Underclassmen Ballers Fine-Tuning For Fall

The off-season is a good time to get to know players and coaches and get a feel for how they approach the game. In particular, it is enjoyable to start watching players as underclassmen and follow the journey through their prep career.   My goal is to touch base with as many players and coaches as I can and recognize the good things they are bringing to the game, but also do my small part in getting players some visibility and hopefully assist in their efforts in making it to the next level.   Since last summer I have been contacted by and/or reached out to 500+ players and 50+ coaches in this role. And, as much as I enjoy reporting during the season when a player is doing well, I get even more excited flushing out players flying under the radar or helping shine the spotlight on young ballers trying to make a name for themselves.   In this report we are focusing on five underclassmen who are going full throttle this off-season getting ready for breakout seasons this fall. The first one out of the gate below is a class of '27 quarterback who is on the cusp of greatness, and then four rising-stars from the class of 2028 who are getting ready to turn heads this fall.   So, without further adieu, let's take a closer look at the Thursday Five:   [player_tooltip player_id='1166125' first='Colt' last='Curry']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/colt-curry/"></a> , 6'2, 205, QB, Lawrence, '27. He may be flying under the radar right now, but that will change in a hurry this fall. After backing up a senior headed to play D1, he is pulling out all the stops getting ready to optimize his opportunity. With prototype size and athleticism, he is a dual-threat who throws a great ball and is dangerous once he decides to keep it on the ground. He has been training with noted QB coach Justin Hoover at Spin It Quarterback Academy fine-tuning footwork and passing mechanics and also working with coach Nick Griffith from Elevate U. Performance on strength, speed and agility. He has also been consistently throwing with a core group of receivers and teammates working on timing and rapport, but also building chemistry and providing leadership. His camp schedule is still a work in progress but he has a several in mind that he is currently finalizing. This guy is getting ready to torch the opposition this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1488806' first='Nick' last='Fry']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/nick-fry/"></a> , 5'10, 160, RB/LB, Hesston, '28. It has been a busy freshman season for this young baller and it doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. He just wrapped up 7v7 with the Kansas Colts and has already shifted gears to track, where he is a rising-star hurdler, taking first in 110m hurdles and second in the 300m hurdles by .01 seconds recently. The hurdles come naturally as his mom was a standout hurdler at Peabody back in the day. His off-season training has been consistent, working hard on speed training, pounding the weights and always striving to be a good teammate. He may be a quiet, humble guy off the field but once he hits the gridiron he is a tough-as-nails competitor who will lower the boom on the ball carrier coming out of the secondary. He has as many as three camps in mind that he wants to attend but is still trying to narrow down the candidates. All the hard work and effort is going to pay off, as this guy is going to blow it up in 2025.   [player_tooltip player_id='1599229' first='Dallas' last='Gray']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/dallas-gray/"></a> , 6'2”, 210, DE/Edge, Wichita Northwest, ‘28. He is another baller flying under the radar who better get used to the spotlight, as it is coming this fall. Last season he got introduced to the game early and stepped up big for a freshman, piling up 40 tackles, six tackles for loss and had a pair of sacks. With his read and react skills and athleticism he comes off the edge like he is shot out of a cannon and destroys plays in the backfield. He has a powerful base, quick feet and great closing speed once he diagnoses the play. Right now he is focused on track where he runs the 300m hurdles and is a good long jumper. He has not finalized his summer camp schedule, but is planning on attending the Northwest Missouri camp as well as heading to the KU camp in June. He is also training with Coach Daniels locally on taking his overall game to the next level. Get this guy on your watchlists, he is getting ready go off.   [player_tooltip player_id='1184357' first='Landon' last='Roberts']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/landon-roberts-2/"></a> , 5'9, 160, RB, Blue Valley SW, '28. After wrapping up basketball and 7v7 with Building Champions, he has been busy and intends to keep the pedal to the metal this spring and summer. He just recently shifted gears to track and is already burning it up as the anchor leg for the 4x100 relay team. Coming off a freshman season when he gave coaches and fans a good look at his skills, he is a fast, elusive running back who can sizzle on the perimeter but also get the tough yards. He is versatile enough to split out or line up in the slot as a pass receiver. His off-season football training has been solid as he is bigger and faster than last year and with a year of experience under his belt is getting ready to put on a show. This summer he plans on attending camps at the University of Kansas, Missouri, K-State and Nebraska so far and is considering others. With the off-season work he has put in he should ready to take it to the next level this fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1655189' first='Remington' last='Merlau'], 6'3, 230, DE/Edge, Campus, '28. He is another baller flying under the radar who I noticed recently from Coach Daniel's training sessions. He is a versatile two-way player who already has prototype size and athleticism and is capable of playing any number of positions on either side of the ball. He can play quarterback or any of the skill positions on offense but this fall is planning on concentrating on playing defensive end. In training this off-season he has been laser-focused on getting stronger, faster and as explosive as possible so he can dominate off the edge and create chaos in the backfield. He has his work cut out for him this fall as he and his teammates are coming off an 0-9 record, but they intend to flip the script on that in 2025. Currently he is playing baseball and is still trying decide which camps to attend this summer. If this coming season is anything like his off-season workouts, this guy is going to be a beast this fall.   In conclusion, get these guys on your fall watchlist and track their off-season progress as we roll into fall. Also, give me a shout via DM on X if you run across anyone flying under the radar.   And, as always, keep grindin'

The off-season is a good time to get to know players and coaches and get a feel for how they approach the game. In particular, it is enjoyable to start watching players as underclassmen and follow the journey through their prep career.