Freshmen Who Shined in Their First Season

The freshmen season has come to a close with the wrap up of the 2024 varsity regular season. The Class of 2028 is going to be a fun one to cover because we have already seen so many members of it step out and make a name for themselves. Some of those athletes have been able to see some varsity action even. Those athletes are still in action, but with the majority of freshmen entering their offseason Prep Redzone WI wants to shine the spotlight on some freshmen who truly impressed us in Year One. Get these kids on your radars early!    A very exciting running back in the Class of 2028 that I have been impressed by is Kenosha Bradford's [player_tooltip player_id='1288244' first='Gahari' last='Barnes']. The freshman is an explosive runner with the ball in his hands. So much so that the '28 was able to get some varsity experience this season. Gahari has a fantastic base of traits to built upon. His instincts and vision shine on tape as he quickly finds the quickest path to green grass and does a great job of running through traffic without taking hits. Barnes' athleticism is advanced for his age too. His burst through the hole, top end speed, and agility are all major strengths of the explosive playmaker. Check out some of his highlights from this season.      A 2028 WR that really impressed with the clips he has put out is Germantown's Nolan Vogt. I swear they have a factory producing these big, physical wide receivers in Germantown. The next one up is the 6'1" 185 lbs 2028. The big target has reliable hands, a big catch radius, and does a great job of catching the ball away from his body and using that body to shield away DBs. Nolan is a monster after the catch. He is strong through contact, has an effective stiff arm, and has the contact balance to be able to pile up yards after contact. I'm excited to see how he looks at the varsity level going forward.     An explosive athlete who has been able to make a varsity impact at times is WR [player_tooltip player_id='1287224' first='Gavin' last='Schiek'] of Franklin. Franklin is one of the best teams in WI, so a freshman WR finding even a slight role on the squad is impressive. Gavin has game breaking speed that even the varsity would use to break the game open. He does a great job of tracking the ball in flight and has the hands to easily reel in those deep, over the shoulder passes. Schiek already is a mismatch out wide and is only going to get better over these next three years. Get this kid on your radars early.     Judiah didn't hit my radar until late in the season, but he will be someone I keep an eye on going forward. While he is only 5'5" 140 lbs currently, Judiah has some explosive highlights. He brings speed, quick twitch agility and elusiveness to the field. He is showing solid vision at the JV/C level and even was able to flash some surprising contact balance between the tackles. I'm excited to see what he grows into over the next couple years because he has a solid base of athletic traits to build on.      Hendrix is looking like a special DL prospect. The freshman is apart of the Wisconsin Dells varsity team, so his season isn't done as they prepare for Level 1 of the playoffs. The 6'4" 235 lbs freshman has a slew of traits that perfectly fit the DL. He does a great job using that length to keep himself clean and has quick hands to disengage from blocks. His body control and lateral agility are huge boosts to get around OL and run stunts in the trenches. The big man is also explosive out of his stance and can create power on contact to be able to bull rush into the backfield to create disruption. The freshman DL is looking like a serious force in the trenches in year one.     I'm really liking what I see from the Franklin lineman early on in his career. On tape his 6'2" 280 lbs frame towers over the JV/C Team competition and that size advantage also comes with an overwhelming strength advantage that he uses to consistently create a positive push in the trenches. Zachary isn't just a big frame, though. He further sets himself apart from the crowd with impressive feet. The freshman is quick out of his stance, can get himself in position to wall off opponents, and does ag great job of churning those legs in the run game to create that big push. I'm very excited to see what the freshman develops into.     Tre wrapped up a very good freshman season where he helped his team earn Conference Champs honors at the JV/C Team level. Tre finished the year with 19 receptions, and 4 TDs while averaging 20 yards/rec. The freshman is a physically imposing prospect. He already checks in at 6'4" 195 lbs. That size is as much of an advantage as you would expect too. Tre is able to high point the ball over DBs and also has the strength in his hands to rip the ball away from DBs through contact. The massive target plays the ball in the air well, and has shown he can twist or adjust his path to get his hands on the ball. The freshman is a very long strider who eats up ground when he gets rolling in the open field after the catch, and that size advantage comes with a strength advantage too. Strength that lets him run through DBs after the catch. Tre is looking like one of the state's next top WR/TE prospects. Check him out!

The freshmen season has come to a close with the wrap up of the 2024 varsity regular season. The Class of 2028 is going to be a fun one to cover because we have already seen so many members of it step out and make a name for themselves. Some of those athletes have been able to see some varsity action even. Those athletes are still in action, but with the majority of freshmen entering their offseason Prep Redzone WI wants to shine the spotlight on some freshmen who truly impressed us in Year One. Get these kids on your radars early!