Monday Morning Pre-Season Baller Alert

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are coming down the homestretch to launching the 2025 pre-season and it couldn't get here any sooner. I mean, off-season training and living the grind is ok for awhile, but these guys are ballers who want some real-time action.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>All the lifting and speedwork, fine-tuning of mechanics, watching tape on the graveyard shift, picking up nuances and tricks of the trade from trainers and coaches, etc., etc., are all prerequisites to becoming elite, but it is game-time these guys are craving.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Visualizing and manifesting is all good stuff, but bring on the smash-mouth environment of <em>Friday Night Lights</em>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report, we are taking a look at five multi-positional playmakers who are prepped and ready for breakout seasons. First out of the chute are a couple of seniors getting ready to have dominating seasons, followed by a pair of rising-star sophomores and conclude with a junior baller flying under the radar so far.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's take a look at what these guys have been doing to get ready for this fall:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1658264' first='Gage' last='Koenigs']</strong>, 6'0, 215, LB/RB, <em>Goddard</em>, '26. He is coming off a solid season a year ago as a ball-buster linebacker and running back that sets the table for a big senior year. He is a powerfully-built defender with great read and react skills who flies to the football and essentially dismantles the opposing team's run game. With his strong base, low-center of gravity and lateral movement through traffic, he destroys double-teams or linemen trying to chip and pick him off. He is also a threat rushing the QB from the edge, aggressively putting the pressure on with great body lean and pad level getting into the backfield. He is coming off a season last year when he piled up 60 tackles, numbers he will blow out of the water this fall. His off-season has been strong as he is well over the 1,100+ club on the big-three lifts, ripped off a sizzling 4.6 forty and got bigger along the way. This guy is a headhunter and is well on his way to a dominating senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1608509' first='Jared' last='Whitney']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jared-whitney/"></a> </strong>, 6'1, 175, DB/ATH, <em>Clearwater</em>, '26. He is another one I have had my eye on since last year and is returning as a a versatile, athletic playmaker who can line up anywhere on the back-end of the defense, but is especially troublesome as a shut-down corner who can bust chops at the line and then flex and fly tracking the ball. Last season he was in on 30 tackles and forced a couple of fumbles out of the secondary and then followed up with a strong 7v7 season with the powerful <em>Kansas Colts</em>. This summer he has gotten bigger and stronger and has been training with standout trainer/coach Rashad Daniels, while working with his teammates getting ready to turn things around for the <em>Indians </em>this fall. In particular, he has fine-tuned his coverage skill sets and continues to commit secondary nuances to muscle memory in the off-season. He has already started stacking up the offers and is locked and loaded for a big year this fall..</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1351253' first='Carter' last='Raney']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/carter-raney/"></a> </strong>, 5'11, 175, LB/SS, <em>Spring Hill</em>, '28. He is coming off an excellent freshman season when he caught my eye even though at the time I wasn't paying much attention to the new guys to the varsity game. He is in the process of establishing himself as a versatile defender who can blow plays up at the line of scrimmage as a linebacker, but is particularly gifted in the defensive backfield as a strong safety who reads the play on the fly. With his nose for the ball and baller instincts he quickly collapses down and hammers the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage in the run game, but is equally adept at floating in zone to take out the pass attack. This offseason he has been training with Coach Potts of <em>Top Speed</em> working on acceleration and explosiveness and in track season ran the 100m and the 4x100 relay. Over the summer he has his forty down in the high 4.6's and showed his springs with a 35" vertical. This guy is getting ready to go off this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Braylon Reed</strong>, 5'11, 180, ATH/DB, <em>Derby</em>, '28. He is another young gun who has caught my attention this off-season as an up-and-coming baller who can play anywhere in the secondary but is starting to turn heads as a versatile strong safety who is comfortable drilling ball carriers on the perimeter or provide smothering pass coverage when the ball is in the air. He is a grinder in the off-season already and has had a productive summer getting bigger, stronger and has his 40-time down to 4.6 while training with Coach Daniels. This guy is determined to be an elite baller and is willing to put in the time and effort to achieve it. He has been studying tape and working with his coaches to continue to fine-tune his football read-and-react skills, while also working hard with his teammates getting ready for a title-chasing season. It didn't take him long last year to start drawing significant attention in <em>Panther </em>country. Time to officially get him on your watchlist in '25.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Jaelynn Ligon</strong>, 5'11, 175, WR/DB, <em>Wichita Northwest</em>, '27. Speaking of title-chasing, we have another two-way baller who is getting ready to put his versatility on full display this fall for a loaded <em>Wichita NW </em>team. Last fall he started getting attention as an athletic defensive back but will shift gears to the other side of the ball and play wide receiver this year. As a wideout or in the slot he has all the tools needed to shake d-backs off the line of scrimmage and create quick separation before executing exacting routes. With his sticky hands and fearless attitude he is able to make the contested catch over the middle or in heavy traffic. He has the burst needed for a top-end receiver as well and has his 40-time down to 4.6. This off-season he been working on more than speed and has been a grinder in the weight room, putting on 20 pounds since last year. He also cross-trains playing hoops, baseball and running track when not working out for football. This guy is ready for a breakout season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get out and see these guys in action – you will not be disappointed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, as usual…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Keep grindin'</em></strong>…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->