Wichita/Surrounding Area Weekend Baller Watchlist

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After a marathon weekend of tape review breakdown and related analysis, now comes the hard part, deciding which ballers to highlight initially in kicking off the first week of February.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Going through hours of tape with a fine-tooth comb and a discerning eye&nbsp;typically yields plenty of deserving players to get to. And, if you are a baller, I will most certainly get to you; even if it is <em>eventually </em>in some cases.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But for the young guns who don't care much about the patience-is-a-virtue thing, and want attention sooner rather than later, do yourselves a favor by reaching out to scouts like myself to help grease the skids concerning coverage.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>You can always <em>hope</em> your game is stellar enough to get you discovered, and for a small percentage of the elite players, their game will more than speak for itself. However, if you are not <em>obviously elite</em>, you probably need to take matters into your own hands and remove the uncertainty of whether you're getting looked at. I'm no expert, but would strongly suggest not taking anything for granted.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Remember, <em>hope is not a strategy...</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report we will take a look at five players coming off good sophomore and junior seasons last year who are starting to get some looks and are on the cusp of busting loose come Septmember.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's take a look at today's <em>"Weekend Ballers"</em>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1307968' first='Damian' last='Nicholson']</strong>, 5'10, 160, DB/WR, <em>Mulvane</em>, '27, is ranked #100, after playing at Belle Plaine as a freshman, he transferred to Mulvane as an athletic receiver who can split wide or line up in the slot as needed and is a smothering defensive back on the other side of the ball. He can play any of the positions in the secondary but is particularly effective as a lock-down cornerback who can get in the grille and then flip hips and run with the receiver. He can sink in coverage and cover a lot of ground in zone before collapsing on the ball. He is also a physical, aggressive d-back with excellent speed and quickness who delivers a blow on open-field tackles. He is already training in the off-season with Coach Rashad Daniels and will be ready for a breakout season this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1228931' first='Trevion' last='Cook']</strong>, 5'10, 255, OL, <em>Maize</em>, '26, is ranked #92, is coming off a solid junior season in the trenches as an aggressive offensive lineman who can play anywhere along the front, but has really stepped up as an interior lineman. With his powerful base and lower-body strength to go along with quick hands, he locks on defenders and works them over from snap to whistle. He is a versatile blocker who can pull and lead the play on the perimeter or use his quick feet to wall off defenders in pass pro. In the running game he caves in the down blocks and can chip and cut off linebackers. When he is not training for football he is in the gym powerlifting. With a season of experience and more training time under his belt he is going to be ready to take it to the next level in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1542914' first='Landon' last='Salazar']</strong>, 6'2, 275, OL, <em>Eisenhower</em>, '27, is ranked #192, is off and running on a good start after being the only sophomore to start along the Eisenhower offensive line that helped power the team deep into the playoffs last fall. He can play either tackle, but was very effective at right tackle last fall and with his size and reach was dominating in space. In the off-season he is training with legendary Coach James Tabor, so he will be in great shape when fall rolls around. When he is not training he also plays baseball in the spring. With a year of experience under his belt and growth in the standout&nbsp;<em>Tiger</em>&nbsp;system he will be ready to help continue a strong offensive attack. Get this guy on your watchlist, he is getting ready to dominate this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1616708' first='Darrien' last='Gentry']</strong>, 6'1, 210, Edge, <em>Derby,</em> '26, is currently unranked, is another up-and-coming Derby baller who had a good season last fall as an aggressive outside linebacker/edge rusher who brings physicality and athleticism to the position. He is versatile enough to play multiple positions, but the way he dominates on the edge will probably be there for the foreseeable future. With his strong frame and mobility he can trample blockers with a bashing bull-rush or burn the edge with good bend and speed getting into the backfield. He has good instincts and read and react skills and closes on the ball exceptionally fast. Last fall he piled up an impressive 60+ tackles, seven tackles for loss, a pair of sacks and had a forced fumble. He is currently training for football and will run track in the spring. This guy is getting ready to own the perimeter in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1616710' first='James' last='Horn']</strong>, 6'0, 260, OL, <em>Wichita Southeast</em>, '26, is currently unranked, is coming off a solid season in the trenches as a mauling, brawling offensive lineman who can also play defensive tackle as needed. This past fall he lined up at offensive guard and didn't waste any time establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with. With his powerful base and mobility he is a piledriving blocker on down blocks, but is quick enough to pull and lead running backs on the perimeter. He is also effective in pass pro, with quick feet and strong hands that he uses to lock up and protect the pocket. He brings physicality and an edge to his game and will drive defenders from snap to whistle. When he isn't training in the off-season for the next football season he is also an excellent wrestler. He is getting ready to turn heads this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, these guys are all battle tested and ready to take the next step. Get them on your watchlist and follow the build up to this fall. And, as always, if you know of anyone flying under the radar give me a shout via DM on X.&nbsp;<em>Keep grindin'…</em></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->