Wichita Area Ballers: All Classes Ready For The Next Step

It has been another marathon weekend of tackling the tape and in doing so was reminded just how talented the football is in Kansas. You don't have to look hard to find next-level performers, but if you slow down and focus a trained eye at the guys on the cusp of greatness or flying under the radar you will be rewarded with a long list of quality players.   And, as I was taking notes, referring to older notes and frantically trying to stay on top of the action playing out on the screen, it didn't take long to arrive at the five who will be featured today.   The players below represent the up-and-coming classes in a variety of different positions. The single thread that runs through these positions is these guys are all going to be straight-up dominators at their various positions this fall.   In this report we will take a look at a couple of seniors, a couple of juniors and one young gun getting ready for his sophomore season.   So, without further adieu, let's take a look at the Sunday Five:   [player_tooltip player_id='1515812' first='Dalton' last='Wulf']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/dalton-wulf/"></a> , LB/ATH, 6'1”, 185, Clearwater, ‘26, is coming off a stellar junior season as a headhunter of a middle linebacker who was among the best in the state last fall. He shot up the rankings by virtue of his exceptional defensive numbers, leading the state in tackles with 128 in nine games and averaging a staggering 14+ tackles per game. He added five sacks, five tackles for loss and picked off a pass for good measure. He closed out the year strong, averaging 16 tackles per game in his last three games. With great read and react skills and closing speed, he flies through traffic to make crushing hits at the line of scrimmage. On the blitz he shoots gaps like a heat-seeking missile and causes backfield-havoc in his wake. This guy is getting ready for a monster season this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1401808' first='Ty' last='Willits'], 6'3, 185, DB/ATH, Maize, '26, is coming off a solid season a year ago as a rising-star defensive back with prototype size and wing-span who is versatile enough to play any of the secondary spots. He can flip hips and shadow wideouts as a lock-down corner or play as a centerfielder safety reading quarterbacks and closely tracking the ball. He has good secondary instincts and with his expansive catch radius destroys the pass game in the redzone. If the read is run he collapses down to make punishing tackles in the backfield or on the perimeter when the opposing team tries to go wide. He is also a standout in basketball and is continuing his training for a big season this fall. He is the real-deal and is getting ready for some significant attention in 2025.   [player_tooltip player_id='1585528' first='Dane' last='Becker']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/dane-becker/"></a> , 5'11, 165, RB/DB, McPherson, '27, is coming off a good year as a two-way playmaker who excels on both sides of the ball. On offense he is a slashing, gashing all-purpose back who lines up in a variety of ways, splitting out, in tight or as a tailback. He makes ankle-breaking cuts once he sizes up his blocking and then accelerates to daylight in a flash. Once in the open field he is an elusive runner who is slippery dodging defenders but also picks up tough yardage after the initial hit. On defense he has an eye for the ball in the secondary. He arrives quickly to stop running backs at the LOS or will line up on the edge and lower the boom on the QB in the backfield. He is playing with the Kansas Colts in the up-coming 7v7 season and is getting ready for a big year this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1586645' first='Dane' last='Chattam']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/dane-chattam/"></a> , 5'10, 165, RB/DB, Winfield, '27, is starting to get some attention after a solid season last fall when he rushed for just under 600 yards, and added another 300+ yards receiving and on returns and scored 10 touchdowns. He was particularly explosive against Circle, as in two games he rolled up 327 yards on 42 carries, averaging eight yards a pop and scored four TD's. He is a quick, shifty RB with good spatial awareness reading the field and penetrating gaps in the defense. On the other side of the ball he is a suffocating defensive back who can play safety or corner and racked up 21 tackles, recovered three fumbles and intercepted a pass. He is already hard at it in the Viking's off-season training program and is going to be ready to deliver some fireworks in 2025.   [player_tooltip player_id='1147299' first='Holden' last='Ferralez']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/holden-ferralez/"></a> , 6'0, 160, Sedgwick, '28, seeing limited action backing up an all-state QB last fall, he proceeded to take it out on his JV opponents, averaging a jaw-dropping 508 yards running and passing in his final two games. Let that sink in for sec... On offense he is a playmaker dual-threat QB who can dismantle the defense with his arm and his legs. He already has a mature game and is working on reading the defense, quickly processing adjustments and zipping through multiple progressions in the 2.5-second range. In 7v7 this spring he will continue to hone his skills as the quarterback for the loaded Kansas Colts 15U team. When not playing hoops he is pulling double-duty working on taking his gunslinger game to the next level. Keep your eye on this guy, he is going to go off this fall.   In conclusion, follow these guys while you still have the chance. And, as always, keep me posted on any guys flying under the proverbial radar. Keep grindin'…

It has been another marathon weekend of tackling the tape and in doing so was reminded just how talented the football is in Kansas. You don't have to look hard to find next-level performers, but if you slow down and focus a trained eye at the guys on the cusp of greatness or flying under the radar you will be rewarded with a long list of quality players.