Young Gun Off-Season Playmakers On Full Display

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>More of the weekend tape grind as we work through getting the word out on the best and brightest the state has to offer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Thankfully, I crave the grind.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This past week has been primarily devoted to 2027 players as we race the clock to get the rankings adjusted and updated, but I have also taken the opportunity to shoe horn in a few reports here and there that feature the other classes.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which is where we are this fine Sunday morning in February.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report we will take a look at some versatile players from a mix of classes as I continue to shine the spotlight on guys who have stood out in my recent tape review sessions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A few of these guys are already on their way to establishing a rock-solid brand, but there are also a few under the radar guys who many have probably not heard of yet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That's getting ready to change in a hurry.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's dive in and check these guys out:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1445596' first='Justice' last='Criniere']</strong><em><strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/justice-criniere/"></a>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/justice-criniere/"></a>&nbsp;</em></strong>, 6'0 175, QB,&nbsp;<em>CPA-Lenexa&nbsp;</em>'27, is ranked #170, he is an impressive dual-threat destroyer of a QB who caught my eye earlier and the more I analyze his game, the more I like it. This guy is the real deal and turned heads last fall when he put up exceptional numbers, completing 94 of 166 passes for 1,543 yards, gained 521 yards on the ground and accounted for 37 total TD's with only six picks. He has efficient pocket mechanics and can make all the difficult throws, from deep velocity strikes, long-ball touch pass, and layering between defenders. He is also lethal throwing on the move and running the RPO or extending plays with great burst and elusiveness. He has demonstrated leadership skills and is already training for an encore season this fall. Get ready, he is a supernova on the rise.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1403624' first='Jaden' last='Parker']</strong>, 6'3, 230, RB/LB, Collegiate, '26, is ranked #335, after missing his entire sophomore season due to injury, he is rapidly making up for lost time on both the gridiron and the basketball court. This past fall he was an imposing back with great size and physicality who ran for 385 yards on 63 carries for a 6+ yards per carry average. He is a pile-driving runner with good wheels who can steamroll defenders or outrun them on the perimeter. On defense he is a sledgehammer of a hitter from his linebacker position who piled up 71 tackles, 13 TFL, four sacks and picked off a pair of passes. With his size, physical tools and drive to be a dominating force in whatever game is being played, he is getting ready for a next-level senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1256364' first='Trenton' last='King']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/trenton-king/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/trenton-king/"></a> ,</strong> LB/RB, 6'1”, 205, <em>Emporia</em>, ‘28, is ranked #10, is a rising star two-way baller who is a versatile athlete with a killer game at a young age. On offense he can play multiple positions in the backfield and is a pounding runner who picks up chunks of yardage after the initial hit. Where he really shines, however, is as a battering ram of a middle linebacker who steps up and stuffs the run game. He has baller instincts with great closing speed that enables him to quickly fly to the ball and unload on arrival. He has good field vision, moves well laterally and through traffic and has the speed to cut off running backs hitting the corner. When he storms the gate off the edge or is in blitz-mode shooting gaps, he is in the backfield in a flash. He is going to be the big dawg in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1327840' first='Cash' last='Widener']</strong>, 5'9, 150, WR/ATH, <em>Hesston</em>, '28, is ranked #42, he is coming off a solid start to his high school career as a versatile, multi-positional baller getting ready to take his game to the next level. On offense he can play quarterback if needed or even running back but where he shines is as wide receiver. He runs polished routes, has sticky hands and with his speed and elusiveness gets separation as soon as the ball is snapped. He has good wheels and can burn teams deep on the long ball or catch the difficult, contested passes over the middle. He is a playmaker with the ball in hand and tough to bring down in the open field. When he is not training for next season he is a burner in track, running the hurdles and sprints. He may be flying under the radar now but he's going to go off this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1615986' first='Rendor' last='Hada']</strong>, 6'1, 205, DE/RB, <em>Maize</em>, '27, is unranked, he is one of those under the radar guys that I stumble on in my film review that catches my eye when looking at other players, but makes me immediately shift gears to look at them instead. In this instance, we have an aggressive, physical defensive end who comes off the edge like a heat-seeking missile and either hammers the perimeter run game or causes headaches for the QB in the backfield. He has a strong, physical frame with good reach and powerful hands that he uses to jack blockers in the jaw before going over and through them into the backfield. He has the strength to collapse down on the inside run game and the speed to cut off backs hitting the corner. With a solid season under his belt and another off-season of training, he is going to be on a seek and destroy mission this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, all this talent just waiting to be seen in action in 2025. Don't miss your opportunity to check these guys out. And, as always, let me know if you run across any ballers getting ignored, give me a quick shout via DM on X. Keep grindin'...</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->