West Central WI's Top 2026s to Know

We continue our offseason tour across the different regions of Wisconsin with a trip to the west central part of the state. Specifically, the region and schools between Eau Claire and La Crosse. We will be doing individual articles for those cities, so this series will all focus on the schools between those two major cities. There are plenty of names to know from this area, many of which reside at small schools but have the talent to get them on the radars of the next level. So let's dive right into it!    One of the top talents in the region, and one of the most productive athletes of 2024 in the state is Sparta's RB/LB Cam Mctaggart. The '26 is all over the field on Friday nights. He is a playmaker with the ball in his hands on offense. Cam has solid vision to find alleys or blocks to utilize. He runs with a strong contact balance that allows him to plow through tackle attempts. Once he hits the open field there is a second gear to his speed that gives him the ability to pull away.   On defense we would have to see him switch to more of a hybrid nickel role at 5'8" 190 lbs. However there is plenty to like about the defense highlights. Cam has the range and change of direction to do well in zone coverage. The junior is also strong when playing through the trenches and making surprisingly stout tackles vs the run game. The Sparta product is a versatile talent. Check out his recent offensive highlights below.      Timothy is coming off a productive season for Tomah. As a junior the 6' 195 lbs athlete was the team's leading rusher and tackler. On offense Timothy gained 737 yards and 7 TDs, while also making 68 tackles. Budde plays the same way on both sides of the ball. Downhill with power and aggression. On offense you see him working between the tackles with a strong leg drive to run through tackles or push the pile and find ways to gain yards after contact. He is a power back that thrives at gaining the tough yards between the tackles. On defense Budde is a stout run defender and overall tackler who instantly shuts down forward progression when he makes contact. The junior will be a key piece once again this fall. Keep an eye on him.      A small school standout to know from the region is [player_tooltip player_id='1220790' first='Carter' last='Heike'] of Mondovi. The RB/LB piled up 475 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs along with 12 receptions for 151 yards on offense. On defense he contributed 54 tackles, 2 TFLs, and 2 fumbler recoveries. On offense, Carter is a downhill runner who thrives between the tackles. He runs north-south with power through the front seven and then shows some wiggle when he gets more out in space against DBs. His physical running style wears down the interior of the defense. On defense the junior thrives with that same downhill, strong play as he shuts down the inside run game. His tackling is strong and we see the speed through the gap to meet the RB before an OL can get hands on him.      We go back to the Tomah backfield for our next standout. This time it is to shine the spotlight on the change of pace, speed back. [player_tooltip player_id='948124' first='Shon' last='Abbas'] put up 306 yards and 3 TDs on the ground with 77 receiving yards. Shon isn't your typical scat back, though. He has no problem throwing a block for his teammates and gets downhill in a hurry instead of wasting any time looking to make a cut or juke in the hole. Shon has several examples of himself running through contact. The 5'7" and now 170 lbs back is a name to watch this fall as we could see him make an even bigger impact this fall. Check out the RB highlights from 2024.      An athlete that is newer to our radar here at PRZ WI is Arcadia RB/DL Max Blaschko. Max has an excellent frame for either position and already has a lot of production on both sides of the ball. Last season Max rushed for 1,099 yards and 9 TDs while also making 71 tackles, 3 TFLs, and 3 sacks. You have to be strapped up and ready to hit when facing Max. The 225 lbs athlete is a force with the ball in his hands. He runs behind his pads so well, absorbing contact and usually delivering the hit to the defender. The power he has allows him to easily run his feet through contact to break tackles. That power in his lower body is great for his play in the trenches as well where he is able to control the line of scrimmage while shedding blocks and making tackles. The size, power, and physicality are all to the level required to be a next level recruit. Get eyes on this kid, especially if he is new to your radar.      The 6'4" 350 lbs right tackle out of Black River Falls is an under the radar OL to get your eyes on. He is a massive athlete who has solid side to side agility, allowing him to get his powerful hands on his opponent, and then stay on them as he drives them off the line of scrimmage. Hands that deliver strong punches that have the capability of putting defenders on the ground quickly. The big man also shows that he can be nimble in pass protection, getting solid depth and mirroring the edge defender before using his length to engage with them. There are tools and traits to work with here. Check him out!      Cullen is coming off of a strong junior season at RB. The junior went off for 1,216 yards and 8 TDs in 2024. The '26 brings a well rounded, balanced attack to the backfield for Fall Creek. He can run between the tackles with power behind his pads and a strong leg drive. His contact balance allows him to churn right through arm tackles without losing moment or having to gather himself. Cullen also flashes the speed to get the edge and get upfield. Kramer also has a strong burst of acceleration while picking through traffic once he hits an open seam of daylight. Keep a close eye on the small school ball carrier this season.      Another talented member of the Fall Creek Class of 2026 is DL Ian Hopper. Hopper made 26 tackles, 7 TFLs, and recovered a fumble in 2024. Ian was a force on the interior of the trenches last year. He is so quick off the snap and flashes strong hands to quickly swat away OL hands. His acceleration and power through that burst allowed him to get penetration consistently in 2024 as OL tried their best to cut him off. The 225 lbs is just too quick for IOL. While Ian might not have the size to stay on the inside at the next level he does have the stout strength to be able to set a strong edge at the next level and can still win with that quickness out at DE. Hopper is a mismatch that can slide along the DL in different situations.

We continue our offseason tour across the different regions of Wisconsin with a trip to the west central part of the state. Specifically, the region and schools between Eau Claire and La Crosse. We will be doing individual articles for those cities, so this series will all focus on the schools between those two major cities. There are plenty of names to know from this area, many of which reside at small schools but have the talent to get them on the radars of the next level. So let's dive right into it!