2025 Recap - Playmakers Step Up With Breakout Seasons

With the 2025 season wrapped up I am going to continue to do weekly recap's of this past season in order to recognize as many ballers as possible between now and the end of the year.   This article will be the third in a series of reports and updates highlighting players I have had on my watchlist and have been closely following since early in the year.   In this report we will take a look at some multi-positional rising stars coming off strong seasons.   Up first will be ballers from the class of 2028, followed by a handful of the 2027 athletes who stepped it up this past fall.   So without further adieu, let's check these guys out:     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>2028 BALLERS ON THE RISE:</li> </ul>     Chaylen Bodney, 5'11, 185, ATH, Heights, '28, he is a playmaker on the rise who is coming off a strong season and starting to get some attention. His versatility sets him apart as he can split wide, line up in the slot, as a RB, take the snap in the Wildcat and can play QB as needed. He is also a defensive back with a nose for the ball and is an electric return man. On the season he carried the ball 38 times for 267 yards and six TD's, caught 29 passes for 492 yards and five scores, added 274 yards in returns and even fired a 49-yard TD pass for good measure, to give him just under 1,100 all-purpose yards and 14 total TD's. With his quickness, instant burst and lateral speed he is dangerous in the open field and a threat to take it to the house whenever he touches the ball. Get your popcorn ready next fall, he's going to put on a show.   [player_tooltip player_id='1616521' first='Oliver' last='Kline']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/oliver-kline/"></a> , 6'2, 180, DB/WR, Emporia, '28, he is another versatile sophomore rising star who caught my eye last year and I have been following his progress closely since. He is a three-way player who can play receiver or running back on offense and return kicks and punts, but where he really shines is as a ballhawk safety. He showed his speed and baller game earlier in the year when he intercepted a pass in the endzone and ran it back 102 yards for a pick-6 TD. He is also an instinctive, aggressive d-back who collapses down on the ball quickly, making jarring tackles at the line of scrimmage. On the year he had 28 tackles, a tackle for loss and two interceptions. He also added 350+ all-purpose yards running, receiving and returning. With next-level length and athleticism he is going to blow the lid off in '26.   [player_tooltip player_id='1645153' first='Easton' last='Melton'], 6'2”, 165, QB, Maize, '28, he is a young gunslinger who I reported on earlier in the year and have been a fan of his game since checking him out. A dual threat with the ball in hand, he can run the RPO or extend plays with his wheels, but where he really shines is throwing the ball. He is already a mature passer with solid mechanics who can throw the quick-release bullets or dial up the deep, high-velocity throws on posts and comeback routes. He throws well on the move, has excellent touch on the long ball and can skillfully layer it between defenders with good ball placement. He was able to see the upperclassmen at Maize get the program going in the right direction this past year and will be counted on to keep the trajectory and momentum going full throttle in 2026.   [player_tooltip player_id='1664439' first='Cooper' last='Bruna']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cooper-bruna/"></a> , 6'0, 190, RB/LB, Hanover, '28, it was a banner season going undefeated and winning the state championship, and also ended powerhouse Axtell's 58-game win streak and then beat them again in the playoffs. He is a two-way baller who piled up 600+ all-purpose yards on offense and scored 14 total touchdowns. And, as good as he was on offense, he was even more dominating as a battering ram LB who made a jaw-dropping 116 tackles on the year, with 18 in the championship game. Impressive stats and even more so when you consider they played eight games that were called at halftime because of lop-sided scores. As a linebacker he has great instincts and read and react skills that he uses to hammer the run game between the tackles or fly out and track down backs hitting the perimeter. This guy is a sophomore stud.   [player_tooltip player_id='1622499' first='Tommy' last='Knighton']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tommy-knighton/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tommy-knighton/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tommy-knighton/"></a> , 6'1, 205, RB/LB, Blue Valley North, '28, he is another rising star two-way baller who can play running back on offense as needed but really stepped up as a dominating linebacker on the other side of the ball. He can play as a middle linebacker, outside or bring the heat off the edge. With his next-level instincts and a nose for the ball, he hits gaps like a heat-seeking missile and blows up plays in the backfield. He has a powerful base with weaponized hands that he uses to dismantle blockers and has the closing speed to make big plays on the perimeter. This past fall he loaded up 99 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and finished the season strong with double-digit tackles in three of his last four games. This guy is just getting warmed up for the next couple of seasons.    [player_tooltip player_id='1433319' first='Cooper' last='Cranston'], 6'0, 185, ATH, Holcomb, '28, he caught my eye last year and it has been a lot of fun watching his game evolve. He is rapidly becoming one of the most dangerous all-around players in the state. He can do a little bit of everything as evidenced by his stat line. Check this out: he completed 59 of 103 passes for 808 yards, a 58% completion percentage and 12 TD passes. He ran the ball 122 times for 1,208 yards, averaging 10+ yards per carry and scoring 12 TD's. He added 266 yards receiving and on returns to give him 2,200+ all-purpose yards and 25 TD's. On defense he piled up 55 tackles, three TFL and was one of the state leaders in interceptions with eight. He also averaged 36 yards a punt on special teams. This guy is a future D1 athlete so get out and see him while you still can.     <ul class="wp-block-list"> <li>2027 BALLERS ON THE RISE:</li> </ul>   [player_tooltip player_id='1689847' first='Jayden' last='Wyss']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jayden-wyss/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jayden-wyss/"></a> , 6'3, 305, OL/DL, Bishop Carroll, '27, he and his teammates are coming off a hard-fought 6-4 season where they got hot toward the end of the season, winning three of their last four games, including an upset of Derby right before the playoffs started. It was another strong season for this guy as a versatile offensive lineman with the size and strength to overwhelm defenders on offense or flip to the other side of the ball and battle in the d-line trenches as needed. On offense he can play either guard position and is a mauling, brawling force in the middle, crushing defenders in the run-game blocks and also showing quick feet and hands when walling off in pass pro. With next-level size and skills he is already focused on a strong off-season in preparation for a big senior year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1250567' first='Brody' last='Sedlacek']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brody-sedlacek/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brody-sedlacek/"></a> , 6'0, 195, LB/RB, Hanover, '27, he is another Hanover linebacker I have been following and along with Bruna (covered above) they formed one of the top tandem linebacker units in the state. He busted out for a huge junior season, not only helping his team to a state championship but also beating Axtell twice and ended their 58-game win streak. Along the way, this ball-busting backer accounted for 97 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two fumble recoveries and a blocked punt. On offense he played periodically, running and receiving for 200+ all-purpose yards and scored eight TD's. With his high-IQ game and excellent read and react skills he anticipates plays before closing in hard and fast to destroy the ball carrier. This guy is a baller and will be ready to defend the title in '26.   [player_tooltip player_id='1537490' first='Aidan' last='Ihm']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/aidan-ihm/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/aidan-ihm/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/aidan-ihm/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/aidan-ihm/"></a> , 6'2, 185, QB, Blue Valley NW, '27, he is a rising-star gunslinger who got off to a fast start throwing six touchdown passes and 400+ passing yards in his first couple of games. His good start would later be interrupted when he missed a couple of games in concussion protocol, but he was very effective all year. For the season he completed 103 out of 173 passes, at 60% and 12 touchdown passes. On the ground he added another 317 yards to push his total yards to 1,600+ yards and 13 TD's. He is an athletic runner who uses his burst and quickness to excel in the RPO or when extending plays. In the passing game he throws surgical strikes in the short game and can make the long touch pass with consistent ball placement. This guy is getting ready for a breakout senior year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1643737' first='Reign' last='Illian'], 6'4, 205, QB, Maize South, '27, and last but certainly not least, we have a Wichita-area gunslinger who made a name for himself in his first year to start. With ideal size and athleticism he can make all the throws and got off to a great start, leading his team to a 4-1 record, which included an eight-TD game against Ark City in October. For the season he completed 191 of 292 passes for 2,507 yards, a 65% completion percentage and 30 total TD's. As the returning state leader in passing yards, he leads the pack by almost 500 yards. With his D1 prototype size and next-level arm, he can dissect defenses in the short to medium game or stretch the defense vertically with the long-ball touch pass. He is already getting significant attention and the scary thing is he is just getting warmed up.     In conclusion, keep an eye on these guys as they come into their own.   Note: if your stats referenced above are inaccurate let me know - my stat source is usually MAXPREPS and lately have caught numerous errors in their numbers.   And, most importantly...   Keep Grindin'

With the 2025 season wrapped up I am going to continue to do weekly recap's of this past season in order to recognize as many ballers as possible between now and the end of the year.