself on the map with his performance. He was locked in a tough battle for MVP all day, and when it came down to it the coaches couldn’t decide who to give the honor to. That led to our first ever Co-MVP honor.
Isaac brings a dual threat to the field with what he can do with his arm and legs. The lower body was the first to make an impression. Isaac broad jumped 9’2″ & 9’6″, showing that explosive burst that he uses to make a defense pay when they turn their back to him and don’t contain him within the pocket.
What really put him in position to earn co-MVP for QBs was the arm talent and throwing mechanics. The young signal caller has very efficient mechanics. Isaac has a quick release, his feet are quick through his drop, and he is able to generate velocity as his entire body works as one to get behind the ball. Isaac had no trouble putting the ball on a rope to all three levels of the field. What was most impressive was the pinpoint accuracy. Coaches were raving after several throws that would zip just inches past a DBs hand or drop perfectly over the corner and his receiver’s shoulder. Ziegler demonstrated excellent control over the football and has the tools to become a special prospect in the Class of 2026. Get this kid on your radars early.
Highlights
The other half of our Co-MVP honor at QB was 8th grader JJ Chapman JJ Chapman 6’0″ | 175 lbs | QB Oak Creek | 2027 WI . JJ is a special prospect. The poise, confidence, and talent he possesses at such a young age is very hard to find. Chapman was unable to participate in the combine portion as he is coming off an ankle injury, but he did participate in all the throwing aspects of the day. What he did during that half of the day was plenty to earn him a nod for MVP.
JJ has clearly absorbed his coaching very well. There is no wasted movement from his feet to his hips, shoulders, and hands. The young passer demonstrated great awareness for when to attack with touch and when to attack with velocity. JJ carved up 1 on 1s, hitting receivers in stride, putting the ball where his man could get it without putting it at risk from DBs. Chapman has a bright future head of him as he continues to grow, learn, and develop.
Running Back MVP
Bradley put together a great day during session I of the combine. He came away with RB MVP while also spending time taking reps at LB. In fact, Bradley was in the final running for LB MVP as well. The La Crosse Logan two way standout proved he is a versatile athlete who can make an impact at the next level.
When it came down to it, Bradley was the clear choice for RB MVP. We saw drills that showed off almost every aspect of the position, and Bradley was leading the way in all of them. He closed quickly, engaged, and was able to move his feet to stay in front of blitzing LBs during pass pro drills. Check showed off soft hands, balance, and burst while running routes vs LBs. Bradley also flashed lateral agility running with the ball. The Logan athlete looked the part of a three down back, and he has the two way production as a junior to back up what we saw in person. Don’t sleep on this kid.
Highlights
Wide Receiver MVP
I was excited to see one of the state’s most productive receivers in action, and Boden didn’t disappoint. The 5’9″ 180 lbs WR dominated the combine portion of the day where he got to prove how explosive his lower body is. The junior board jumped 9’4″, ran a 4.6 40 yard dash, and a blazing 4.32 shuttle. Those numbers alone do a great job of showing his balance when changing direction and his powerful acceleration.
Watching him in 1 on 1s further locked into our minds how dominant he is out wide. Boden is able to run very effective routes with sharp breaks that opened up separation all day long. His ability to stay square through those breaks gave him the chance to accelerate and pull away. Frosch also showed off the strong hands to make catches through contact when the separation wasn’t there. Every rep the junior found a way to get to the ball and once he got his hands on it there was a good chance he was completing the catch. Boden is going to have a big senior season this fall. Don’t wait that long to get on him, though. He is a talented prospect.
Highlights
Tight End MVP
Another impressive junior that I was most looking forward to seeing was Racine Case TE Jacob Haughton Jacob Haughton 6’2″ | 215 lbs | TE Racine Case | 2025 State WI . The powerful athlete didn’t disappoint. He started his day with a great combine after weighing in at 215 lbs. He ran a 4.65 40, broad jumped 9’5″, and ran a 4.37 shuttle. The power that you see on tape flashed in the combine and stood out in the drills and one on one battles.
Jacob easily beat press at the line with strong hands to get himself clean of the CB. He burst off the line when given clean releases, and accelerated away when he beat jams as well. There was no bumping him off his routes downfield either. Jacob wasn’t just powerful. He was a smooth athlete who was able to track the ball and make the quick, last second adjustment to get hands on the ball. The big man also understood how to use his frame to protect the ball. The junior was a mismatch, and was able to leave with his first offer.
Highlights
Offensive Line MVP
Sam looks the part of a college offensive line prospect as a sophomore, and he verified the frame with a 6’3″ 270 lbs weigh in to start the day off. I put a lot of focus on the OL when we got to the live battles vs the DL. Right away the Hartford Union standout caught our eyes.
Sam checks a lot of boxes when the bullets start flying. He plays with the flexibility needed to stay low and win the leverage battle. We saw his powerful anchor as he absorbed bull rush attempts. It was impressive watching him clamp his strong hands onto his opponent and be able to control where they went. Sam also impressed me with his reactive athleticism. He was quick to mirror the movement of his opponent, staying square in front of them. Plus we got to see him work at OT and OG. It was a great day for a rising OL prospect. Don’t wait to get the sophomore on your radars.
Highlights
Defensive Line MVP
The DL2 in the Class of 2025 came in and proved he was one of the best prospects available at his position. He verified his size with a 6’5″ 287 lbs weigh in with long arms. Similar to the OL, I really dialed in on the DL during the 1 on 1 battles.
It was clear during that session that Kevin was a different animal. He won with his heavy hands ripping through the OL and his feet quickly getting him around and to the heels of his opponent. We also saw him get hands to the chest of his OL and bull rush them right into the lap of the QB. The big man also flashed the body control and feet to be able to move laterally while on his rush and while engaged. Kevin demonstrated his talents fully. We saw him use his size, his power, and his quickness individually and together to win reps. He was the clear MVP of the group.
Linebacker MVP
Mariano put together a strong day, and was able to lock up LB MVP with his play in 1 vs 1s against the RB group. Mariano is clearly an undersized prospect, but as time goes on we see less and less traditional positions and more unique chess pieces that coaches can use to match up with opponents.
Mariano demonstrated that he has the ability to help take away a mismatch. In one on ones guarding RBs in coverage Mariano proved he could change direction, accelerate from his drop or turning to run with the RB. His short area quickness kept him tight to his man, and when the ball arrived he had good timing and was very disruptive at the catch point. While Mariano doesn’t fit the role of a traditional three down LB, he can come in and help on third down against an RB. He proved that on the way to LB MVP.
Highlights
Defensive Back MVP
The 5’9″ 165 lbs DB out of Oak Creek put together a great day from start to finish. He began with a 4.66 40, 4.34 shuttle, and a pair of 9’4″ broad jumps. The sophomore also caught my eyes during positional drills with his quick feet and ability to flip his hips comfortably. Of course, what really matters is does the athleticism, agility, and ball skills translate when we go live?
The answer was a resounding yes for Izayah on Sunday. In 1 vs 1s Izayah was aggressive, often pressing at the line. He demonstrated quick twitch reactive athleticism to be able to stick to his man’s hip in man coverage. The sophomore was able to run through route breaks while keeping his speed, and then attacked the ball at the catch point. Angeles made receivers work on Sunday. This is a kid to keep your eyes on over the coming years.