Sophomores Who Put Themselves on the Map

Here at Prep Redzone WI we are always on the lookout for new talent that we were unaware of. Kids hit our radars in so many ways like camps, live games, Twitter interaction, or tips from coaches and teammates. By the end of the regular season we always have a strong list of student athletes that we will add to the rankings. We keep it organized by graduating class, and today I want to focus on the Class of 2027. Since our rankings update just before the season kicked off we have come across several 2027s that we are excited about. So let's talk about them!    Darcel is listed as a FB for Appleton North and that about sums up the running style that the sophomore plays with. Physicality is the name of the game. The '27 is a north-south runner who has no hesitation to run through an LB's chest to gain the tough short yards. Darcel has the contact balance to run through those hits and stay on his feet for yards after contact. When the designed lane is too clogged up, that is when Darcel will show that he has the lateral agility to be able to quickly change direction or attack a new gap. I'm very interested to see how the sophomore develops this offseason. Check out his sophomore highlights below!      Varsity Stats: 48 Tackles, 6 TFLs, 2 Sacks, 1 FR, 1 FF, 2 PBUs   The sophomore OLB/DE out of West Bend West has a bright future ahead of him. He has a fantastic frame to build on that is already strong and has the necessary length to play off the edge effectively. The versatility in his highlights is special. One play he is a hand in the dirt DE, next play he is in a two point stance, then the next snap he is lining up over a slot receiver. More impressive than that is that the sophomore is able to make an impact at all those spots. He has the explosive first step off the line that he can turn into power to bull rush. Colton has strong balance and body control to be able to dip, bend, or change direction while rushing or while dropping into coverage. Colton is an impressive athlete that already has a strong base of tape, a great frame, varsity production, and the speed/power combo to thrive on the edge. Give the tape a look.      Sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='1412712' first='Sam' last='Schmidt'] mans the starting left tackle spot on the West De Pere varsity. Sam has an excellent frame that has so much room to bulk up. He carries the 250 lbs very easily. The '27 OT has a great base of talent to build on over the coming years. The range, quick feet, and power are all there for him to dominate in the run game. Where he gets a ton of work is in pass protection. WDP isn't afraid to let it fly 40+ times in a game, and holding down the blindside is Sam. His ability to use his length and quick feet to control and stay in front of are major strengths. He has the anchor to handle bull rushers too. He is a name to know in the Class of 2027. You can still catch him in action this year as West De Pere is still in the playoffs.      Varsity Stats: 36/93, 359 Yards, 2 Passing TDs, 1 Rushing TDs   West Allis Central had a tough season overall. They had to rely on younger, inexperienced athletes at times. That included sophomore QB [player_tooltip player_id='1620368' first='Julian' last='Molthen']. Julian has very quick and clean mechanics that get the ball out quickly. Watching through the tape I came away impressed with the velocity he was able to create and how effortlessly he could get the ball to jump out of his hands. The sophomore did a lot of damage in the quick passing game this season thanks to those traits. I'm looking forward to watching Julian grow and develop over the next two years. Watch through his weekly highlights below.      Varsity Stats: 102 Carries, 396 Yards, 3 TDs, 19 Receptions, 203 Yards, 82 Tackles, 10 TFLs, 1 FR   Keaton carved out a two way role on varsity as a sophomore. The 6'3" 200 lbs '27 already looks the part of a dominant varsity athlete. The way he plays LB is going to get him a lot of fans early on. He is quick to attack downhill. The instincts are already developing quickly. Keaton does a great job moving through the front seven without getting hung up on blocks. The power he plays with jumps off the screen, whether shedding blocks or completely running over an OL if needed. The sophomore does a great job of reading the flow of the line and maintaining his gap. That same overwhelming power on defense shows up when he runs the ball on offense. He is a tough tackle who can run behind his pads and has an effective stiff arm. The versatile athlete will be one of top athletes to know in this Class.      Varsity Stats: 125/243, 1,570 Yards, 16 Passing TDs, 3 Rushing TDs   Garrett is going to be one of the top QBs in this Class. He has a live arm that gives him and his offense the ability to attack short, intermediate, and deep downfield. The ball comes out quickly and the velocity should only get even better as he continues to add size and get stronger over the years. More importantly, Garrett has the touch and accuracy needed to attack the defense. He puts the ball where his man can catch and run with it or go get it without putting the ball at risk. His base of mechanics from his feet to his release are developing very well too. Watch the highlights. The McFarland offense is going to be one to watch.      Varsity Stats: 138/224, 1,792 Yards, 19 Passing TDs, 104 Rushing yards, 2 Rushing TDs   Another sophomore QB who got a lot of early varsity experience is [player_tooltip player_id='1620347' first='Connor' last='Navis']. The highlights are exciting. Connor has the arm talent to be aggressive with the ball and drive it to the deep third of the field. He has the arm strength and accuracy to hit windows and get the ball there before the windows close. It is impressive watching him go from option to option and see how quickly he finds his target and gets the ball out. The sophomore shows poise in the pocket as goes through those progressions. Big things are ahead for Connor and the Appleton West offense. Keep your eyes on this kid.

Here at Prep Redzone WI we are always on the lookout for new talent that we were unaware of. Kids hit our radars in so many ways like camps, live games, Twitter interaction, or tips from coaches and teammates. By the end of the regular season we always have a strong list of student athletes that we will add to the rankings. We keep it organized by graduating class, and today I want to focus on the Class of 2027. Since our rankings update just before the season kicked off we have come across several 2027s that we are excited about. So let's talk about them!