UND Flagship Camp: DB Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>GRAND FORKS--</strong> One last piece of content from the UND Flagship Camp features the defensive backs that were knee-deep in my notebook that popped out in testing, Indy Drills, 1v1s and all of the above. From JUCO prospects, four states represented, and more we unpack everything we found from this DB group of standouts.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Lucas Struck, DB, Iowa Western CC, IA</strong> <a href="https://x.com/LucasStruck2">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1372108,"width":"306px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/12/IMG_3971-rotated-crop-1512x993-1723688153.jpg?w=800" alt="" class="wp-image-1372108" style="width:306px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of very few JUCO standouts I had from camps this summer was Iowa Western defensive back Lucas Struck who was amongst my DB standouts from Grand Forks. The former Waukee High grad, was one of the top defensive backs with the bulk of his testing numbers especially in the triple jump which he recorded over 28 inches. I felt he has grown significantly with his ball-tracking ability and become much more physical in pass coverage from the reps I watched at the UND Flagship Camp. A defensive back prospect that I have always felt plays longer than his measurables will show you and one that certainly is worth a scholarship at the Division II level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1699477' first='Gavin' last='Matheny'], DB, Ankeny Centennial, IA 2026</strong> <a href="https://x.com/gavin_matheny47">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another Iowa prospect that I had plenty of notes in my notebook on was [player_tooltip player_id='1699477' first='Gavin' last='Matheny'] a 2026 defensive back out Ankeny Centennial. He showed off tons of athletic ability in the early reps, recording a 31.5 inch triple jump and watching him during Indy drills he possessed a great amount of fluidity in his athletic movement. Gavin tested amongst the best in the DB group amongst the 2026 class and I would say even the 2025. He also left an impression too with his ball-tracking ability in the few reps I witnessed. No tape yet on this young man, but he will be an Iowa name I will be tracking for sure this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Justin Kabera, DB, Harrisburg, SD 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/justinkabera1">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1372107,"width":"322px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/05/IMG_0533-rotated-crop-481x316-1723688015-crop-384x253-1723688039.jpg?w=383" alt="" class="wp-image-1372107" style="width:322px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What did we catch out of our South Dakota DB1 in the 2025 class? Justin has always been twitchy, we have known that for a few years now but if I am looking from start of summer to mid July, I felt there was even smoother change of direction while watching Justin during Indy drills and its usually a good sign when a prospect has a Division I coordinator coaching them harder than the rest of the group. The best ball-tracker in the Dakotas 2025 class is one that will be one to watch this fall not only on the field, but where he ends up at the next level.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1132564' first='Sam' last='Shaughnessy'], DB, Blaine, MN 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/SamShaughnessy0">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Minnesota-Duluth commit put together a sound outing in Grand Forks showing what looks like a great secondary for the Blaine Bengals in this 2025 class based on my live camp evals this summer. Sam quickly caught my eyes with his athleticism as one of the most fluid defensive backs I watched at the UND Flagship Camp and showed off ideal size at just over 6'0 190 pounds that will be a solid addition to the Bulldogs secondary. Sam also showed off his suddeness with his release as a prospect that gets downhill extremely smooth and quickly. The next-level fit for me for Sam looks like free safety in my eyes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>Luke Leverett, Providence Catholic, IL 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/LukeLeverett2">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Luke was a new name on my Midwest radar at prospect camps, as a 2025 defensive back out of Providence Catholic outside of Chicago that caught my attention in Grand Froks. What stood with Luke consistently was his great footwork as the reps I saw out of him in Indy Drills, I did not see one rep where this young man took any extra steps with his footwork than he needed to. Luke intrigues me on tape with his vision as he is proactive on his switches from one receiver to the other which is a credit to his football IQ too. A physical corner, that surprises me how under-recruited he is, as he shows off on tape significantly bigger than the measurables show with his overall presence with just one Division II offer thus far.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"fontSize":"medium"} --> <p class="has-medium-font-size"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='234907' first='Jacion' last='Owens'], DB, Esko, MN 2025</strong> <a href="https://x.com/JacionOwens">Twitter</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:image {"id":1372103,"width":"321px","height":"auto","sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://prepredzone.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/08/Jacion-Owens-crop-1536x1009-1723687900-crop-640x421-1723687925.jpeg?w=639" alt="" class="wp-image-1372103" style="width:321px;height:auto" /></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last but not least, we meet Esko 2025 defensive back [player_tooltip player_id='234907' first='Jacion' last='Owens']. Jacion was another defensive back that showed off great physicality during the 1v1s I got to watch in Grand Forks. I felt like since watching his 2023 tape, he has went to work improving his footwork even more as Jacion's change of direction showed off some great twitch on reps at the UND Flagship Camp. I am pumped to see what Jacion can do with his senoir tape, as his junior tape showed off a corner that constantly won plenty of battles with receivers due to his feisty hands that were in plenty of wide receivers pockets last season in 2A which was the same story in Grands. Still can't wrap my head why this young man is so under the radar especially in the NSIC.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:embed {"url":"https://twitter.com/JacionOwens/status/1813374606742352266","type":"rich","providerNameSlug":"twitter","responsive":true} --> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/JacionOwens/status/1813374606742352266 </div></figure> <!-- /wp:embed -->