Immediate Reaction to the Prep Redzone NJ's Stock Up Showcase

<p>With the New Jersey high school football season having concluded less than a week ago, the offseason has officially kicked off. Prep Redzone New Jersey wasted no time this year by celebrating the offseason by launching our Stop Up Showcase Tour. One of the tour's first locations? Hillsborough, New Jersey.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Core Four in Attendance</h2>   <p>In my time covering Prep Redzone events, I can say that this event was our most well-covered one yet. In addition to myself, Pennsylvania's [player_tooltip player_id='1685945' first='Vic' last='Castillo'], New York's Caleb Holfoth, and the DMV's Ed O'Brien all made the trip. Personally, it was an awesome time linking up with some of football's ripest minds, talking shop, and chopping it up.</p>   <p>Make sure you give us each a follow on Twitter:</p>   <p>New Jersey: <a href="https://x.com/BrendanScoutsNJ">Brendan</a><br>New York: <a href="http://@PRZCaleb">Caleb</a><br>DMV: <a href="https://x.com/EdOBrienCFB">Ed</a><br>Pennsylvania: <a href="http://@PRZPAvic">Vic</a></p>   <p>Before Vic cries some, it is in alphabetical order brother!</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Head-Line Position Group</h2>   <p>Sunday was a good day, as it always is, for football. This Sunday, however, was particularly kind with the linemen in attendance. Always the largest position group, today they were not the biggest in terms of numbers (that went to the wide receivers). The linemen - on both sides of the ball - where probably the most advanced group amongst the position groups today.</p>   <p>Size, athleticism, speed, power, and technique all created a highly competitive, face-pace 1on1 period where guys called out their matchups, avenged defeats, and got quality reps and coaching on both sides of the ball.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Empire Strikes Back</h2>   <p>As much as I love Jersey, and particularly Jersey high school football, every head must bow and and every tongue must confess: the Empire State, New York, seemed to seize the day. I was thoroughly impressed with the caliber of prospects that came down to visit the Garden State. Overall, it seemed as though the New Yorkers held an edge and brought their best as the competition wore on.</p>   <p>Sorry Jersey, I love you guys, but WHERE WE AT? We cannot let out-of-towners come down and show out like that they did. We need a better showing next time.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">They Have Come from Far & Wide</h2>   <p>My hopes is that Prep Redzone New Jersey's Stock Up Showcase Tour is starting to become a regional destination. This year's 2025 edition seems to be the case-and-point. Along with a number of teams (Colonia, St. Joseph Metuchen, St. Thomas Aquinas, Hillsborough, Montgomery) that are relatively local to Iron Peak, our host venue, teams from North Jersey (Newark Central, Wayne Hills, Montville, Morristown), South Jersey (Camden, Cherry Hill West, Toms River North, Kingsway), and everywhere in between are represented through their participating players in the program.</p>   <p>Furthermore, we have our traditional roster NYC PSAL/NYCAL teams represented (Spellman, Monsignor Farrell, Fort Hamilton, Canarsie, Cardinal Hayes), as well as many schools that are upstate (Archbishop Stepinac, Iona Prep, Yorktown) and Long Island (Deer Park, Roosevelt, North Babylon) with us this year. Atypical of my experiences in the past there was a greater presence from athletes out of our immediate region, specifically Pennsylvania (Avon Grove, Sesquehanna, Bethlehem - Freedom) Even schools that reach the capitol region of New York near Albany (Guilerland, Colonie) made the 4+ hour trip down I-87 to be a part of our event.</p>   <p>Most impressively, shout out to the young man and his family from Newfane High School. A quick Google search shows us that this school is north of<strong> </strong><em>Buffalo<strong> </strong></em>and borders Lake Ontario. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Spin Cycle</h2>   <p>One of the things that I appreciate about the Stop Up Showcase is that it is a capped event. This approach to camp structure allows for attendees to get the maximum return on their dollar and optimize their experience.</p>   <p>With a capped event, nobody is pushing, shoving, cutting the line, or otherwise jockeying for their position in line to get reps. There were plenty of reps to go around during indy, during competition phases, and during 1on1 sessions. </p>   <p>Perhaps most paramount, however, is the fact that these prospects received high-quality, hands-on, intimate, and detailed instruction from coaches from the collegiate ranks all day long. </p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Last Chance to Perform Live for Seniors</h2>   <p>In what could very likely be the last opportunity for the the class of 2025's seniors to perform live, in-action as high schoolers. More importantly, this time out they have the opportunity to put in work <em>in front</em> of college coaches while receiving instruction <em>by </em>college coaches.</p>   <p>I saw a lot of interest being garnered between seniors and college coaches alike. There were plenty of Twitter handles exchanged, contact info being passed, GPA's being discussed, and - hopefully - college offers coming of it.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">Underclassmen with an Appetite</h2>   <p>Maybe - and that is a big maybe - the one thing I enjoy more than college seniors hitting it off with college coaches at events are hungry underclassmen, chomping at the bit, to get better at events like this. Knowing that they are on the clock, there was a strong array of 2028, 2027, and 2026 graduates competing. </p>   <p>The only way a basketball player improves their jump shot is by practicing it. That said, I am a firm believer that the only way you get better at football is "doing football." It simply warms my heart to see the next crop of players hungry to get their flowers out competing early in the offseason. This means that our game is alive, well, and thriving.</p>   <p>Special shout out is in order to those in the class of 2028. At first glance the proportion of 2028's in attendance was much higher than I am accustom to seeing at camps.</p>

With the New Jersey high school football season having concluded less than a week ago, the offseason has officially kicked off. Prep Redzone New Jersey wasted no time this year by celebrating the offseason by launching our Stop Up Showcase Tour. One of the tour's first locations? Hillsborough, New Jersey.