Early Birds: 2029s on Our Radar

A new season is upon us! Pads are popping in training camps across Wisconsin as we gear up for those Week 1 battles. We have begun our season preview with a look at Player of the Year candidates and Joe Thomas OL of the Year candidates. Now I want to turn the spotlight to the next wave of Wisconsin athletes that will be shaping our state's football scene for years to come. That is the Class of 2029. It is never too early to look ahead, and there is plenty to know when it comes to the Class of 2029 already. So let's dive in, learn some new names, and check out some unseen highlights together!    My coverage and knowledge of the Class of 2029 is just starting, but from what I have seen Nicholas is the top athlete in the Class to this point. Payne is a long, lean athlete that has a great base of muscle already built onto his frame. Nicholas also brings elite speed to the field that carries over from his All- American Track & Field success. This 2029 isn't just a straight line athlete though. I have seen him in person and can confidently report that he is developing quickly as a route runner. He has the balance, quick feet, and acceleration to open up separation. The incoming freshman also does a great job of attacking the ball in the air, aided by his reported 40" vertical. The physical tools are all there for the Racine Case Eagle to be an early impact player.     Myles hit my radar earlier this summer at the Whitewater Mega Camp. The incoming freshman already is checking in at 6'2" 250 lbs, and just as important we are seeing Myles be able to move naturally at that size. I have already been able to watch him play with a low pad level, win with leverage, and show off a strong anchor in pass protection as an IOL. In the run game you see more of that power flash while still playing with a low pad level. Myles will be a kid to have eyes on early. He may not see the varsity field this year, but I do feel confident he sees it early in his career.     Coming out of Whitnall we have incoming freshman QB [player_tooltip player_id='1426738' first='Josiah' last='Torres']. The now 5'10" 165 lbs 2029 is a kid that is showing great dedication to his craft. There are plenty of examples of his offseason work from the summer. His focus on footwork and overall mobility, throwing on the move, and also getting the ball out quickly from the pocket will make him very effective on the lower level teams this fall. Watching through his clips you will see a unique throwing motion, but the ball comes out in a tight spiral and the accuracy is strong to the different levels of the field. It will be interesting to see how he continues to develop mechanically and how he grows over the next 4 years.     Catholic Memorial has another impressive RB ready for his turn to work through the program. Josiah has some fun clips going back to his 8th grade season. Athletically, the 2029 was vastly ahead in his development. The speed, vision, agility, and acceleration jump off the tape. In some of the clips Josiah literally made kids miss in an area that was as tight as a phone booth. He is so elusive and then can flip the switch in the open field and pull away for the big play. It is going to be fun watching Josiah develop his game as a high school athlete. Get on him early like we are here at PRZ WI.     We just talked about a top speed back, now we turn to an impressive power back. Hunter checks in at 5'10" 155 lbs, and he stood out on the field with his size. The 2029 has some wiggle to him, showing he could make defenders miss, but he was at his best as a one cut runner who runs behind his pads and earns the tough yards after contact. Hunter has a strong frame and the contact balance to easily rip through arm tackles at the 8th grade level. It will be interesting to see if the incoming freshman earns any varsity action because we saw a lot of graduation from the State Championship roster that Lomira had last season. I will definitely be staying turned in.     Zekodi enters his freshman season at 5'8" and now 170 lbs. Allen has the open field speed that outran angles over and over in his 8th grade highlights, but it is his vision and accerlation that have me most excited. Those are his best traits, and what will lead a lot of RBs to success if they can develop them. To be able to find holes or set up blocks, and then quickly utilize them. Zekodi is well on his way and should have some solid tape come out from this fall.     Clay is actually the newest athlete on my radar. After watching through some of his 7v7 highlights from the summer I have quickly become impressed by his talents and become a big fan. The first thing that jumps off the tape is Clay's hands. If he could get his hands on the ball it felt like he was going to find a way to reel it in. It didn't matter if he had one hand or two. Clay also proved to be a very elusive runner, making DBs miss one on one in the open field. No doubt Clay is building on a really strong base of acceleration, speed, agility, and body control. Don't overlook this kid.     Things are looking good for Breken early in his high school career. He started at CB on varsity for Regis at their scrimmage last night. A great sign of what could be coming for him. The 2029 looked like he fit in with the high level of play too. He had the speed to run deep downfield or across the field with his man. There were flashes of closing speed to break up passes last second. The incoming freshman also did well transition out of his backpedal and changing direction. Plus his quick feet and loose hips allowed him to easily and efficiently mirror receivers. I'm very excited to see if he can continue on this path and become a key contributor as a freshman on varsity.

A new season is upon us! Pads are popping in training camps across Wisconsin as we gear up for those Week 1 battles. We have begun our season preview with a look at Player of the Year candidates and Joe Thomas OL of the Year candidates. Now I want to turn the spotlight to the next wave of Wisconsin athletes that will be shaping our state's football scene for years to come. That is the Class of 2029. It is never too early to look ahead, and there is plenty to know when it comes to the Class of 2029 already. So let's dive in, learn some new names, and check out some unseen highlights together!