Cedar Rapids Jefferson Pushing for More in 2025

After posting their first winning season in nearly ten years thanks to the leadership of former Iowa Hawkeye, Ed Miles, Cedar Rapids Jefferson returns several key starters, plus some young talent.    Set to captain the offense for the second straight season, [player_tooltip player_id='1234329' first='Vernon' last='Benda'] is one of the more polished and experience quarterbacks in the Cedar Rapids metro. Leading the J-Hawks with poise and confidence of a second-year starter, Benda throws a tight ball and is looking to improve off his 116 completions for 1,840 yards and 20 touchdowns last fall.   In an offense that runs the RPO, Benda will need to be confident in his ability to take off and run as well, and with his sturdy frame, he should be a threat to sneak the ball on third and fourth downs with a yard or less to go.     Another CR metro leader from last season, senior linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='1517049' first='Kayden' last='James'] totaled 73 tackles last season to finish fourth in all of Class 4A. He did so in just seven games. If James can stay healthy for the entirety of the season, he'll have a shot at over 100 tackles this fall, and he'll look to add to his 11.5 tackles-for-loss.   James is the clear leader of the Jefferson defense, and standing at a stout 5'11" and 215 pounds, he would be an excellent fit at a D1 walk-on or scholarship athlete in D2 or NAIA.     Miles shared that he has high expectations for junior running back, [player_tooltip player_id='617066' first='Uweza' last='Kalolero'] this fall. Standing at just 5'7" and 155-pounds, Miles stated that though Kalolero has the look of a third down back, or though he may not be super impactful on the football field at the 5A level, that he's deceptively strong and a big playmaker. With just 36 carries for 106 yards last fall, Jefferson will need the young running back to ramp up those numbers this season.   He became more of a factor on defense last year as a defensive back, finishing the season with 37 tackles, two interceptions and recovering a fumble. This season, he'll be heavily relied upon on both sides of the ball.     A big bodied defensive end that has the look of a pass-rusher that could terrorize opposing quarterbacks, [player_tooltip player_id='1619347' first='Darius' last='Nixon'] looks poised for a breakout senior campaign. Yes, he put up 37.5 tackles, including 9.5 TFLs and two sacks last fall, but Nixon looks like he could take it to another level in 2025.   Like Kalolero, Miles expects a big season from the 6'3", 235-pound DL, and if that comes together, Nixon has the frame to get some serious attention from D1 programs.     One of my favorite receivers in the state, [player_tooltip player_id='1234328' first='Lloydson' last='Nyenow Jr'] is a true X-receiver that can and does catch anything thrown his way within a several-foot radius. With strong hands, long strides, sharp routes and some legitimate athleticism, Nyenow is hoping for a full healthy season after going down with an injury seven games into his junior campaign. Even so, Nyenow finished with 37 catches for 724 yards and seven touchdowns as Benda's go-to target.   With offers from Northern Iowa and Lindenwood, Nyenow is on the fringes of earning preferred walk-on offers from Power 4 programs, and even if they don't come knocking, UNI and any other program at the FCS or Group of 5 levels would be lucky to land him.     A smaller receiver on the rise, [player_tooltip player_id='1581291' first='Lucas' last='Ranard'] finished last season with just ten catches for 160 yards and a touchdown, but the junior wideout is hoping to make a bigger impact on the gridiron for the J-Hawks in 2025.   Miles pointed to Ranard as a player that "needs more touches" and has continued to work hard over the last year. He added that Ranard is still a work in progress, but the wideout could greatly benefit from playing alongside Nyenow at wide receiver, who will undoubtedly get a good portion of attention from the defense.     Another weapon for Benda in the passing game, Jermain Robinson is a receiver that can take a step forward this fall, much like Ranard.   A speedy slot in the open field, Robinson finds the holes in the zone of the defense and exposes them for big yards. In catching passes over the middle of the field, he can nab catches in traffic and make the play despite hands and bodies surrounding him, or taking a hit after the catch. Last season, he caught 16 passes for 172 yards and four scores.     After moving up to varsity toward the end of his freshman season and playing safety for Jefferson, [player_tooltip player_id='1632665' first='Tyree' last='Turner'] will look to be more of a fixture on that side of the ball this season. Though he posted just nine tackles and recovered a fumble on the backend of the defense, Turner is a playmaker that will find other ways to impact the game in 2025.

After posting their first winning season in nearly ten years thanks to the leadership of former Iowa Hawkeye, Ed Miles, Cedar Rapids Jefferson returns several key starters, plus some young talent.